Will Silica Supplements Help Hair Growth If I'm Anaemic?'

Name:  Alexa

Question: Will silica tablets or supplements help my hair growth if I have anaemia?

Answer: Hi, Alexa. Firstly, it is important to establish whether you are wanting to maintain healthy hair growth or if you are actually experiencing hair loss and looking for a way to regrow hair. Also, we are unsure if you have already been professionally diagnosed as anaemic, or if this is something you are concerned about. As such, this answer will address both issues so do bear with us here.

For the purposes of answering your query we are also assuming that the 'anaemia' you refer to is iron-deficiency anaemia. This is a condition where a lack of iron in the body leads to a reduction in the number of red blood cells. Iron is used to produce red blood cells, which help store and carry oxygen in the blood. Therefore, if you have fewer red blood cells than is normal, your organs and tissues won't get as much oxygen as they usually would. This could result in a variety of symptoms, one of which is hair loss.

The severity of the symptoms largely depends on how quickly the condition develops. This type of anaemia may be caused by a number of factors, including poor diet, pregnancy or heavy periods. However, it may also be caused by a more serious underlying problem, so it is important to refer to your GP for a proper diagnosis.

Anaemia could cause several symptoms, one of which may be thinning hair and increased hair fall. If you have iron deficiency anaemia your hair may not get as much oxygen and nutrients as it would normally. As a result, if the underlying medical condition is not treated, this can result in dull, dry and brittle hair, as well as hair loss from a condition known as Telogen Effluvium. Whilst this is temporary, lasting no more than six months, and can clear up naturally, professional telogen effluvium treatment may help to accelerate this process.

It is also worth noting that should you be placed on any medication as a result of your anaemia or any other health issues, including contraceptive pills, this may also cause an initial period of increased hairloss from all over the scalp. This is often just while your body adjusts to the new drugs and may take up to three months to become noticeable. Again, normal hair growth should resume within a few months.

With regards to taking silica tablets or supplements, healthy hair growth requires an optimum dose of vitamins and minerals. One of these trace minerals is silica. Whilst the exact way in which silica affects hair loss and hair growth is unconfirmed, but studies have found it to be important for the growth of our hair and fingernails, as well as our skin due to silica cross-linking strands of collagen.

Your body only needs a very small amount of vitamins and minerals and these requirements are generally covered in a balanced diet.  However, sometimes when we are ill or stressed, for example, our bodies could do with some extra help to keep everything operating smoothly, including the optimum functioning of the hair growth cycle. This is when a food supplement may be particularly beneficial.

Belgravia's experts have developed a premium hair supplement featuring a unique blend of key vitamins, minerals, amino acids and botanical extracts - including biotin, zinc, selenium and silica - each of which has been identified to provide highly-targeted benefits to the hair. This is called Hair Vitalics for Women and comes as a convenient one-a-day tablet for healthy hair growth. It is suitable for vegetarians and is available for non-Belgravia clients to purchase online from hairvitalics.com. It does contain iron so you should check with your GP before using.

So, as you can see, if you are experiencing shedding it is important to first establish the cause and whether or not you have a hair loss condition, so that you know exactly what is required to 'treat' the problem. Hair growth supplements including silica can certainly be used to boost the hair's health so, if this is the query, as long as you read the instructions and warnings thoroughly and follow the instructions as appropriate, this should be fine regardless of your anaemia. If you are taking any medications or are concerned about your specific situation, you should check with your GP before starting, however. If you are anaemic and take silica, whilst it may help with hair growth, your anaemia must still be treated both for the obvious negative health implications, and to avoid related hair loss.