If you’ve been diagnosed with anaemia, you may wonder whether it’s the cause of your hair loss. Iron deficiency anaemia is common, affecting roughly 3% of men and 8% of women in the UK [1].
Iron tablets are often prescribed to people with anaemia, with the promise that they can improve symptoms such as hair shedding. But how long do iron tablets take to stop hair loss? In this article, we’ll explore:
Iron tablets can help with hair loss related to iron deficiency, but they’re not an instant fix. If you’re prescribed iron tablets, you’ll need to take them for several months or longer [2].
Generally, if iron deficiency is the cause of your hair loss, it takes 3 to 6 months of taking iron tablets before your hair growth starts to improve. However, timeframes are slightly different for everyone, and several factors can affect how long it takes. These include:
Iron may also contribute to hair loss conditions like androgenetic alopecia [4]. If this is the case, iron supplementation may improve your symptoms but not resolve them completely.
You need iron to produce healthy levels of haemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen to your tissues. This includes the scalp and hair follicles, which require plenty of oxygen and nutrients to produce hair, especially during the growth phase of the hair cycle.
Iron deficiency anaemia is linked to chronic diffuse telogen hair loss [5]. So when related to low iron levels, hair loss often appears as diffuse thinning across your scalp.
Anaemia describes an abnormally low level of red blood cells and/or haemoglobin. It can be caused by excessive bleeding, chronic illness, or vitamin deficiencies, but its most common cause is iron deficiency [6]. Low haemoglobin levels mean oxygen and nutrients can’t be delivered as effectively to your hair follicles. Supplementing with iron can improve the oxygen supply to your scalp and encourage hair regrowth.
However, it is worth noting there’s no confirmed link between hair loss and iron deficiency without anaemia [5]. Therefore, iron supplements are generally not recommended to all patients with hair loss. Instead, hair loss with iron deficiency is approached case-by-case [5].
Iron deficiencies can sometimes be hard to spot. You may not realise your symptoms are due to an iron deficiency because you might just feel tired or run down.
However, if you also have some of the following symptoms, it could be a clue that an iron deficiency is the culprit of your hair loss [2]:
These symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, so seek medical advice for an accurate diagnosis.
As with all medications and supplements, iron comes with some risks and side effects. Common side effects of ferrous fumarate, a type of iron supplement, include [7]:
Taking excessive iron also comes with the risk of toxicity [8] and can cause haemochromatosis [9], a buildup of excess iron in your organs. For these reasons, you should only take it under the guidance of a medical professional.
If a severe iron deficiency (anaemia) is identified as the cause of your hair loss, the first line of treatment will likely be iron supplementation. Iron is sometimes combined with other supplements or vitamins to increase its absorption and effectiveness.
One example is vitamin C, which helps your body absorb iron more effectively [10]. Another is Ll-lysine, an essential amino acid.
In one study, women taking 50 mg of iron twice daily added 1.5-2 g of Ll-lysine into their daily supplementation schedule. This led to a significant increase in their serum ferritin concentration [11]. Serum ferritin is a protein that stores iron and releases it as needed, and it’s often used as a measure of iron stores.
If your hair loss is caused by a combination of iron deficiency and another hair loss condition, such as male or female pattern baldness, you may benefit from other types of treatment alongside iron supplementation. These include:
So you’re experiencing hair loss, but you’re not sure if it’s related to an iron deficiency or not? The best thing to do is arrange an assessment with a qualified trichologist.
These hair experts have a huge depth of knowledge on hair loss and all its causes. If they suspect an iron deficiency may be behind your hair loss, a trichologist can refer you to a doctor for further investigation. Many trichologists are also doctors themselves.
However, iron deficiency is by no means the most common type of hair loss, so there’s a good chance that something else could be behind it. Your hair doctor will discover exactly what’s causing your symptoms using diagnostic trichology tests, such as blood tests for hair loss or a hair pull test.
Once you have a diagnosis, you’ll be offered a range of treatments. If iron deficiency is linked to your hair loss, you may be prescribed iron supplements alongside other types of hair treatment.
Ready to get your hair back on track? Book a consultation at your nearest clinic location today.
If your hair loss is purely due to an iron deficiency, there’s a good chance your hair will return once normal iron levels are restored. This usually takes several months. If your hair loss is not due to an iron deficiency, or is caused by a combination of anaemia and another type of hair loss, you may need alternative treatments to regain your hair.
The recommended daily iron intake for adult men is around 8.7 mg. For women, it’s around 14.8 mg a day until the age of 50 (because menstruating women are more prone to iron deficiency). After 50, women also need 8.7 mg per day [16].
Depending on the extent of your iron deficiency, your doctor will advise how much you need to take to meet these requirements.
If you’re taking iron tablets for symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia, you’ll usually start to feel better in around a week. It may take up to 4 weeks in some cases. In terms of hair loss, it usually takes several months of iron supplementation for hair to regrow.
The best sources of iron include meat, poultry, and seafood — these contain haem iron, which is more easily absorbed by your body. Plant-based foods such as nuts and seeds, dried fruit, wholemeal bread, legumes, dark leafy vegetables, and tofu provide non-haem iron (which is harder to absorb), so you’ll need extra iron in your diet.
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