I tried Rogaine a while back. It did not do much for me. My head itched like crazy though.

What causes baldness or hair loss? The term “common baldness” usually means male-pattern baldness, or permanent-pattern baldness. Male-pattern baldness is the most common cause of hair loss in men. Men who have this type of hair loss usually have inherited the trait. It is caused by increased sensitivity to male sex hormones (androgens) in certain parts of the scalp, and is passed on from generation to generation. Vitamins will most likely not help here.

On the other hand, diet and nutritional deficiencies can be a contributing factor to hair thinning or baldness. You can have your blood tested for different vitamin deficiencies. Finding this out could save you a lot of money on vitamins in the long run.

Hair loss can occur when the diet is inadequate in the B vitamins – especially B6, biotin, inositol and folic acid; and the minerals magnesium, sulfur and zinc. The B vitamins, especially B5 (pantothenic acid and B3 (niacin), are especially important for hair growth.

Essential fatty acids (flaxseed oil, primrose oil, and filtered fish oil are good sources) improves hair texture. Prevents dry, brittle hair and nails.

For men, balding process can be slowed down by taking a low-fat diet. Some scientists postulate that the male pattern baldness is tied to increased testosterone levels during puberty. A high-fat, meat-based diet raises testosterone levels, and that may adversely affect hair follicles. For example, in Japan, male pattern baldness was very rare prior to World War II when the diet was lean and healthy. The Japanese now consume a more fatty, Westernized diet. Baldness is now increasing substantially among Japanese men. Eating low-fat foods may not stop hair loss; but it might help slow down the hair loss.

Quality vitamins are hard to find. The Comparative Guide To Nutritional Supplements is an independent study done on over 1500 vitamins. They rated them with a 5 star system as to effectiveness, bioavailability, purity and potency. Centrum and One-A-Day got 0.5 stars or less. Click on the following link to read about which ones got 5 star ratings.

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