Many people want to do something against their hair loss but may struggle to jump into pharmaceutical interventions. In my opinion, you shouldn’t ignore pharmaceuticals as they currently seem to be the best option in solving the root issue of male hair loss. However, you may opt for improving natural factors related to hair loss or even consider enhancing your hair loss nutrition.
Understand that for the majority of men facing hair loss (likely androgenic alopecia) you will waste precious time where you could be making a real difference with pharmaceuticals by trying to fight it with nutrition or supplements alone. Do not cope with these methods thinking they will be anywhere near the effectiveness of modern pharmaceutical interventions while losing precious follicles.
I wrote about the most effective options here and about the psychology of treating hair loss here. There are so many telehealth companies today offering qualified legitimate medical services so this option should not be overlooked either.
With that said, there are also natural supplements and other methods that may help in fighting hair loss – even if the results aren’t nearly as great as what pharmaceuticals might provide, think of them as supporting or adjunct methods to improve overall/hair health in slight ways. This post will review some of those supplements and investigate the potential they may have.
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Overview
Something I want to talk about before getting into specific supplements is the fact that hair loss, especially male pattern baldness, can have lots of different factors influencing its progression. For example, medication use, stress, age, nutrition, hormones, and your genetic predisposition to hair loss all influence your hair.
An extremely unhealthy person who constantly spikes their blood sugar to extremes with processed foods or raises DHT and inflammation by smoking, or experiences chronic stress may have lots of room to improve their hair outside of pharmaceuticals alone.
So while some of these hair growth supplements may not specifically be targeting hair itself – they may have some benefits especially if you are lacking in the area to begin with. Check out my collection of health & optimization posts and my post on basic gut health for more on the topic of overall health. I wrote a post specifically on factors impacting hair loss.
This stuff is also extremely personal and will vary for everyone. I suggest getting a comprehensive blood panel done for further information if you suspect something like a nutritional or medical abnormality.
I recommend Marek Health, a qualified telehealth company focusing specifically on personalized care. I have used them and was able to receive a panel with all of my relevant hormone levels, cortisol levels, thyroid levels, and some inflammation markers. Although it is expensive, I plan to get this every so often. I can also test specific markers I choose for less of a cost, so if I’m using something like finasteride I can check out my estrogen and DHT quickly for a relatively low price.
Diet
I think you will find pretty quickly from skimming through the linked studies and individual sections that focusing on a well-balanced diet is key. Many of these studies talk about targeting a diet with a variety of fruits, vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, etc. These create a healthy base environment in the body as well as provide nutrition for hair growth, etc.
They also note avoiding things like highly processed foods or foods very high in sugar. This is because these foods can create inflammation and damage in the body or large insulin spikes which are indirect factors in hair loss.
So while you don’t need to go on an extreme diet you should be generally mindful of the things you are eating and how they all fit together in an overall sense. If you want to target specific micronutrients and your diet overall you may try something like Cronometer or for a more overall view of diet, you can try MyFitnessPal.
Deficiencies
Supplementation is not always optimal though, some may be getting too many of these vitamins and nutrients which can be harmful as well. Also, per the first study, things like antioxidants may be better received through a well-balanced diet compared to receiving a high dose through supplements. The third study stated that you should exclude other causes of hair loss first (such as Androgenic Alopecia/Male Pattern Baldness).
It seems to me as though a nice balance is key – an excess may cause hair loss just as much as a deficiency so be careful not to go overboard.
Common deficiencies to look for per these studies: Vitamins D, A, and E, Iron, Zinc, Selenium, Biotin, Amino Acids, Protein, and Antioxidants.
Fatty Acids
Interesting points on fatty acids:
- “Unsaturated fatty acids may modulate androgen action by inhibition of 5α-reductase, similar to the drug finasteride” Study
- “Additionally, arachidonic acid, an omega-6 fatty acid, may promote hair growth by enhancing follicle proliferation” Study
Coconut Oil
Relevant Study #1, Relevant Study #2, Relevant Study #3, Relevant Study #4
Coconut Oil has been shown by multiple sources to inhibit/lower DHT to some extent. I even found an old post from Dr. Rhonda Patrick talking about this specifically in terms of androgenic alopecia and acne.
Some users on various forums have taken this orally because of this while others choose to implement it topically. It seems like for more of the DHT-related effects you would want to supplement orally. If you do choose to use topically just know that oils on the hair may clog up pores on the scalp – so be sure to clean well after use.
I’ve personally tried 2 TBSP daily in my protein shake while other people have used double or even triple that amount. Overall using this stuff orally seems pretty useful for various things. If you want more of an overall perspective this article from a registered dietician is interesting.
Insulin Spikes & Sugar
Insulin spikes and sugar may be associated with hair loss to some extent. Too much sugar could lead to things like insulin resistance, inflammation, and even hormonal imbalances for some.
Related Supplements:
Both berberine and inositol are beneficial to an extent in terms of balancing blood sugar. One should exercise caution and consult with medical providers first as berberine can work as an antimicrobial and impact gut health.
Sources:
- General Diet Study, Chinese Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Study, (More Context On Chinese Study) Metabolic Syndrome and AGA
Thyroid
Many people state they have a thyroid issue which is the real reason for their hair loss. I was one of those people – turns out I got it checked out and my markers were nearly all in range.
This is something you would get confirmed with a qualified medical professional as I mentioned in the introduction. However, some people choose to research supplements to support thyroid health as well – this NIH article provides a reputable base of information on the subject.
Related Supplements:
- Selenium
- Iodine
- Thyroid Support Complex
P-5-P
High levels of prolactin in men can contribute to hair loss and these levels may be high for a variety of reasons ranging from various health conditions to hypothyroidism, stress, etc.
Pyridoxine (P-5-P), an active form of vitamin B6 has been shown to reduce prolactin levels. This option should be exercised with caution as some users have noticed side effects related to nerves/neuropathy in their hands and feet at higher doses (~200 mg).
You should consult with a licensed medical provider and stay within a safe daily range.
Collagen
Lots of people have debated whether collagen supplements are effective for anything at all. Personally, just because of how easy and low-risk it is to add to my routine I am a user of this supplement. You have to think about it like this: collagen peptides target not only hair structure itself but also skin aging and overall health which can also contribute to better structure, appearance, etc.
Saw Palmetto
Although research is limited it has been theorized that Saw Palmetto can block DHT to an extent. Similar to some of the other supplements here it can be used topically or orally.
Tumeric
Tumeric acts as an antimicrobial, and antioxidant, and also reduces inflammation. It also works to reduce DHT to an extent.
Conclusion
Overall I hope you got a lot from this post – I’ll do one for physical techniques as well like red light therapy, microneedling, etc. I think it’s important to build up a healthy base whether you’re using pharmaceuticals or not. A comprehensive protocol might not only include pharmaceuticals alone but also hair loss supplements and physical techniques as well.