Dr Amir Khan has issued a warning about hair loss, urging people to pay close attention to a particular number. According to the expert, low iron levels could be the underlying cause of excessive shedding.
Understanding Iron Deficiency and Hair Loss
Iron is a vital mineral responsible for producing red blood cells, which transport oxygen throughout the body. A shortage of iron can result in iron deficiency anaemia. While most people should be able to obtain sufficient iron through a healthy, balanced diet, some individuals may become deficient due to heavy periods, certain medications, or stomach ulcers, amongst other causes. In some cases, iron tablets may be required to boost your levels.
Speaking on his podcast, No Appointment Necessary, Doctor Amir Khan explained that hair loss could be an indicator of low iron. However, Dr Amir, who is widely recognised for his appearances on ITV, cautioned that you might be told your iron levels are fine, when they actually aren't.
The Ferritin Threshold: Why 'Normal' May Not Be Enough
In conversation with his co-host Cherry Healey, he said: "Iron deficiency is a very common cause of hair loss in women. But what I will say actually is that you can have 'low normal' levels of iron and still lose hair." This suggests that your ferritin levels (a protein that stores iron in your cells) may be considered normal during a blood test, yet could still trigger symptoms.
He went on to say: "And by that I mean, normal levels of iron or ferritin - we measure something called ferritin, which is how iron is stored in your body. Now the 'normal' level is very wide, it's like 30 to 300. But if your levels are 30 to 90 or 99, you might get a text message from your GP or a call saying actually, your iron levels are fine, you don't need to worry about that. But even at that level, which are 'low normal', you can still lose hair." He explained that ferritin levels of 100 or above are actually regarded as healthier.
"So most dermatologists like your iron levels to be at 100 plus before they say it's not your iron," Dr Amir said. "So just be mindful when you get that message because lots of women will have an iron blood test because they feel tired all the time, they're losing hair. Look at the number. If it's below 100, it could still be 'normal', but that could still be causing your hair loss."
Symptoms of Iron Deficiency Anaemia
The NHS lists symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia as: tiredness and lack of energy, shortness of breath, noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations), paler than usual skin, and headaches. “Less common” symptoms include: hearing ringing, buzzing or hissing noises inside your head (tinnitus), food tasting strange, feeling itchy, a sore tongue, hair loss – you notice more hair coming out when brushing or washing it, wanting to eat non-food items such as paper or ice (pica), finding it hard to swallow (dysphagia), painful open sores (ulcers) in the corners of your mouth, nail changes such as spoon-shaped nails, and restless legs syndrome.
The NHS says you should “see a GP” if you think you might have iron deficiency anaemia.
