Iron And Hair Loss

Several studies have shown associations with low body stores of iron and hair loss. These include studies with women. When I interviewed one of the world's authorities on hair loss, Gary Perrault, MD, of Beverly Hills, California, he told me that one of the first things he looks at when there is hair loss is the person's body stores of iron, as measured by the blood test called "ferritin." If ferritin is below 40 nanomoles he recommends that the person supplement with iron to get their ferritin level up. This can require high dosage iron supplementation, as much as 300 mg per day, as determined by your doctor. However, supplementation with as little as 24 to 48 mg per day has also been used.

I Took Extra Iron (Updated November, 2006)
I have been taking the SuperNutrition Opti-Pack, a multi-vitamin that contains 40 mg of daily iron since 1976. Since I have been battling a little bit of hair loss and my ferritin measured 22 nanomoles in May, 2006 when I spoke with Dr. Perrault I began to add extra iron to my current regimen. I added it as an extra 100 milligrams of iron twice a day three days per week, so it amounted to 200 mg on three days per week. I didn't take it every day because it's a large dose and I didn't want to load my body with a large dose every day.

I found that iron protein succinylate caused constipation at this high dose. When I switched to iron carbonyl, there was no problem with constipation. If you can't locate a source of iron carbonyl (I have an old bottle of Thompson brand IDEAL IRON that contains iron carbonyl, a product that isn't made anymore) and the form of iron you take causes constipation, consider only taking it a few days per week. In the four months I took this extra iron my ferritin increased to 59 nanomoles. I then reverted to only getting the 40 milligrams in the multiple vitamin I take, the SuperNutrition Easy-Swallow Opti-Pack.

Click on the links below for a brief review of medical journal studies that discuss an association with low ferritin levels and hair loss.

Studies by:
1. Trost
2. Rushton
3. Rushton
4. Rushton
5. Kantor

See also: http://www.medibolics.com/HairLoss2.htm

For your viewing, I quote from Clinical Pearls One Liners, March 2003. Clinical Pearls is one of the periodicals I subscribe to for its evaluation of medical journal studies that focus on dietary supplements and complementary medicine.

From a review of a study by DH Rushton, MD.
Published in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2002; volume 27, pages 396-404.

Iron, Lysine, Biotin and Essential Fatty Acids
Iron supplementation at 24 to 48 mg per day, which raises serum ferritin up to at least 70 mcg/l with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate being >10 mm/hour, plus 1½ to 2 grams of lysine daily have been shown to have a positive benefit in slowing hair loss. Using 1 to 2 mg per day of biotin may also be of benefit, along with essential fatty acids.