The big question: Is there any connection between what you put in your mouth and keeping a full head of hair?

For men, the answer is a resounding no. (Sorry, guys. Except in cases of extreme malnutrition, no amount of vitamins or minerals will regrow hair.) But for some women who have experienced hair loss related to physical trauma, crash dieting or heavy menstrual flow, the answer is yes.

Actually, when it comes to hair loss, everyone is a loser—all of the time. Even the owner of the world’s most luxurious locks sheds 50 to 150 hairs a day. What separates him from the guy who could double as a billiard ball? In someone with a full head of hair, new hairs constantly grow in, filling all of the empty spaces. Whether you sprout enough new hairs to prevent baldness depends mostly on your parents. Genes are the culprits in what is known as male- or female-pattern baldness.

Researchers have found, however, that certain nutrients often seem to be determining factors in hair regrowth in women.

Iron and the Maiden

When a woman loses iron because of something such as trauma, poor diet or heavy menstruation, several things happen. Among them: Her body literally stops producing hair until she gets more iron.

“I’ve been practicing medicine for more than 30 years now, and it’s my experience that in most females who are menstruating regularly, there is mild to severe iron-deficiency anemia,” says Wilma Bergfeld, M.D., a dermatologist and director of the Section of Dermatopathology (the study of the causes and effects of skin diseases and abnormalities) and Dermatological Research at the Cleveland Clinic.

The Daily Value for iron is 18 milligrams. But getting enough iron is only part of the picture, says Alexander Zemtsov, M.D., associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis.

Because iron absorption is boosted by vitamin C, he recommends talking to your doctor about a prescription for Niferex with Vitamin C. Each capsule contains 50 milligrams of iron and 100 milligrams of vitamin C. Or you can get over-the-counter Niferex, which has 50 milligrams of iron, and take it with 100 milligrams of vitamin C. “I recommend taking one of these capsules a day until the hair is back to normal, usually in two to three months,” says Dr. Zemtsov.

High daily intake of iron can cause iron overload in some people. For this reason, doses exceeding the Daily Value (18 milligrams) should be taken only under medical supervision.