Will Zinc help my hair grow back - According to Reddit users
Is zinc good for scalp? Is it good for hair loss, hair growth and thickness? And which vitamins are good for hair?
Reddit has a forum just dedicated to this topic
You may have tried many things to prevent thinning hair, but when there is no sign of improvement, you may be tempted to give up. But the answer to hair regrowth may be simple. All you have to do is start paying attention to your diet and changing your lifestyle.
Some others on Reddit mentioned otherwise
And most importantly, focus on adding more nutrients like vitamins and minerals to your diet.
To prevent thinning hair, it may be important to take in nutrients that help prevent hair loss. One of these nutrients is zinc.
Is Zinc Really Good For Scalp
In this article, you will learn why zinc is essential for hair growth, how to consume it efficiently, and what other nutrients you need in addition to zinc.
How does zinc help hair growth?
Many people have heard of the nutrient zinc, but are unaware of its specific role in how it affects the body.
There are two major roles of zinc.
The first is that it is absorbed as a nutrient after eating food, converted into energy, and affects tissues such as skin and hair. This function is necessary to keep the body young and energetic at all times.
The second is the active transmission of information. Our body has many cells, and various information is transmitted between each of them. Zinc facilitates this intercellular communication.
Source: National Library of Medicine
Effects of Zinc on Thinning Hair
The two functions of zinc may also have an effect on thinning hair.
It produces new hair through its ability to convert nutrients into energy source to create new cells. Without this function, new hair would not grow from the pores where hair has been lost.
The effect of facilitating information between cells allows them to detect where more hair is needed, where the hair is weak, and where to grow hair next. Based on this information, it produces new, stronger, less-shedding hair.
Some people may think that since it has so many beneficial effects on the body and is effective in preventing thinning hair, it is a good idea to take a lot of zinc. However, zinc is not just something you have to take into your body to get the desired effect.
Too much zinc can damage the body, while too little is not good. The National Institute of Health has set a standard for daily zinc intake.
The benefits are even greater if you take zinc alone or in combination with other nutrients, so be sure to consume zinc in good amounts.
What Is The Ideal Zinc Intake For Hair Growth?
The Recommended Dietarty Intake of zinc by the National Instititue of Health, is a daily intake of 11 mg of zinc for adult males aged 18 to 74. The recommended amount for women is 8 mg.
The difference between men and women is due to differences in body size. Therefore, not all men may have the recommended required intake, so it should be taken as a standard only.
Risk of Zinc Deficiency
A deficiency of zinc poses various risks.
For example, nails and skin may not form properly, eczema and other itchy skin conditions may occur, and hair loss may occur.
In addition, the communication of information between cells is impaired, resulting in a weakened immune system and an increased susceptibility to various diseases such as infections.
There is also a direct risk of hair thinning. Protein is essential for hair growth, but if zinc is deficient, protein will not be formed properly and hair may not grow, or even if it does grow, it may fall out easily.
Risks Of High Zinc Intake
Contrary to the danger of deficiency, high intake of zinc also carries risks.
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the upper limit of daily intake of zinc is 40-45 mg for adult men and 35 mg for adult women.
If the upper limit of intake is exceeded, many of the effects of copper absorption are inhibited. If the body cannot take in the torso, it will not be able to get the iron it needs to improve circulation.
Poor circulation will prevent the body from absorbing the nutrients and oxygen that produce strong, fall-resistant hair.
How much exactly in terms of food?
So what exactly is the ideal zinc intake of 11 mg? Let's convert it to foods that we are familiar with.
Oysters are the most zinc-rich food, with 13.2 mg of zinc per 100 g. Oysters are also the most zinc-rich food, with 13.2 mg of zinc per 100 g. To get the ideal 11 mg of zinc, we would need about 82.5 grams.
What about the rice and bread we eat every day?
Rice contains 0.6 mg of zinc per 100 g of rice and 0.8 mg per 100 g of bread. So for rice, it is about 1833 grams, and for bread, it is about 1375 grams. You can see that this is a significant amount.
What Are The Foods Rich In Zinc
- Oysters contain 13.2 mg per 100 g, but you probably don't eat them very often. Some familiar foods also contain high levels of zinc, though not as much as oysters.
- Egg yolk 4.2mg
- Dried sardines 7.2 mg
- Pork liver 6.9mg
- Sesame 5.9mg
- Almonds 4.4mg
- Processed cheese 3.2mg
- Chicken thigh 2.0mg
- Natto (fermented soybeans) 1.9mg
Let's take measures to prevent thinning hair by incorporating these ingredients into our daily diet.
In order to consume zinc efficiently, there are certain cooking points that should be kept in mind. Be aware that the following foods can interfere with the absorption of zinc.
- Calcium
- Dietary fiber
- Caffeine
- Tannins in red wine
- Phytic acid found in cereals
Each of these ingredients is good for the body, but if taken together with zinc, the zinc that has been ingested will be removed from the body.
It is important to avoid taking these ingredients together as much as possible.
If it is difficult to get zinc from food, supplement with zinc supplements!
Can Zinc Supplements Help With Hair Loss
Zinc is certainly effective in preventing hair loss, but some people may find it difficult to obtain zinc from their daily diet. If you do not know how to get zinc from food or if you do not cook much, try using zinc supplements.
If you want to purchase supplements, they are readily available anywhere these days, including convenience stores and drugstores.
Some companies offer supplements with benefits other than zinc, so consider what ingredients you currently need and purchase accordingly.
Don't worry about taking them together!
Zinc supplements are intended to supplement deficient nutrients, so they are more like food
than medicine. They supplement areas of your daily life where you may be lacking a little.
Some people take several supplements at the same time to maintain their health, but you do not need to worry too much about taking them together.
Just be careful not to overdose!
As we mentioned earlier, overdose can cause poor blood circulation and induce thinning hair.
If you are taking supplements with ingredients other than zinc, check to see if the supplements you are taking contain zinc. If you take a zinc supplement in combination with a supplement that contains zinc, you may unknowingly be taking an overdose.
Also consider whether you are taking too much zinc if you are getting it from the food you eat in addition to supplements.
Protein, a major component of hair, is an essential nutrient for hair health. High-quality protein together with zinc is a strong ally in creating hair that is resistant to shedding and has bounce and firmness, and helps to maintain a healthy scalp environment.
Protein is an essential nutrient for hair growth, but it has the downside of being difficult to absorb in the body. This is where vitamin B complex comes in to help protein absorption.
Even if a large amount of B vitamins are ingested, they are excreted out of the body in the form of urine, so it is necessary to consciously consume B vitamins daily.
Not only zinc, but also the following minerals are essential to keep the body healthy.
- Iron
- Silicon
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Aluminum
When minerals are deficient, nutrients necessary to sustain the body are not distributed throughout the body. As a result, hair will become thin and fall out easily.
Minerals also have a stress-suppressing effect. It also helps relieve poor circulation, hormonal imbalance, loss of appetite, and lack of sleep caused by stress, which can induce hair thinning.
Summary on zinc for hair growth reviews
To sum things up, in order to prevent thinning hair, we need to get zinc in our regular diet. Zinc plays an important role in communicating with other cells in order to produce strong, firm new hair.
If it is difficult to get it in your regular diet, use zinc supplements instead.
I suggest taking it with protein, B vitamins, and other minerals to further increase its effectiveness. But be careful not to overdose.
You can be persistent in dealing with thinning hair while taking a good dose of zinc.
