I studied Trichology over 25 years ago, and I still remember learning one of the most common causes of hair loss, particularly in women, was low ferritin. Low ferritin and hair loss is proven to be related but is still not medically recognised as a real thing.
The I.A.T International Association of Trichologists provide the latest research in all thing’s hair and scalp. I was pleased to find a recent study once again confirming the connection between low ferritin and telogen effluvium hair loss.
The study also measures AGA androgenetic alopecia, and low ferritin. The conclusion is low ferritin hair loss telogen effluvium (TE) is different to AGA. I hope this a relief for my female clients who get telogen effluvium and androgenetic alopecia, mixed up. AGA is a hormone related pattern of hair thinning, not physical hair loss as in telogen effluvium.
Low iron and hair loss
There is a difference between iron and ferritin you need to understand. Iron can be used as a general term to describe all the iron studies. Iron is essentially from what we eat. Then the body uses chemistry to convert the iron into the storage tank which is ferritin.
Iron has a very small reference range compared to ferritin:
- Iron reference range 10 – 30 umol/L
- Transferrin 1.9 -3.1 g/L
- TIBC 47 – 77 umol/L
- Trans Sat% 20 – 45
- Ferritin reference range 30 – 300 ug/L means micrograms per liter
Low iron can on its own cause hair loss but is less common than low ferritin. As iron comes from food, most people get enough iron. But overtime, the tank, ferritin, may run down or there are things that do rob the tank too.
Ferritin hair loss recovery
Ferritin hair loss recovery is possible. This type of diffuse hair loss will never cause complete baldness. Telogen effluvium affects the hair cycle. When the ferritin and or iron are low, close to the bottom of the reference ranges, the body is triggered to release the growing anagen hairs.
Iron and ferritin are required for oxygen and energy for our cells. When it is so low, the non-essential hair, skin and nails can be affected. If it is the hair, the growing anagen hairs are pushed into the falling telogen hairs. The time frame from the low to the hair shed is three months.
Once the hair loss starts, it will continue to shed for three months, you cannot stop it. The best thing to do here is work on your ferritin, check bloods for other nutritional levels and use a topical hair growth product like GRN or Activance to help bring the hair cycle back in quicker.
If you wait for the hair loss to stop and take no intervention, it can take up to 12 months for the hair to regrow. If the ferritin is still low, the hair will not regrow normally, you then end up with hair thinning.
Ferritin supplements for hair growth
Sadly, it is not that simple. You need to understand your iron studies, and doctors don’t explain this to you. All iron is not alike and the names can be confusing. If you take an iron supplement for a ferritin deficiency it can make things worse.
Digestion and absorption of the right iron supplement is also required. The wrong form could cause side effects, a common one is constipation. Iron and ferritin also need supporting minerals.
Iron and ferritin supplements will be required for deficiency and very low levels but cannot replace the essential supply of iron form food. For this we use Food for Ferritin and the Art of Absorption.
Optimal ferritin levels for hair growth
For health and hair growth, optimal ferritin levels, iron, chemistry, B12 and Vitamin D levels are:
- Ferritin 70-100 ug/L
- Iron needs to be over 10 umol/L
- Iron chemistry should be within range
- B12 @ 400 pmol/L
- Vitamin D sufficiency is 150 nmol/L
The above references and ranges are to support health which is required for healthy hair growth. Following deficiency or lows, if levels do not raise to the sufficient range, the hair may not grow back to its normal structure resulting in diffuse hair thinning.
Iron infusions can raise levels and numbers very quickly, which can get you out of a danger zone and help with health symptoms. But, for the hair, it is a false high, and will not stop the hair loss. I see all the time an iron infusion raise ferritin into the 200’s, only to gradually fall back to where it was, low again.
Iron infusions should be supported with food for ferritin and the correct supplement for your nutritional status.
High ferritin and hair loss
High ferritin can also cause hair loss. The body requires balance, not highs or lows. A well-known genetic high iron condition is haematomochrosis. I see high iron all the time in clinic, and it needs to be watched as closely as low iron and ferritin.
The wrong iron supplements and unnecessary iron infusions can result in high iron and ferritin and cause hair loss too. Remember, balance is the key.
Ferritin hair loss reversable
Ferritin hair loss is reversable, so is low ferritin related hair thinning. Here are the results from one of our thousands of low ferritin stories. The changes took four months to raise the ferritin levels, reset the hair cycle for hair growth and stop the hair loss. We used combination of topical products available online along with individual nutrition based on blood test results, and as always, the most important food for ferritin and the art of absorption.
If you decide to use only the topical products and do not get a result after four months. You need to contact a Trichologist to address the underlying cause for complete results.
Email Absolique Trichologist for a free copy of Food for Ferritin with a recipe booklet and the Art of Absorption, ua.mo1787339661c.euq1787339661ilosb1787339661a@ofn1787339661i1787339661