I lost half my hair due to a health problem – a supplement helped it grow back

A dietary supplement transformed a woman’s thinning hair after years of ignoring an underlying iron deficiency.

Along with extreme hair loss, I had experienced shortness of breath and low energy.

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The woman took to the Reddits TwoXChromosomes forum writing under the handle u/curioushummingbird.

She recalled that not taking her anemia seriously caused her to lose more than half of her hair.

“I hadn’t been formally diagnosed, but I’ve known I was anemic since I was a teenager when I first started trying to donate blood and was almost always turned away because of low hemoglobin levels,” she said.

So as an adult, I’m familiar with the usual symptoms (low energy, very pale skin, head rush), but I never took them too seriously.

The 5-foot-2 woman who weighs around 54.4 kg revealed a terrifying experience while hiking with friends and that she eventually spoke to a doctor.

I knew I was out of shape and would probably get a little winded going up the hill, but I knew something had to be wrong when I couldn’t even make it halfway before I had to stop to breathe, he said.

I literally felt like I couldn’t breathe and I was taking big, deep breaths as I felt my heart pounding out of my chest.

Honestly, it was kind of scary, so later that day I made an appointment with my doctor to get a blood test.

My results? 7.5 g/dl; almost less than half of what it should be and almost to the point of needing a transfusion. wow

So at this point, I was definitely taking it seriously and took my daily dose of 325 mg of ferrous sulfate for 3 months to bring it back up.

I felt great and had a lot more energy. I started working out again and was generally much happier.

The woman said that having to cut her hair to hide how much her locks had thinned in a year made her start to pay more attention to the loss.

She said it was a few months after she started taking the supplements for her anemia that she started experiencing new growth in areas that had previously been patchy.

It’s been a year since I started taking supplements and the new growth is about 6 inches long, she said.

My hair is wavy when it’s long and curly when it’s short, so you can imagine how I look right now.

Honestly, it makes me think of a football helmet.

I love having long hair, so I’m putting up with the wispy ends for now, but I’ll probably cut it when the new growth reaches my collarbones.

Honestly, I’m thankful it’s growing back.

So yes, if you are anemic, don’t be like me and ignore the warning signs as the consequences are definitely not worth it!

The post received hundreds of upvotes and many commenters confessed that they had not considered that her hair loss could have been due to anemia.

The Redditor said that taking supplements has made a crazy difference in his overall health.

Now I take one every 3rd day, he wrote. Make sure you take them with a full meal, otherwise they can make you feel nauseous for hours.

Not sure about the brand because it is only prescribed by my NP [nurse practitioner]but its 325 mg ferrous sulfate pills, he added.

They are red pills and the size of an M&M.

Anemia occurs when the blood is low in red blood cells, or hemoglobin, according to Healthline.

Having an iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anemia.

Children, teenagers, pregnant women, vegans, premenopausal women, and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk of low iron.

Symptoms may include hair loss, brittle nails, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and feeling weak.

Ferrous sulfate supplements usually come in oral tablet form and can help maintain normal iron levels or treat deficiency, including anemia.

It is important to speak with a health professional before taking the supplement, as the amount to take varies by individual.

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