Iodine: Answer To "Coming Soon" Hair Syndrome?

If you are one of those who are now in the "coming soon" and "now showing" stages of baldness, here's a ray of hope for you. 

There have been studies done on iodine - yes, that micro-nutrient generally associated with the thyroid glands - and its link to hair health. One of these was the 2001 study published in the Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venerology, and Leprology, where iodine was specifically used as treatment for alopecia patients. The encouraging results showed hair regrowths in a number of the test subjects.

Iodine plays a very vital role in our body. It is a key and essential element necessary for the growth and development of all body organs and tissues, and this includes the hair. And one of the most common indicators of iodine deficiency is hair loss. When one is deficient in iodine, his thyroid gland cannot produce the hormones necessary to develop strong and healthy hair, bones, and teeth. So, there is science in the aforementioned Indian study.

It has also been observed that sheeps being raised in iodine-inadequate soils, with its consequent iodine-deficient plant growths, produce poor quality wools.

For optimum results, the recommendation is to include iodine-rich foods in your regular diet. And taking it together with iron, magnesium, and zinc - the best recognized hair growth minerals - can vastly improved hair health, and may prevent or reverse hair loss. 

Our most common source of iodine is iodized salt, but there are other natural sources of this nutrient. Help yourself with the short list below:

Seafoods - cod, tuna, haddock, shrimp, all shellfish

Seaweeds - kelp [available in supplements]

Vegetables - lima beans, Swiss chards, spinach, turnip greens, summer squash, garlic

Fruits - strawberries have the highest iodine concentration among fruits

Dairy Products - cheese, milk, yogurt...primarily due to iodine added in feeds

There is hardly any danger of overdose if iodine is to be sourced from our foods. Caution, however, should be exercised when taking it in supplement form.