Category: Beauty

Tart cherry, goji berries, and acai have been trending for years—but according to wellness gurus (and our Instagram feeds), there’s a new ‘it’ supplement with antioxidant superpowers in town: noni juice. Here, everything you need to know about the buzzy superfruit.

What Is Noni Juice?

First of all, it’s pronounced no-nee.

Noni juice comes from the fruit of the evergreen Morinda citrifolia tree (part of the coffee family). It grows in Southeast Asia, Australia, India, the Polynesian Islands, and Hawaii—usually near where lava flows.

These parts of the world have long used the noni fruit, leaves, flowers, seeds, stems, bark, and roots for their nutraceutical qualities, says herbalist and educator Vanessa Chakou, founder of holistic health workshop and retreat Sacred Warrior.

The noni fruit looks a bit like an unripe kiwi and is known for having a somewhat foul smell and flavor.

In recent decades, people have begun to reap the benefits of noni by fermenting the stinky fruit in the sun. “If you fill a glass container with the ripe fruit and seal it, after a few weeks, a sour liquid appears,” explains Chakour. This (or a strained and pasteurized version of it) is noni juice as we know it today.

Noni Juice & Antioxidants

Why sip on sour noni juice? It’s chock-full of antioxidants. (Noni is often compared to goji, which is also well-known for its antioxidants.)

One 2018 Foods review, for example, suggests that many of noni juice’s long-treasured health benefits stem from its high antioxidant content—and the powerful effect those antioxidants have on the immune system.

Related: 5 Things You Can Do Every Day To Fight Inflammation

As you probably know by now, antioxidants help reduce cellular damage caused by oxidative stress, which can stem from exposure to external chemicals and pollutants and free radicals produced during natural body functions, like the metabolic process of producing energy.

In addition to antioxidants, noni juice also contains some vitamins and minerals, like potassium, which may add to its feel-good benefits.

The Benefits of Noni Juice

Because of its antioxidant properties, the purported benefits of noni juice are many.

“Anecdotal reports suggest noni juice may improve well-being, support sleep, assist digestion, and promote healthy aging,” says Jonathan Valdez, R.D.N., owner of Genki Nutrition and spokesperson for the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Here are six of the tropical juice’s biggest perks.

1. Improved Digestion

“Herbalism believes that the noni fruit cleanses the body by moving the waters of our body and, in turn, cleansing the digestive system,” says Chakour.

Essentially, the juice gets our digestive system moving and grooving.

How? According to this Huntington College of Health Services paper, specific phytochemicals—called anthraquinones and damnacanthal—have a stimulating effect on the GI tract.

2. Boosted Immunity

Perhaps the best-known benefit of antioxidants: “They’re thought to play a beneficial role in regulating the immune system,” says Valdez. Hence the noni juice-immune health connection.

Valdez also suggests that noni’s vitamin and mineral content contributes to its immune-boosting ability. Noni juice contains some potassium, along with trace amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium, sodium, and magnesium, he says.

Plus, it also contains more than 160 phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds, organic acids, and alkaloids.

Many of these other compounds offer their own unique immune health benefits.

3. Healthy Joints

Current research suggests noni juice can also help ease joint discomfort.

Take this study published in the Nigerian Journal of Health and Biomedical Sciences, for instance. Researchers found that after four weeks of ingesting 30 milliliters of noni juice a day, participants with joint issues reported lower ratings of discomfort.

4. High-Power Athletic Performance & Recovery

Another of antioxidants’ better-known benefits: their ability to promote exercise performance and recovery. You’ve probably heard about tart cherry juice being used to promote recovery—and noni juice works in a similar way.

For instance, one 2012 trial found that athletes who drank just less than a cup of noni juice per day saw greater improvements in endurance and reductions in fatigue than those who drank blueberry juice.

Worth noting: Some recent research suggests ingesting too many antioxidants too close to exercise can actually inhibit the inflammatory response necessary for our muscles to adapt and grow. So if fitness gains are top priority, consider consuming noni juice—and other high-antioxidants foods, drinks, or supplements—at least a few hours before or after working out.

5. Healthy Aging

Not only does noni support inner health, but it can also have very visible benefits, too.

When applied topically, noni acts as a moisturizing skin-booster and can promote a clear, healthy, and youthful complexion, says Valdez.

By helping to limit the skin’s production of free radicals in response to sun damage, noni’s antioxidants help you hold onto that youthful glow.

Related: 8 All-Natural Goodies To Make Your Face Glow

And since drinking noni juice also delivers those precious antioxidants throughout your system, consuming it can support healthy skin from the inside, too, says Chakour.

6. Overall Health & Well-Being

In addition to the specific benefits listed above, noni juice’s antioxidants also support our general health in a number of other ways.

Given the environmental and lifestyle stressors now common in our everyday lives, taking in ample antioxidants has never been more important.

After all, research consistently shows that natural antioxidant intake supports health outcomes, like healthy blood pressure, over time. Why do you think the American Heart Association recommends a diet rich in fruits and vegetables?

Notable Noni Precautions

Though noni offers some major health benefits, it’s not recommended for everyone.

People with kidney disease, for example, may not be able to process noni’s high potassium content and should avoid it.

According to Valdez, “people who take blood thinners or blood pressure or liver medications should also avoid noni.”

How To Reap Noni Juice’s Benefits

Interested in adding noni juice to your health and wellness routine? Just keep a few best practices in mind.

Choosing A Quality Supplement

Because noni juice tends to be sour, many brands sweeten it with other juices or added sugar.

Chakour recommends checking all bottled noni juice labels for excess added sugar or artificial sweeteners and avoiding overly-sweetened products.

Our recommendations:

• for an unsweetened juice: Dynamic Health’s Organic Certified Noni Juice From Tahiti
• for a naturally-sweetened juice: The Vitamin Shoppe brand’s Organic Noni (sweetened with apple juice, raspberry puree, and raspberry flavor)

Taking Noni

Once you’ve got yourself a quality noni juice, Chakour recommends taking it in a quick shot. She takes one shot in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Some experts suggest that taking noni on an empty stomach supports its absorption, hence why it often finds its place in early-morning rituals.

When you first get started, start with 15 milliliters (about one tablespoon) per day, says Valdez. Gauge how you feel throughout the first few months and, if needed, gradually up your intake to 30 milliliters.

Some people might experience stomach upset after drinking noni juice (after all, it does stimulate your digestive system). In this case, Valdez recommends drinking the juice alongside some food or lowering your dose.

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Whether we’re contending with a clogged shower drain or seeing more strands on our pillow than usual, we’ve all wondered whether our hair loss is normal. This guide will help you determine whether your hairline is really at risk.

How Hair Growth Works

The hairs on our head (and the rest of our bodies) are constantly moving through a three-phase cycle, in which our hair follicles sprout new hairs, rest, and then prepare to replace existing hairs with new ones.

During the anagen phase, our hair follicles produce a hair shaft. Then, during the catagen and telogen phases, they reset and stop growth to prepare their stem cells to start the next hair.

It takes any given hair years to move through the full cycle—and different hair follicles pass through different phases at different times.

“Normally, 80 to 90 percent of our hair is growing while 10 to 20 percent is ‘resting,’” explains Erum Ilyas, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Montgomery Dermatology in Pennsylvania.

What Normal Hair Shedding Looks Like

Though we’d all like to keep as many hairs on our heads as possible, our hair’s natural cycle means it’s completely normal to lose some strands every single day.

In fact, according to The American Academy of Dermatology, most people lost between 50 to 100 hairs a day. (This is known as ‘shedding,’)

That may seem like a lot, but fear not. “This is a very small amount of hair compared to the vast number of hair follicles humans have on their scalp, which averages around 100,000,” says Hal Weitzbuch, M.D., M.S., F.A.A.D., dermatologist and founder of hair line JuveTress.

Normal Shedding vS. Abnormal Hair Loss

In normal hair shedding, new hair grows in as the old strands fall out, so you don’t notice any thinning.

However, true hair loss occurs when the normal hair growth-shedding cycle is disrupted or the hair follicle itself is destroyed, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Common Causes Of Hair Loss

Most often, abnormal hair loss stems from hormonal and autoimmune issues. “Hair follicles are highly sensitive to changes in signaling from estrogen, prolactin, cortisol, and the thyroid hormones,” Zembroski explains.

That’s why extreme stress has been implicated in hair loss. “Elevated cortisol [a stress hormone] blocks thyroid hormones from influencing hair follicle activity,” says Zembroski. This reduces hair growth, causing hair to become brittle and thin out.

Related: Could You Have A Thyroid Issue?

Hair loss is also common in women who have estrogen dominance (too-high levels of estrogen and too-low levels of progesterone). This imbalance again affects thyroid function, and thus hair follicle activity.

Meanwhile, women diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) often deal with hair loss related to excess testosterone.

Autoimmune dysfunction can also affect hair in multiple ways. In alopecia areata, which is marked by patchy hair loss, for example, “immune cells attack the rapidly growing cells in the hair follicles,” Zembroski explains. In Hashimoto’s disease, another autoimmune condition, though, the immune system spurs hair loss by attacking the thyroid.

Hormone and immune issues aside, seasonal shifts can also impact our hair. During shorter, darker winter days, we produce higher levels of melatonin (the ‘sleep hormone’), which can cause hair to move from the growth phase to the resting phase—and eventually into the shedding phase.

Signs Your Hair Loss Is Abnormal

Though it can be challenging to pinpoint whether you’re experiencing typical hair shedding or irregular hair loss, there are a few signs to look out for.

1. Your Eyebrows Are Thinning

Believe it or not, issues with hair loss on your scalp can also affect your eyebrows.

According to functional medicine specialist, clinical nutritionist, and author of REBUILD, Robert Zembroski, D.C., D.A.C.N.B., M.S., thinning of the lateral third of your eyebrows (the ends of your eyebrows, farthest from your nose), in particular, often signals true hair loss.

In this case, hair loss may be associated to thyroid issues—specifically hypothyroidism. “In hypothyroidism, the thyroid gland does not produce the amounts of thyroid hormones needed for normal physiological processes in the body, including healthy hair,” explains Zembroski.

2. The Part In Your Hair Looks Different

“The most common sign of abnormal hair loss in women is a widening part,” says Weitzbuch.

Take a look when combing or styling your hair. Can you see more of your scalp than usual? Does your part seem wider? If so, you may be dealing with hair loss related to imbalances in female sex hormones.

3. Your Hair Line Is Thinning Or Receding

This pattern of hair loss, known as ‘male pattern baldness,’ is the most common type of hair loss men experience.

“Men most often notice a receding hair line and a thinning spot on the top of the head,” says Weitzbuch.

While this type of hair loss can begin at any age, the likeliness of it setting in grows more likely as men get older. “Genetics, hormones, environment, and health factors all play a role,” he explains.

Male pattern hair loss is also the type of hair loss many women with PCOS face.

4. Some Parts Of Your Hair Feel Thicker Than Others

When autoimmune issues—particularly alopecia areata—are at play, hair tends to fall out in random but distinct clumps.

If you notice small, disc-like spots where hair is incredibly thin—or has fallen out completely—consider it a possible sign of autoimmune trouble.

5. You’re Shedding A LOT

While it is normal to notice shedding every day, losing more than 100 strands of hair per day is considered ‘excessive shedding.’

Look out for an unusually high number of hairs on your pillowcase, in your hairbrush, or atop the shower drain. Typically, this type of all-around excessive shedding is caused by stress—and the elevated cortisol levels that come along with it.

6. You Hair Feels Brittle And Thin

If your individual hairs feel brittle, dry, and thinner than usual, there may be more at play than just needing to deep condition more often.

In fact, these hair changes may indicate thyroid issues, specifically hypothyroidism. “Low levels of thyroid hormones can cause dry, brittle, coarse hair and reduced hair cell growth,” explains Zembroski.

Look out for dull, stringy strands—and a ponytail that lacks its usual oomph.

How To Revive Your Locks

If you’re experiencing unexplained hair loss, make an appointment with your doctor. They’ll help you investigate whether a hormone- or immune-related condition might be messing with your mane.

From there, your doctor will help you address the root cause of your hair woes and recommend a treatment for supporting healthy hair in the meantime.

Related: The 6 Best Supplements For Healthy Hair

Of course, living a healthy lifestyle is also hugely important for overall healthy hair. Make sure you’re getting your fill of nutrients like protein (especially collagen) and vitamin D, which play key roles in hair growth and strength. Managing stress, minimizing your use of hot styling tools, and limiting super-tight hairstyles can also help your locks thrive.

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A hot ingredient in face masks, supplements, and now even in toothpaste, activated charcoal has made its way into pretty much all aspects of our self-care routines. Here’s what you should know before brushing the black stuff all over your pearly whites.

Why Charcoal?

“Charcoal has been used in health and beauty since the beginning of time,” says Sonya Krasilnikov, D.D.S., co-founder of Dental House in New York City.

The carbon ash produced when things like wood or coconut shells burn, charcoal becomes ‘activated’ (and more porous) when heated. “This is where the benefits lie,” says Krasilnikov. “Because of its porosity, activated charcoal is extremely absorbent and, like a magnet, attracts and traps debris and toxins—like undesirable chemicals and gases—effectively.” Known as a ‘binder,’ activated charcoal is even used to absorb drugs in the stomachs of people who have overdosed to prevent those drugs from being further absorbed into the body.

About Charcoal Toothpaste

Just as it does for our gut and skin, activated charcoal may also have detoxifying benefits for our mouths.

“Research suggests that activated charcoal can remove surface stains and make teeth appear whiter,” explains Jennifer Silver, D.D.S., dentist at Macleod Trail Dental in Alberta. The theory is that activated charcoal binds to various impurities, leaving your smile looking brighter. However, there’s not much definitive science on that yet.

While only bleaching products (like peroxide) can truly affect the color of your enamel and underlying dentin, charcoal seems to remove a small amount of surface staining, says Mark Burhenne, D.D.S., founder of AsktheDentist.com.

Related: I Brushed My Teeth With Charcoal For 2 Weeks—Here’s What Happened

Activated charcoal toothpaste’s benefits don’t end there. “Charcoal toothpaste may be good for your oral microbiome because it gets rid of some of the nastier things, like bacteria or fungi, that may contribute to decay or other oral issues,” says Burhenne. “Because it absorbs highly-acidic toxins, activated charcoal can help eliminate bad breath and bring the mouth’s pH closer to neutral.”

While not as glamorous as whiter pearly whites, these benefits are important. “Balancing your mouth’s pH, for example, can help teeth remineralize, which reverses tooth decay and prevents new decay,” Burhenne explains.

Activated Charcoal Toothpaste Concerns

Since activated charcoal has such a significant impact on its environment, you have to use charcoal toothpaste with care.

“The abrasiveness of activated charcoal can actually damage the enamel of your teeth if it’s scrubbed against them,” explains Anatolij Koniouchine, D.D.S., founder of Rockcliffe Dental in Ontario. “If you are going to use activated charcoal, it’s important to only lightly graze the teeth during application.”

Regularly scrubbing activated charcoal into your teeth could potentially damage your enamel—the top protective layer on your teeth—over time. “Once enamel is gone, you can’t regrow more—and enamel is essential in protecting your teeth against cavities,” Macleod says. When enamel is stripped away, bacteria enters beneath the surface of your tooth more easily.

Best Practices For Brushing With Activated Charcoal

Interested in trying an activated charcoal toothpaste? First, check with your doctor to make sure your enamel is strong and healthy.

Then, look for a reputable brand and be very careful about the type of charcoal it contains. “You can produce charcoal by burning off just about any material, so I recommend a source that comes from bamboo or another natural source,” says Burhenne. Anything made from synthetic materials, or that’s not ground finely enough, can be more foe than friend to your teeth.

My Magic Mud’s Activated Charcoal Toothpastes use charcoal derived from coconut shell, along with other natural ingredients like coconut oil, and are some of the most popular pastes in the game.

From there, use your toothpaste just once every other day or so; not every time you brush your teeth. “Charcoal toothpaste should never be considered a substitute for your regular toothpaste,” says Macleod. The key to reaping its benefits is not to overdo it.

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Has coconut oil finally met its match? Many beauty bloggers have been singing the praises of rosehip oil for its multiple skin benefits. Consider this your guide to the trend.

What Is Rosehip Oil?

To start with, rosehip oil is not rose essential oil. In fact, they’re actually quite different from one another. While the latter is extracted from rose petals, rosehip oil is pressed from the plant’s bright red fruit and seeds.

Throughout history, rosehip oil has been revered for its ability to enhance skin and overall health. “Rosehip oil is packed with nutrients known to be nourishing for the skin, like antioxidants vitamin A and vitamin C, and essential fatty acids—including gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA,” says clinical researcher and natural beauty expert Leigh Winters, M.S., an instructor at Columbia Business School’s Venture for All program. “When applied to the skin, these nutrients work wonders in giving you a healthy, radiant glow.”

Skin Benefits Of Rosehip Oil

Intrigued? Here’s more on how rosehip oil can do your body good.

1. Moisturizes

When applied topically, rosehip oil helps moisturize and soften skin, says Deirdre Hooper, M.D., board-certified dermatologist, co-founder of Audubon Dermatology and member of the Women’s Dermatologic Society. Rosehip oil’s concentration of essential fatty acids—a combination of linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and GLA—takes the credit here.

2. Wards Off Fine Lines And Wrinkles

Because rosehip oil is chock full of antioxidants, it’s a dream for your skin. “Antioxidants help limit the skin’s production of free radicals caused by sun damage, and therefore have the ability to make us look younger,” says Mara Weinstein Velez, M.D., general and cosmetic dermatologist and member of the Women’s Dermatologic Society.

To reap its fountain-of-youth goodness, Winter recommends pressing a few drops of rosehip oil into your skin after cleansing, toning, and applying any serums. Then, follow up with a water-based moisturizer to seal it all in.

Related: 8 All-Natural Ingredients That Make Your Face Glow

3. Improves Skin Elasticity

By now you’ve probably heard that collagen protein is crucial for our skin’s elasticity. (And that our natural collagen production decreases as we age.)

One major way to support collagen production: Consume the nutrients our body uses to build it. “In order to make collagen, our bodies need certain nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin C,” says Hooper. You’ll find them both in rosehip oil.

In theory, rosehip oil could help stimulate collagen production and promote supple skin.

4. Reduces Pigmentation & Supports Even Skin Tone

Have a hyper-pigmented or uneven complexion? Rosehip oil may help you even things out naturally. “The vitamin C and vitamin A carotenoids both boost cell rejuvenation and work wonders on smoothing the skin,” says Winters.

Rosehips For General Health

The same antioxidants in rosehip oil that help your skin stay glowy also have a powerful impact on your interior health when you consume rosehips. According to Josh Axe, D.N.M., C.N.S., D.C, author of the upcoming Keto Diet (Feb 2019) and member of The Vitamin Shoppe Wellness Council, the antioxidants in rosehips help reduce production of pro-inflammatory signaling molecules, warding off oxidative stress in the body and promoting a strong immune system.

Having less oxidative stress means wide-reaching benefits for our health. For example, according to Axe, rosehips’ antioxidants may help ward off immune-related joint issues. In fact, the Arthritis Foundation recommends five grams of a standardized form of rosehips from Denmark (sold as Litozin and Hyben Vital) daily to support joint health and ease joint discomfort.

What’s more, according to the University of Maryland, rosehips are so antioxidant-rich that rosehip supplements may even be comparable to vitamin C supplements.

I you decide to try a supplement, start with five to 10 grams, recommends Jonathan Valdez, R.D.N., owner of Genki Nutrition and spokesperson for the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Because of its vitamin C content, higher doses may interact with certain medications, so check in with your healthcare provider first.

Is Rosehip Oil Right For You?

If any of rosehip oil’s skin benefits appeal, it’s worth trying. “Rosehip oil is gentle, so I recommend it for people of all skin types—even people with eczema,” says Winters. Since rosehip oil isn’t made from rose petals, it’s practically aroma-less, making it a nice option for those sensitive to fragrance.

Shopping For Rosehip Oil

Once you decide to add rosehip oil to your routine, it’s key you find a quality product. “If you can, shop for a certified organic oil to ensure it comes from plant material that hasn’t been treated with pesticides or chemicals, which would greatly affect its quality,” says Winters. At the very least, the brand should clearly share where the rosehips were sourced and how the oil was extracted.

Then, take a look at the oil itself. A quality rosehips oil has a “clear, dark orange hue,” says Winters. “If the color is really light, the oil might be compromised.”

Applying Rosehip Oil

Once you get it home, store your oil in the refrigerator. This will help lengthen its shelf life and keep it from going rancid.

Since any product—even natural ones—can irritate sensitive skin, test rosehip oil on the inside of your forearm first. Unless any redness or itching pops up, you’re good to go. You may notice a faint, orange-y glow after first applying the oil, but the hue will fade after a few minutes, assures Winters.

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Like birthdays and taxes, one of the few constants in life is hair loss. However, not all hair loss is caused by aging. In fact, some hair loss can be triggered by our eating habits. Here, we walk you through six nutritional deficiencies that can negatively impact your locks.

Hair Loss: What’s Normal And What’s Not

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average person loses up to 100 strands of hair every day. And that’s totally normal! How much hair we lose—and the pattern in which we lose it—though, varies from person to person.

Our genes, as well as certain health conditions (such as hormonal imbalances and immune disorders), can strongly influence hair loss. For instance, approximately 6.8 million Americans suffer from or will suffer from alopecia, a genetic autoimmune disorder in which the immune system attacks the hair follicles. It’s marked by either patchy or complete hair loss, which can occur in unpredictable, repeating cycles.

Some prescription medications (like blood thinners and certain anti-depressants) can also contribute to hair loss. And though not permanent, extreme hair shedding (called telogen effluvium) can occur because of stressors like childbirth, surgery, or sudden weight loss. Similar to alopecia, this hair loss happens suddenly, but it tends to be temporary.

Nutrition And Hair Loss

In other cases, diet can play a notable role in how much hair ends up in your shower drain. Below are six nutritional issues that may be sabotaging your ability to grow a thick, healthy mane.

1. You’ve Cut Calories

Slashing calories in the hopes of losing a few pounds? The weight may not be the only thing you end up shedding.

“Our bodies rely on a constant source of calories to meet our basic needs,” explains board-certified dermatologist Shari Hicks-Graham, M.D. “When we experience a sudden change in caloric intake, our body adjusts to support our life-sustaining organs.” The result: Less blood (and nutrient) flow to the scalp. This change may lead to a change in hair quality, or increased shedding.

If weight loss is your goal, consult with a registered dietitian before slashing calories left and right. They can help you create an eating plan that supports your goal without sabotaging your health in other ways.

2. You Don’t Eat Enough Protein

Known as the building blocks of the body, protein and the amino acids it’s made of are crucial for healthy and strong body tissues—hair included.

Related: 9 Easy Ways To Increase Your Protein Intake

Hair is made up of proteins, most notably keratin. Eating a wide variety of protein-rich foods—including eggs, meats, poultry, nuts, seeds, and seafood—provides the balance our hair needs, says board-certified dermatologist Lauren Eckert Ploch, M.D.

3. You’re Not Getting All Of Your Vitamins In

A variety of vitamins—especially vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, and vitamin E—have a hand in hair and scalp health.

Both antioxidants, vitamins C and E help prevent free radical damage in the hair follicles. Vitamin C also supports iron absorption (more on why that matters in a minute). According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult needs 22.4 IUs (15 milligrams) of vitamin E and 75 to 90 milligrams of vitamin C daily.

Plus, vitamin D deficiencies have been associated with hair loss, and are even implicated in the development of alopecia. “Therefore, we know it is essential for the health and maintenance of the hair follicle and hair growth,” says Ploch. The FDA recommends adults consume about 600 IUs of D daily.

4. You Have Low Iron Levels

Iron supports the red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your bloodstream. Without ample amounts of the mineral, blood-flow becomes less oxygen-rich, which can slow hair growth and even increase shedding or thinning.

Since the body doesn’t produce iron on its own, we have to get it from our diet or supplements. Adult men need just about eight milligrams a day, while adult women need 18.

Related: 6 Signs You’re Not Getting Enough Iron

“Vegetarians and vegans, and those with medical issues like heavy menstrual bleeding, a recent surgery, or gastrointestinal conditions may be at risk for iron deficiency,” explains Hicks-Graham. If any of these apply to you (and you’ve experienced hair issues), talk to your doctor about whether an iron supplement could help.

5. You Don’t Get Enough Biotin

“Although data directly linking increased biotin intake and hair growth is somewhat limited, biotin has been linked to keratin production,” says Hicks-Graham. That’s why this B vitamin is known for making hair stronger, adds Ploch.

Although rare, deficiency in biotin can cause hair thinning and hair loss. The average recommended daily intake of biotin for adults is 30 micrograms, and you’ll find the vitamin in all sorts of supplements formulated to support hair, skin, and nails.

People with hereditary conditions that influence hair loss may especially benefit from biotin supplementation, says Ploch. (If you have a hair loss-related condition, talk to your doctor about adding a biotin supplement.)

6. You Have a Zinc Deficiency

Another essential nutrient for healthy hair: the mineral zinc, which supports normal cell function and helps the body synthesize proteins. In fact, zinc deficiency has been identified as a key nutritional component in telogen effluvium hair loss. (This is especially common in people with hypothyroidism.)

Adult women need eight milligrams of zinc per day, while adult men need 11. Though zinc deficiencies are uncommon, vegetarians, pregnant or lactating women, heavy drinkers, and people with digestive disorders all have increased risk.

When To See Your Doctor

If you’re concerned your hair loss may be abnormal, take a trip to the doctor (either your dermatologist or primary care practitioner).

Many of the health issues that cause hair loss—and the resulting hair loss itself—are treatable, but it’s important to be evaluated as quickly as possible, since changing patterns in hair loss and growth can take months.

“My approach to hair loss is to first do a detailed physical exam, and then order bloodwork,” says Ploch, who typically tests for iron deficiency and anemia, vitamin D deficiency, thyroid abnormalities, and autoimmune issues right off the bat. A registered dietitian can also help you identify connections between your current eating habits and hair health.

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