Correct nutrition is often overlooked, but vital for healthy hair growth. Hair is slow to repsond to changes in treatment and
particularly to changes in nutrition, therefore a complete approach must be taken for 3 months of more before permanent results
become noticeable.
Hair Cell Fortifiers
There are a host of “Nutraceticals” which reduce hair loss and maintain hair growth in a variety of different ways.
Saw palmetto, caffeine, taurine, pycnogenol and beta-sitosterol are well known to protect the hair and target different factors that
cause hair to fall. Saw palmetto cannot be used in formulations with iron, however, as saw palmetto prevents iron absorption.
Marine extracts have been clinically tested and found to help reduce hair loss and maintain healthy hair growth as a stand-alone
ingredient. Other actives are useful combined with marine extract to give results over a broader spectrum.
L-cysteine and pantothenic acid are only effective anti-hair loss actives in combination with eachother. They also play a role
individually in preventing hair breakage, as L-cysteine is incorporated into hair to make stronger keratin, and pantothenic acid
maitnains hair softness. Cysteine is only active in the "L" form used by Nanogen.
Anti-oxidants and Follicle Shielding Ingredients
Resveratrol and curcumin are anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant actives that protect the hair follicle from damage which may cause
hair to fall out. They are much more effective when taken together as resveratrol may be more bioavailable when taken with curcumin.
Green tea and horsetail extracts are powerful oral antioxidants, and help protect hair follicles from free radical damage. However
green tea blocks iron absorption, so it is important the two ingredients are not used in the same formulation.
Absorption Enhancers
Taurine and caffeine stimulate healthy blood flow and cellular metabolism, allowing the actives to reach the follicles and penetrate
into the cells.
Vitamin B6 is a vital co-factor for many enzymes, and essential for metabolism in the growing hair follicles. It is also used by
channels responsible for uptake, and so increases the absorption of many other useful actives. Vitamin B6 is only directly
biologically active in the "P5P" form used by Nanogen.
Balanced Ion Micronutrition
Hair loss can be caused by small deficiencies in many vital nutrients, and so a correct balance of these is essential. Copper, zinc
and magnesium all play important roles in maintaining hair growth, however taking one in a supplement reduces amounts of the others,
so a balanced supplement must contain all three. Iron is particularly important for women who can suffer from a form of alopecia
linked to a shortage of iron. Iron is useful as it carries oxygen in red blood cells, vitamin B12 helps red blood cells form and so
should be taken in combination with iron.
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