Are you suffering from severe hair loss during or after your pregnancy?

When I started as practicing dietitian many years ago,

there was a (mis)belief that you need to consult a dietitian only

if you want to lose weight. It is good that today the scenario

has changed. Now I not only get the patients for

weight loss, but I also get the patients who are

pregnant- who are aware of the importance of

proper nutrition for proper development of

their kids in their womb, breast feeding mothers

also consult me for the same reason. And of course-

thanks to our doctor colleagues who are referring

patients with various systemic diseases like diabetes,

high blood pressure, thyroid disease etc. They know that

proper diet is as important as taking proper medicine. Today

we are going to discuss one concern presented to me by

my pregnant and feeding patients and that is-

their severe hair loss. And being a woman myself,

I can understand your concerns for your hair!

So, why do you have this hair loss during pregnancy or when you are feeding your baby?

The reason is, when you are pregnant, you are taking

care of two lives- yourself and your baby in your womb. So,

during both these phases you require extra nutrients to

support both of you. Biotin is one type of

nutrient also known as Vitamin B7 &

its level falls progressively throughout your

pregnancy. According to American Journal of

Clinical Nutrition, 33% to 50% of the expecting women are

deficient in Biotin. Its deficiency is caused mostly during

late pregnancy. I am sure, the percentage of

Biotin deficiency will be either equal or even

more for Indian pregnant women.

How do you know if you are also having Biotin deficiency?

You may be suffering from Biotin deficiency if you are having

• Skin rashes
• Hair loss
• Brittle nails

But don’t worry…..

There are some good natural vegetarian sources which are rich in Biotin like:

• Spinach
• Cauliflower
• Legumes
• Milk

These are just a few of many sources of Biotin. So, if

you don’t like any of the above-mentioned sources,

don’t get stressed. Just consult your dietitian. She can

help you identify a source that you will love to

take during your pregnancy. As taking food must be a

pleasure and not a torture – especially during your pregnancy!

That’s all for today.

See you next week with another Tuesday Tip.

Till then… Take care….

Providing simple solutions for the complexities of life

Dr. Bhumita Makwana

Your Dietitian & Cosmetic Clinician