A lack of iron, especially in women, is known to trigger hair loss, possibly because it means less oxygen is delivered to the hair follicle, but should you take iron pills to treat it? ‘This is a bit of a moot point,’ says Dr Vicky Jolliffe, a consultant dermatologist at the Royal London Hospital and a specialist in hair loss. ‘There is published evidence for and against it. All I can say is that in my practice I see lots of girls with low ferritin levels [stored iron rather than iron in your blood], who shed hair and stop shedding once you correct the ferritin level.’ Meal: Eating protein with every meal is vital to strong, healthy hair, as hair consists of protein, experts say . Sally-Ann Tarver, a former president of the Trichological Society now based at The Cotswold Trichology Centre, recommends Florisene pills (£15.95, lambertshealthcare.co.uk), which contain iron, because these don’t seem to cause the digestive irritation linked to standard pills. But Professor Andrew Messenger, a consultant dermatologist at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, says that while there are many supplements claiming to help promote hair growth, very few have strong evidence to support them. Two years ago, a clinical trial looked into the efficacy of the supplement Viviscal (£29.99, Boots). The study involved 63 women: 33 took the supplement, 30 a placebo. After six months, the hairs in those taking the supplement had increased in width by an average of 7 per cent compared with the placebo group, which were unchanged. However, Professor Messenger remains unconvinced. ‘As far as I am aware, this study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal and did not appear to look at other parameters, such as hair density,’ he says. ‘Whether a 7 per cent increase in hair diameter can be reliably measured is doubtful, as is whether it is clinically significant.’ Research found women with increased hair-shedding responded well to iron supplements . It might be worth checking your protein intake. As Philip Kingsley, a trichologist, explains: ‘Hair consists of protein, so eating sufficient protein is vital to strong, healthy hair.’ He suggests having protein at every meal. A good diet including protein is certainly important, says Dr Jolliffe. She points to the fact that those with anorexia or a very low BMI suffer from hair loss. ‘However, I am not sure I can justify saying you need to eat protein at every meal,’ she says. There is some evidence that an amino acid (or protein building block) called l-lysine may play a role in hair loss. A review published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology found that women with increased hair-shedding responded well to l-lysine and iron supplements (l-lysine is thought to help the body to absorb iron). L-lysine is found in particularly large concentrations in poultry and fish, but it is also in smaller amounts in soy and eggs. However, supplements or dietary changes won’t pay dividends overnight. ‘It usually takes more than two months for the hair follicles to begin to benefit from dietary changes and as hair only grows half an inch a month, it may take as long as six months before you begin to notice any changes,’ says Philip Kingsley. ‘But stick with it because perseverance pays off.’ The caffeine in Alpecin caffeine liquid hair energiser (£7.49 for 200ml, from chemists) is said to stimulate weakened hair roots. But does it work? Professor Andrew Messenger says that a study published last year shows caffeine can stimulate human hair growth in vitro, ie in a test tube. There have also been studies showing caffeine is absorbed quickly through hair follicles, suggesting it could be active when used in a shampoo formulation. What is lacking is good clinical trial data showing an effect in vivo, ie in people, he says. ‘Interestingly, minoxidil, which does prevent hair loss in men, has no effect on hairs growing in a test tube, but does in vivo.’
Trichologist Philip Kingsley says hair consists of protein so eating it is key.
He adds that dietary changes and supplements won't pay off overnight.
It takes more than two months for hair follicles to begin to benefit, he says.