Best Supplements for Hair Loss During Menopause - Dana LaVoie, LAc (2023)

Welcome. If you're looking for information about, or HELP WITH, hair loss and hair loss during or after menopause, you've come to the right place.

In this FULL blog post, we cover

Where the hell is this hair loss coming from and why is it happening AND…?

What you can do about it, including:

• Food supplement against hair loss
• Best and worst foods for hair loss
• hormone levels and hair loss
• Herbal remedies for hair loss.
• Recipes with essential oils for hair loss
• Sleep stress and how it is directly related to hair loss and hair growth
• How certain chemicals and toxins can affect hair growth and how to get rid of them

What type of hair loss is it?

If your hair is thinning or falling out during perimenopause or postmenopause, the first thing to do is figure out what's causing it.

In 80% of cases, perimenopausal and postmenopausal hair loss is caused by "EFLUVIUM". This is by far the most common type of hair loss in women and is related to hormones and changes associated with menopause.

Let's dive into what you can do about this type of hair loss.

But if you're not sure, consult your doctor or healthcare professional to rule out other, less common causes of hair loss, such as a fungal infection or thyroid disorder.

What about lab tests for hair loss?

When you call your doctor, ask about these tests:

Thyroid (including thyroid antibodies to Hashimoto) and iron (including ferritin) tests, such as thyroid disease (hyper, hypo, or autoimmune disease) or iron deficiency, can be major causes of hair loss, somewhat separate from hair loss. hair. hormonal changes associated with menopause. . You can also ask your doctor to rule out a yeast infection (another possible cause!)

You may have landed on this page looking for the best supplements to help with menopausal hair loss. So let's start here.

But before I introduce my favorite supplements... Here's how supplements fit into the big picture when it comes to reversing hair loss:

(Don't worry, we'll talk about hormone levels and how to deal with hair loss at the underlying hormone level later in this blog!)

These are my favorite supplements for women over 50. Each of them can help you get thicker, fuller, shinier hair this year and for years to come.

1. vitamin D3. You just need to have enough.CLICK HEREto watch my video on Vitamin D for Women to find out how to tell if you are getting enough Vitamin D.
2. Stiefel
3. Omega-3 fatty acids/fish oil if you don't get a lot of them in your diet
4. Consider a good multivitamin with active minerals B and C andzinc
5. Magnesium
6. And talk to your doctor about iron if your tests come back low.
7. BONUS: Consider seaweed, kelp, or other seaweed as a source of iodine that your thyroid and breast tissue will love.
8. collagen
9. Probiotics for gut health

Be sure to watch the video to learn more about why I recommend considering each of these points!

My top 7 hair loss foods are

These foods are a favorite because they are rich in nutrients that are especially beneficial for hair growth, gut health, and thyroid health.

1. Healthy oils and fats: nuts, seeds, and avocado
2. Oysters rich in iron and zinc
3. Spinach, rich in folic acid and vitamins A and C
4. Sweet potato, which is rich in vitamins A and B6
5. Grass-fed beef rich in protein, iron and healthy fats
6. Egg gem rich in biotin and vitamin D
7. Salmon, which is high in protein and omega-3 fats
8. BONUS: Seaweed (rich in iodine for a healthy thyroid and fermented foods like sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables for a healthy gut)

My top 3 foods to avoid with hair loss are:

These are foods that can affect hormone balance and gut and thyroid health that promote hair growth when we hit menopause.

So if you want your hair to stop falling out,Here are my top three foods to avoid:

1. Sugar and artificial sweeteners
2. Gluten
3. dairy

Remember how I said that supplements can help your hair grow faster, BUT ONLY if it grows? And that their underlying hormonal support for healthy hair was the biggest factor in hair growth?

bottom line:

1. When your hormone levels drop too low, your hair can become thinner and thinner.
2. If your estrogen:progesterone ratio is out of whack (and you're estrogen dominant), it can also slow hair growth.

What it means:

• It's the KEY to keeping your hormone levels high enough and balancedActivate hair growth. Once you've got that set up, supplements, sleep, and essential oils will help you grow faster. Without this hormonal shift to hair growth, none of this will make a significant difference.

A doctor explains:

Hormonal fluctuations are responsible for hair loss during perimenopause and menopause. Estrogen and progesterone keep hair in the growth phase, making it grow faster and stay on the head longer. When estrogen and progesterone levels drop, hair growth slows and hair loss becomes more pronounced.Drag. Anna Garrett

So... how do you keep your hormone levels high enough AND in balance with each other?(Avoid estrogen dominance?)

HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is a way to keep your hormone levels from getting too low.

But if you're looking for the most effective way to do it naturally, in my 20 years of practice I've found that personalized herbal remedies are by far the most effective.

The difficulty is that the herbs needed are slightly different for each woman to be truly effective, and the herbs must change at each stage of the menopausal transition.

The best part is that you can use herbs without any lab tests, and not only do herbs support estrogen and progesterone levels, but they can also support liver health, detoxification, and help you avoid side effects from HRT and any tendency to estrogen dominance.

Since discovering that these personalized herbal remedies are SO effective for women during and after menopause, I have created some free resources and a paid online program where I make something that every woman in the US uses.

To learn more about how I use herbs for hormone support during and after menopause, check out the free mini-course and masterclass I created (both completely free). Sign up below!

Well, I don't want to keep you waiting while a fully customized herbal selection can boost your results by 20% to 90% more...

Here are highlights of some of my favorite herbs to support hair growth!

My first favorite herb for thicker hair is…

There is a Chinese herb that is known to be used to keep hair healthy and young, it's called He Shou Wu, and I love it, but… There are a few things you need to know to use this herb safely. and effectively.

This herb needs proper post-harvest processing to get rid of the toxins, so it's extremely important that you get this herb from a reputable herbal supplier, not just the raw herb or crushed raw herb.

And this herb simply won't work for your hair if the plant isn't mature enough when harvested.

Of course it's much cheaper to harvest the plant when it's very young, but it won't do much for your hair (the older the better!). So processing and sourcing is very important for this herb. Also, this herb works MUCH better as part of an herbal formula to support microcirculation AND digestive aid, as this herb is known to be potentially difficult to digest! If you want to learn more about the best sources and uses for this herb, check out my free video series on using Chinese herbs during and after menopause.

My second favorite herb for hair loss is…

Another Chinese herb often used for thicker, healthier, younger-looking hair is ginseng. But just like He Shou Wu, if harvested before the plant reaches a certain age, it can have negative side effects! With ginseng, quality is everything. I'd rather not take it than take crappy ginseng (what I call a bottle headache!). In addition, most ginseng is hot and dry, so during menopause, from a Chinese medicine point of viewworsen hot flashes, dryness and even dizziness or vertigo!

But there is a way to safely use it during menopause! And there is a variety of ginseng, American ginseng, which is cool and moisturizing instead of hot and dry :) (This is my favorite ginseng for women over 40)

Why essential oils to support hair growth?

As a herbalist, I love using plants as medicine!

Chinese herbs can be great for women dealing with hair loss, and I generally recommend taking them internally.

But it's also wonderful to support your scalp, hair follicles, and hair growth with a topical treatment, and essential oils are my favorite way to do that. Of course, I can't say for sure, but it seems that some studies have shown that essential oils help the body to stimulate hair growth, possibly helping to increase blood flow to the scalp.

Some essential oils seem to have a special affinity for hair...

And the many oils may have antifungal properties, something that may be part of the cause of hair loss in some women!

What essential oils – for thicker hair?

My favorite essential oil for hair is rosemary.

But what I really like to do is use equal parts:

• Romero
• Cedar
• and wise

I take all 3 in equal parts and dilute them liberally with jojoba or coconut oil, then massage into scalp and hair 3 times a week and leave on for at least 20 minutes (overnight is fine too).

(Lavender is also a great substitute if you don't have cedar or sage!)

And one last (but important) note: make sure you get the best quality essential oils possible!

My favorite brands are Revive-eo and Living Libations because I believe they are real. (doTerra and Young Living are also great, but have a complicated buying structure.)

Essential oil recipes for thicker, healthier hair

My #1 recommendation when using essential oils is less is more. Be sure to generously dilute essential oils in jojoba oil or coconut oil.

4 drops Rosemary, 4 drops Cedarwood and 4 drops Sage in 1 ounce (6 teaspoons/30 ml) jojoba or coconut oil. (If you don't have sensitive skin or scalp, you can toughen it up a bit by using a few more drops of each oil.)

(You can get liquid coconut oil, which is sometimes called fractionated coconut oil.)

Store your mixture in a glass container.

To use: Massage a tablespoon of your mixture into your scalp and hair 3 times a week and leave for at least 20 minutes (overnight is fine) before washing.

• Make a test patch by applying a small amount to the skin and stop if you have skin sensitivity.
• Also, consult your doctor before using essential oils, especially if you are pregnant!

RECIPE 2: (this one is very concentrated so do a test to check your skin sensitivity, it's pretty strong too!)

Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil until melted and add:

• 20 drops frankincense essential oil
• 15 drops of lavender essential oil
• 5 drops of myrrh essential oil

Massage the entire scalp and then comb through to the ends. Place a towel on your pillow and sleep with the mixture in your hair. Wash it off in the morning.

Repeat 1-2 times a week.

How to Sleep More for Thicker Hair During Menopause

The Link Between Sleep and Hair Loss (And What You Can Do About It Even During Menopause)

This is my recipe for healthy happy hormones to help you sleep soundly every night.

Turns out you need SEVEN hours or more of sleep every night to prevent or reverse hair loss during and after menopause.

The good news is... I can help you sleep more, EVEN during menopause.

It turns out that high levels of stress lead to high levels of stress hormones, which wreak havoc on female hormones that are already struggling during menopause, making it one of the MAIN CAUSES of hair loss for some women during menopause. .

If you're the calmest person on your block and don't tend to stress about anything, you can probably skip this section.

However, if you experience stress on a regular basis - and especially when it intensifies during menopause - and you really want to fight hair loss...

Commit now to reducing stress. I can help you make this easier than you expect.

Stress reduction is a two-part process.

Part 1: Yes, of course. Meditation, breathing, yoga, movement, mindfulness, prayer, relaxation... In other words, cultivating a life, thoughts and practices that help you get rid of having more stress than necessary, day after day.

Part 2: But you know what? Can you meditate 3 HOURS A DAY and when your stress hormones are at their peak due to menopausal hormonal changes? Even 3 hours of meditation a day doesn't help much.

I've helped MANY women get their hormonal balance back, and suddenly... They were able to think clearly, feel like themselves again, and everything became more predictable. And it was easier to take a few deep breaths and feel the stress melt away.

This is how I feel (because YES, I've been there)

• When your stress is affected by imbalanced hormones, meditating is like trying to get through a locked door.
• When your hormones are in balance, meditation is like walking through an open door waiting for you to enter.

So YES, make stress management a priority. Do something everyday (even if it's just 1-3 minutes) to actively reduce stress (I love taking deep breaths).

But don't forget to also address your underlying hormone balance. Just like sleep and hair loss, it will set you on the path to success. Here's a video with more information about hormones and stress, plus a free short guided meditation just for women!

Everyday chemicals that can make hair loss worse

Your "toxic load" is something you carry around with you all the time. It increases with increased exposure to toxins and decreases when your body detoxifies well.

When exposure exceeds your ability to detoxify, your toxic load increases. And when the toxic load reaches a certain point, it can start to upset your hormonal balance.

This can directly lead to hair loss.

So... Reduce your exposure to the specific toxins that are most likely to build up and disrupt hormones!

Here's my list of the best ones you're likely to encounter in everyday life.

• Choose grass-fed meats and dairy that are free of antibiotics and hormones

• Parabens are a preservative; You don't see them as often anymore, but when you do, I recommend avoiding them.
• Phthalates can be in anything labeled "fragrance" and nail polish.
• Chemical sunscreens (use physical sunscreens like zinc instead)
• Cyclosiloxanes (found in many silicones)
• Heavy metals or metallic estrogens like aluminum found in some deodorants

• Plastics that contain BPA, especially bottled water and canned or tinned foods and beverages
• Styrofoam (single-use plates and cups made from Styrofoam)

I hope you enjoyed this collection of all the different ways you can help prevent or reverse the most common type of hair loss women experience during and after menopause.

For more information on using personalized herbal remedies, check out the free resources below (don't miss my free master class on herbs for menopause!)

Thanks for joining me here today!

I wonderWhat was the one thing you noticed?- that you will start using right away?

Please post this in the comments below along with your questions.

peace and well-being

-Dana