Protein Metabolism and Hair Loss
While there seem to be countless hair loss products available in the marketplace, it’s been found that paying attention to simple protein metabolism can help you in your hair loss prevention efforts. You’ve probably heard proteins referred to as the building blocks of life, but did you know they’re also the building blocks of a beautiful mane as well?
Hair is created by means of miniature pockets of skin called follicles which include papilla found at the base of the follicle. Within the papilla, a special group of cells is responsible for the conversion of amino acids into keratin. In the molecular world, keratin is the protein known as hair. Because hair is protein, diets lacking in protein have been directly linked to thinning or shedding hair. This is because the body shifts its use of protein from an overall, balanced conversion of protein to only using it for functions that are absolutely vital to survival.
For those of you looking for a more natural approach to rejuvenated hair growth, you can easily adjust your diet to include quality proteins with foods such as calf liver, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ, granulated lecithin, fish (baked), eggs, beans, soy protein, tofu and yogurt. These sources have been found to halt hair loss, strengthen current hair, and even encourage new hair growth. And since each type of food possesses its own family of nutrients and healthy hair promoting properties, you’ll want to make sure you include a variety of these items in your diet on a regular basis. As with almost all food types, the raw form promotes wholly intact nutrient structures since microwaving, boiling and processing can kill minerals and nutrients in foods.
More specifically, you can make some great strides with your hair loss prevention program by looking into folic acid which is also referred to as folate or vitamin B9. This little “B” beauty supports the maintenance of healthy cells. In fact, it’s vital for the normal synthesis of both DNA and RNA which form the genetic construction materials for all cells. Because of this, folic acid is necessary for protein metabolism. A deficiency in vitamin B9 will directly retard new hair growth, so make sure you amp up on foods such as green leafy vegetables, peas, beans, citrus fruits, and whole grain breads and cereal.
You’ll also want to “B” vigilant of B6 vitamins as they too are responsible for efficient protein metabolism. In fact, B6 is required for over 100 enzymes involved in the metabolism of protein!
It’s also worth noting that greasy and fatty foods can harm your protein metabolism. Just because your fast food burger may claim to have a high protein count doesn’t mean your body will be able to use it all. These foods can actually slow your digestive system down and prevent proteins from metabolizing properly for consistent hair growth. Not only that, but these greasy and fatty foods can increase your scalp and hair’s oil content, which can clog pores and invite hair-damaging bacteria growth.