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“I bought the magazine at 11 a.m. and within 20 minutes of dedicated reading, I had decided to get rid of my long locks and have now got cool, spiky hair, just like Yuvraj Singh on the WWW page.”

Burzin D. Hansotia, Mumbai.

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Need To Know

It’s a requisite for healthy hair, but not many people know the importance of magnesium. MADHUSMITA SAHOO gets the experts to tell us about this essential mineral.

We’ve all been told that vitamins are essential for the health of our hair, but did you know that minerals are equally important? And one of the most important of these is magnesium. The fourth most abundant mineral in the body, magnesium is located mostly in the bones. It is essential for good heart and muscle function. Recently, it has been found to be integral in maintaining healthy hair.

Dr. Apoorva Shah, Founder, Richfeel Trichology Centre, says, “Magnesium imbalance is a strong contributor to hair loss. Foods such as almonds, cashews, soybeans and spinach are rich in magnesium and should be made a part of your daily meal if you want long and strong hair.” On the other hand, he warns against an overdose: “Washing hair with hard water, which has a good proportion of magnesium, may make your hair lifeless and dull.”

Eat right
Nobody is spared from excessive exposure to the sun and pollution, especially in urban India. Even excessive blow-drying and brushing can damage your hair. Hence, along with other corrective measures, eating a well-balanced diet containing sufficient vitamins and minerals to nourish your hair should be a priority. Foods such as halibut, oatmeal, peanut butter and yoghurt are also good sources of magnesium. A healthy diet ensures that the body is replete with all the necessary nutrients for good hair health.

A little bit of this
Surprisingly, even an Epsom salts bath can work wonders for the hair. Otherwise known as magnesium sulphate, Epsom salts can be found at grocery stores and medical shops. Its sulphate content is an important nutrient for good hair health. Consultant nutritionist Dr. Niti Desai says, “A proper balance should be maintained between calcium and magnesium. Taking a supplement of these is one way to ensure that you are getting proper levels of both minerals.” According to Dr. Desai, another benefit of such supplements is that these minerals promote restful sleep. “Research has proven that sleep is a very important factor in hair growth and health. Hair tends to grow faster at night, and good quality sleep, for at least seven or eight hours, can contribute to healthy hair,” she explains.

Epsom salts can be used to combat several hair-related problems. Dr. Desai recommends mixing it with shampoo so that it absorbs the excess oil from oily hair and adds a glow and bounce to it.

So, the next time you are not happy with your hair, think about what it is lacking...it might just be magnesium!

Don’t overdo it Too much of anything is bad and that includes magnesium as well. While a deficiency of magnesium can cause harmful seizures and personality changes, too much of the mineral can also lead to changes in the mental state of a person. Too much magnesium can affect the nervous system, causing numbness, breathing problems and muscle cramps.

The most commonly asked question, therefore, is: What is the right magnesium dosage? The answer is — it depends. Every individual has vastly different needs and there is only one person who can guide you towards the right dose — a dietician. Always consult a nutritionist or physician who can advise you on a customised diet plan, which would help you know the right amount of magnesium you need