Stop and Reverse Hair Loss with Amino Acids Using Arginine vs Cysteine vs Methionine ... and 2 more
Edited by Donna, Eng, Inukshuk
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and as hair is made completely of protein, supplementation with the five amino acids that specifically nourish the hair follicles grow hair is recommended. You can also halt hair loss and regrow new hair by consuming more of the foods that are rich in Arginine, Cysteine, Methionine, Tyrosine and Taurine.
Method 1: Using Arginine
Arginine stops and reverses hair loss because:
- It supports the production of nitric oxide. which is crucial for the growth of hair growth because it dilates the hair follicles and improves the efficiency with which blood can bring nutrients to hair roots
- It boosts the immune system, making your scalp less vulnerable to infections like ringworm
- It lessens the effects of physical and emotional stress due to disease, emotional problems and aging
How to Add Arginine to Your Diet
Take Arginine in supplement form. Even though this is one of the amino acids that is created naturally in the body, levels drop drastically when the body is under severe physical or emotional stress. Levels also drop due to aging. Taking 2 grams a day in pill form with a glass of warm water is sufficient.
- 1Eat four to six ounces of turkey breast for lunch or dinner as often as possible. The best source is roasted turkey but you can also get ample arginine in turkey deli-mats as well.
Roast turkey is the richest source of the amino acid arginine.Advertisement - 2Eat four to six ounces of roasted pork loin for lunch or dinner as often as possible. A lean cut of pork is best. Pork is also very high in lean protein, which helps grow healthy, strong hair.
Advertisement - 3Eat a handful of raw pumpkin seeds every day. You can eat them sprinkled on salads or as part of a trail mix blend.
Raw pumpkin seeds contain arginine. - 4Eat four ounces of old cheddar cheese. Old cheddar cheese is also a source of biotin, which helps grow hair. Regular and mild cheddar cheese also contains arginine, but not as much. Eating the cheese unheated is also recommended so that you can get your maximum dose of arginine.
Old cheddar cheese is a tasty source of arginine.
Method 2: Using Cysteine
Cysteine stops and reverses hair loss because:
- It acts synergistically with methionine to add more sulfur to hair cells, which improves the health of hair follicles and grows stronger, thicker hair
- It helps bring minerals that are essential for hair growth, such as iron in zinc, to the scalp so hair follicles are richly nourished
- It improves the efficiency of the vascular and circulatory systems, especially ones compromised by heart disease and insulin resistance, helping dilate the tiny vessels that feed nutrients to hair follicles
- It helps produce cysteine, another amino acid that strengthens existing hair shafts
How to Add Cysteine to Your Diet
- 1Eat more cottage and ricotta cheeses. Use these creamy cheeses in lasagnas or add them to salads. You can also mix ricotta or cottage cheese with fruit or tuna. A half cup a day of either is sufficient to provide this amino acid.Advertisement
Cottage cheese is a good source of the amino acid cysteine. - 2Eat chopped raw garlic. Chop garlic finely and add to salads, salts and bruschetta for best results.
Raw chopped garlic is an excellent source of cysteine, more so than cooked garlic. - 3Eat Brussels sprouts once or twice a week. Brussels sprouts are a wonderful vegan source of cysteine, especially when served broiled with a bit of iodized salt and butter or olive oil.
Cooked Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of cysteine.
Method 3: Using Methionine
Methionine stops and reverses hair loss because:
- It is a rich source of sulfur, which helps oils, fats and sebum from building up in the hair follicle and preventing hair growth.
- It blocks DHT, which is the active form of testosterone, and when your body produces too much of it, there is an accumulation of it on the scalp causing hair loss. It helps stop hair from turning grey and restores color
- It also helps the body build collagen, which keeps your skin and your scalp in a more youthful state
- It is a potent free radical that cleanses heavy metals and toxins from your body in general, thus promoting hair growth.
- It helps produce the neurotransmitter serotonin which improves your mod
How to Add Methionine to Your Diet
- 1Take Methionine in supplement form. Methionine is not made by the human body and must be consumed daily for best results, so taking supplements is one way to make sure you get enough every day. Do not exceed 1.5 mg of it a day in supplement form as you could damage your liver. A safe dose is 1 mg a day, taken every day taken with warm water in pill form.
2
Eat two to three Brazil nuts every day. Brazil nuts also contain unsaturated fatty acids that also support hair growth.
3
Eat a handful of sesame seeds every day. Eat them raw, salted or unsalted, to reap the maximum of dose methionine from this snack.
Brazil nuts are one of the richest sources of methionine available.
4
Eat steak. Steak tartare, which is served raw, is the absolute best animal source of methionine. Eating a steak rare to medium rare is recommended in order for you to reap the benefits.
Steak tartare is a superb source of the amino acid methionine.
Method 4: Using Tyrosine
Tyrosine stops and reverses hair loss because:
- It supports the healthy function of the metabolism and the thyroid gland, which when affected cause thinning hair and balding
- It supports the healthy function of the pituitary gland, also known as the master gland, that governs all hormonal action in the body
- It helps the body produce less stress hormones, such as cortisol, DHT and testosterone which causes hair loss
- It helps prevent insomnia, which occurs when levels are low and a lack of restful sleep causes hair loss
How to Add Tyrosine to Your Diet
- 1Take Tyrosine in supplement form. Although it is made by the human body, levels are dropped by emotional and physical stress and a lack of sleep. Take at least 2.5 mg a day for best results but no more than 5 grams in supplement form
- 2Eat chicken or turkey at least three times a week. Both the roasted and deli sources of these foods are very high in the amino acid tyrosine.
Roast chicken is a rich source of the amino acid tyrosine. - 3Eat cooked lima beans at least once a week. Lima beans, whether canned or dried, are also a good source of iron, folate, potassium and B1 and B6, which also excel at stopping hair loss.
Cooked lima beans, shown here with an egg, which is also good for hair loss, supply ample amounts of tyronsine. - 4Drink soy milk. Soy milk is very high in tyrosine and also protein which helps grow hair. A half of a cup to a cup of this beverage can be consumed on it's own or added to smoothies.
Make a cafe latte with soy milk to increase your intake of tyrosine.
Method 5: Using Taurine
Taurine stops and reverses hair loss because:
- It is a potent detoxifier that assists the kidneys and liver to dispose of toxins from the scalp, such as dead skin cells, excess sebum and accumulated DHT
- It supports the function of the cardiovascular system, making sure it works efficiently when it comes to bringing minerals that are essential for hair growth, such as calcium and magnesium to the scalp
- It helps the body utilize sulphur to help grow long, strong strands so that they don't break or become split ends
How to Add Taurine to Your Diet
- 1Take Tyrosine in supplement form. Although it is made by and stored in the human body, levels may be low due to stress and natural aging. Take 3 grams a day in pill form with warm water for best results.
- 2Take ten drops of Blue-Green Sea Algae a day. Made from various kelp and seaweeds on the ocean floor, sea algae is rich in taurine as well as all of the minerals needed to grow a healthy head of hair.
- 3Eat steamed or boiled crab as often as possible. This is one of the richest sources of taurine on earth.
Cooked crab is an abundant source of taurine. - 4Eat canned or whole mackerel at least once a week. Mackerel is easily mixed into salads for making sandwiches or you can eat the whole broiled fish.
Broiled mackeral is a great source of the amino acid taurine. - 5Eat beef or chicken livers as often as possible. Liver served up with peppers and onions is a potent hair loss fighting meal, as peppers and onions also support scalp health and hair growth.
Chicken livers are rich in taurine. - 6Eat lamb as often as possible. Whether eaten as ground lamb in a meat loaf or broiled or baked, lamb is a generous source of Taurine as well as B vitamins and protein.
Lamb chops contain taurine, which helps halt and reverse hair loss.
Tips and Tricks
Bragg's Liquid Aminos contain many of the amino acids needed to halt hair loss and grow healthy hair.
- Brags Amino Acids is a seasoning that tastes like soya sauce that contains several of the Amino acids that halt and reverse hair loss including arginine, glycine, lysine, proline and tyrosine.
- You may see amino acids referred to with an L- prefix, which refers to the active form of the acid, but there is no difference if you buy either. For instance you can buy L-Arginine or Arginine and achieve the same results.
- Hair growth formulas that contain vitamins and minerals often contain at least one essential amino acids; reading hair growth supplement labels can help you choose a formula with the most amino acids in it
- High temperatures can destroy L-methonione content of foods, so eat them as raw as possible.
- If you start getting headaches after supplementing with Tyrosine, then reduce your dosage to 1 mg a day.
- If you are on heart medications, check with your doctor before taking supplemental taurine.
Questions and Answers
Can I safely take more than 1 amino acid supplement at a time, or restrict dosage to one or a couple?
Hi, I will be 50 next month and have started losing my hair about a year ago. I have been under a lot of stress, starting a new business, financial stress, inability to sleep, etc., and would like to try adding amino supplements. I'm wondering if it's suggested to only add one of the supplements at a time, or if they can be combined to take more than one. Thank you.
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