How to Improve and Protect Your Hair with Probiotics

Ross Pelton is a pharmacist, nutritionist, author and a health educator who is widely recognized as the world’s leading authority on drug-induced nutrient depletions. He was named one of the top 50 most influential pharmacists in the United States by American Druggist magazine for his work in Natural Medicine.

When hair begins to thin or fall out, it can devastate women and men alike. Hair loss can be a genetic pattern but can also indicate something amiss in your body.

People worldwide see a thick, beautiful head of hair as an indication of robust health and beauty. It turns out there is some truth to that impression and that you can improve your hair with probiotics in some cases.

The Importance of Hair Health

Hair loss can be upsetting, but it is quite common, affecting up to 95% of men and 25% of women during their lives. It can lead to psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and social fears. It can affect a person’s work, social, and personal lives, especially if it includes losing the eyebrows and eyelashes that define the face.

The relationship between gut health and hair health

Can you improve hair with probiotics? In some cases, yes, you can. When your gut biome is out of balance, it can cause you to be deficient in some nutrients that contribute to a thick, healthy head of hair.

What Are Probiotics?

Probiotics are bacteria that live in your digestive tract and on your skin. That may sound alarming because we’ve considered all bacteria “bad” over the years. And, yes, we as human beings have bacteria in our bodies that are pathogenic or disease-causing.

But we also have helpful bacteria called probiotics that keep the unhealthy bacteria under control and confer multiple other benefits. When our good gut bacteria are disturbed by stress, poor diet, antibiotics, or other factors, the harmful bacteria can take over and cause disease in our bodies.

Adding Probiotics for a Healthier Gut Biome

How do you get probiotics into your diet? You can take a specially formulated supplement that contains the most helpful bacteria. You can also add fermented foods and beverages to your diet. The drawback with adding probiotics from food is that you don’t know if the types you’re eating are the best for your body or whether the bacteria are still alive.

There are many strains of healthy bacteria, and probiotic supplements must have those most beneficial for health. These include different strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus. Multiple strains of good bacteria have been most successful at improving the gut biome.

How Probiotics Improve Hair Health

When you add probiotics to your diet, you are addressing the health of your entire body. One of the benefits of this whole-body approach can be hair improvement or hair loss prevention.

The good bacteria in your body use enzymes to break down food. When they help you digest your food, they produce micro-nutrients that are otherwise hard to get, including niacin, folic acid, vitamin K, B12, and biotin (B7). This additional nutrition can positively influence all systems in the body, and hair is one of them.

How Probiotics Protect Hair

When you ingest the right probiotics, several mechanisms in the body have an impact on hair health.

Reducing Inflammation

Inflammation is one of the causes of hair loss since inflamed follicles cannot grow hair. Probiotics reduce inflammation by balancing the immune system and interrupting the body’s inflammation cycle.

Reducing Stress

When you are under undue stress, your body produces cortisol, our stress hormone, and can begin to shed hair. Probiotics can reduce cortisol and enable your hair to return to its growth phase.

Improving Immunity

T-cells are white blood cells that are critical to your adaptive immune response. If you don’t have enough of them, you are at greater risk of contracting an autoimmune disease where your body sees your healthy cells as enemies and attacks them. Probiotics stimulate your body to create more T-cells and improve your immune response.

Different Ways to Consume Probiotics for Healthy Hair

There are many ways to add probiotics to your diet that you can integrate into your daily routine. Fermented foods are a place to start. They introduce natural bacteria into food and reproduce, consuming sugar and starch. If you enjoy fermented foods, this is a way to add probiotics to your diet. Here are a few examples:

Add unsweetened yogurt that contains live cultures to foods in place of mayonnaise
Add kefir to your morning smoothie
Enjoy drinking kombucha, which is a fermented tea that usually contains fruit juice
Have your sandwich on sourdough bread
Use miso in your recipes
Have a vegetarian meal a couple of times a week using tofu or tempeh as your protein

One caution: when you add fermented foods to your routine, you do not know what bacterial strains you’re introducing or if they are needed. You also do not know if the food has been processed with heat, destroying the bacteria.

Consider a probiotic supplement if you do not enjoy fermented foods or want to know the specific strains you’re eating and their viability. Ensure it is a quality product, will survive its journey through your stomach acids, and contains multiple strains of beneficial bacteria. Follow package directions as to dosage.

Try Probiotics for Healthy Hair

Hair loss can be life-changing, but there is hope in a natural solution. Probiotics have shown promise in restoring the body’s ability to maintain and grow hair. Probiotics are generally safe to consume, but consult your doctor before adding a probiotic supplement for hair care if you have a chronic illness or a compromised immune system.

Dr. Ohhira has created a probiotic supplement that combines ancient Japanese wisdom with the latest scientific research. Produced under the most stringent quality standards, it contains 12 probiotic strains shown to promote health

Give it a try today and protect your hair with probiotics. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Common Questions People Ask

Can probiotics help with hair loss?

Studies have shown that probiotics can help with hair loss by improving the body’s overall health.

What are the best probiotics for hair growth?

Different strains of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus support the intestinal biome and create trace nutrients you’re missing. This general biome improvement can support hair health.

How long does it take for probiotics to work on hair?

Study participants saw thicker hair in one month. Results improved markedly after four months.

Can probiotics improve the quality of hair?

Yes, probiotics can increase thickness and shine.

How much probiotics should I take for hair health?

Each probiotic is different, so follow package instructions.

What are the different ways to consume probiotics for healthy hair?

You can take a supplement, eat foods that contain probiotics, or consume beverages that contain probiotics.

Can probiotics cause hair loss?

There is no indication that probiotics cause hair loss, but the right probiotics can improve hair quality and quantity.

What are the side effects of probiotics for hair health?

If you experience gas and bloating as you begin taking a probiotic, you can reduce your dose. If the symptoms continue or worsen over time, or if you experience abdominal pain, stop taking the product and consult your doctor.