Iron deficiency is one of the leading causes of female type hair loss (especially in non-menopausal women) and if you are losing hair, it can be caused by a lack of iron. Some specialists claim that this nutritional deficiency plays more important role as a factor causing hair loss, than such factors as hormonal shifts and ineffective hair care. Iron deficiency can be a result of blood loss, receiving insufficient amount of iron from the daily diet, or for inability of the body to absorb sufficient amounts of this chemical element.

There were numerous researches that proved the hypothesis about the importance of iron for normal hair development and growth. Several groups of specialists in Cleveland Clinic carried out an almost 40-year long study, the findings of which were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in 2006. After examining numerous cases and patients, the specialists came to the conclusion that there are very strong links between hair loss and lack on iron, and it is impossible to stop hair loss if the person’s level of iron in the blood is too low.

The experiments in the Cleveland Clinic were among the first researches if this issue. The scientists from Scalp Clinic and the University of Pennsylvania Hair were also studying the effects of having sufficient iron intake on effective hair growth and re-growth. Besides, for eight years French specialists at  French health and medical institute Inserm in cooperation with the experts from French cosmetics group L’Oreal were researching the effects of iron depletion and iron deficiency on hair loss by measuring the amounts of ferritin in blood.

Iron deficiency can be caused not only by blood loss due to injuries or insufficient iron intake, but also by such factors as pregnancy and menopause. It is essential to be aware about the levels of iron in the blood and keep it under control. There are numerous natural sources of iron, including apples, beans, red meat and other foods, which can help increase the content of iron in your body and slow down hair loss.