If This Happens To Your Hair, It Could Be A Sign Of A Zinc Deficiency
If you tend to have more good hair days than bad ones, congrats to you and your manageable mane. Our hair can say a lot about us. If you dye it pink, you're likely adventurous. If it's always coiffed to statuesque perfection, we're guessing you're something of a perfectionist.
As much as our hair can provide insight into our personality traits, our tresses can also give us the first clue that something is "off," health-wise. "Hair is an excellent barometer for general health because it is viewed by the body as a non-essential and dispensable tissue — it is not essential to survival," trichologist Anabel Kingsley told BestLife. "Your hair is therefore often the first part of you to suffer when something is not quite right health-wise."
If you're in tip-top health, your strands are likely shiny and strong. If your mane is far away from the thick lustrous locks seen in shampoo commercials, you could be zinc deficient. According to the Mayo Clinic, zinc is an important nutrient that helps our immune system and metabolism function.
A lack of zinc means a lack of radiance
"Zinc is required for the activity of over 300 body enzymes, and these enzymes help to bring about biochemical reactions in the body that are essential to protein synthesis, hormone production, as well overall radiance and wellbeing," public health nutritionist Emma Derbyshire told Healthista.
A lack of zinc means a lack of radiance. In addition to the missing shine, your scalp may be suddenly possessed by a nagging itch if you're missing this essential nutrient. "Hair needs a mixture of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements to grow. Zinc is one of these essential trace elements," the experts at Philip Kingsley told BestLife. That's because "zinc helps our bodies to process carbohydrates, fats, and proteins–the building blocks of hair."
If your scalp is itching and you notice your hair has lost its natural luster, you may be zinc deficient — but there's no need to stress and put even more stress on your strands. Healthline notes that you can easily get more zinc in your diet by consuming more red meat, shellfish, nuts, and legumes. You can also talk with your doctor about getting even more zinc through supplements. Zinc is clearly a necessary nutrient, especially if you're looking for more good hair days than bad ones.