Could Low Iron Be Causing My Hair Loss?'

Name: 

Paige

Question: I haven't eaten red meat for 30 years. I eat poultry very occasionally, but most of the time I prefer soya and vegetarian foods. My periods were always very heavy, and lasted 7 days. For a few years I have felt fatigued, low libido, been losing a lot of hair, etc. My Dr sent me for tests for my thyroid, which came back as normal. I have just had another blood test and my ferritin level was 20, but my transferrin was high. Is low iron the problem? I take multi vitamins containing iron, but possibly not enough?

Answer: Hi, Paige. There are certainly connections between hair loss and iron consumption. Taking either too much or even too little iron may lead to shedding.

As your hair loss is accompanied by a range of other symptoms we recommend you continue to speak to your doctor about this as, if your thyroid tests have come back normal, other tests may be needed. Excessive hair fall can indicate an underlying issue and this health concern is best identified by your GP. Once they have established the cause of your symptoms and how best to treat them, if this is the reason for your shedding, your hair should start to grow back naturally within six months.

Treatment is also available which can help to accelerate this process. You can find out more by reading about Telogen Effluvium - the name of the temporary hair loss condition which leads to all-over thinning and can be caused due to illness, new medication or can signal an underlying health problem - and Treatment for Telogen Effluvium which explains how Belgravia deals with this type of shedding by using topical applications of high strength minoxidil alongside a range of boosters, all personalised to each individual client's needs and suitability to help them achieve the best possible outcome, as attested to in our Success Stories gallery.