Iron and hair growth - critical must-know information

Iron is critical for healthy hair growth. When you're iron deficient:

• Hair is dry, brittle and dull
  
• You could start shedding more hair
  
• Your hair could get thinner
  

Iron deficiency is common in women because we lose A LOT of it during menstruation and pregnancy.

Iron uptake inhibitors!

Research suggests that when levels of zinc and iron are the same in a multivitamin your iron uptake will be much lower. Zinc interferes with the iron uptake. If you want to stop this from happening there should be 3 times more iron than zinc in your multivitamin. I'm going to get a new multivitamin because mine actually has less iron than zinc - oops!

Coffee, tea and calcium-rich foods, e.g. dairy can also inhibit iron uptake so they should be taken several hours after eating iron-rich foods to optimise iron absorption.

Iron uptake promoters

Vitamin C. This is found in especially high amounts in citrus fruits, e.g. oranges including orange juice, lemons, strawberries, kiwi and cherries. A small glass of orange juice with or after a meal is a good way to improve your iron uptake.

Which foods are rich in iron?

Iron rich foods include: dark green leafy vegetables, liver, red kidney beans, egg yolks, mollusks and dried fruit.

How much iron do you need per day?

According to the National Institute of Health, NIH, women need:

• 8 mg/day if you're aged 9 to 13
  
• 15 mg/day if you're aged 14 to 18
  
• 18 mg/day if you're aged 19 to 50 
  
• 8 mg/day if you're aged 51+
  
• 27 mg/day when you're pregnant
  

Iron rich foods include: 

• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Liver
• Red kidney beans
• Egg yolks
• Mollusks (clams, oysters, scallops)
• Dried fruit, e.g. raisins
• Cereals fortified with iron

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