High Doses of Nutritional Supplements and Hair Loss

Dr Rassman
Can you please tell me if its know whether mega doses of nutritional supplements (other than Vitamin A) can contribute to hair loss?
Thank you

This is a very broad question and one that this blog gets asked often. Unfortunately, since nutritional supplements are not regulated by the FDA, there is often very little information in the medical literature regarding side effects and/or scientific studies about how/if they work. You are correct that Vitamin A toxicity is known to cause hair loss so you should avoid doses greater than 50,000 IU. It would also be a good idea to avoid anything which alters your metabolism (thyroid is often a buzzword there) or your hormone levels. Some high protein diets have noted hair loss as a side effect, too. In the final analysis, it is just not possible to know without a specific analysis of a particular nutritional supplement.