Solve the most common nutrient problem tied to hair thinning in women: low iron

The type of iron is essential

‍Locklab Women uses a clinically studied amino acid “chelate” form of iron—the same way iron is naturally bound to amino acids in many foods—because it’s gentler on your stomach and better at reliably correcting deficiency, which is foundational for healthy hair.

Why iron matters so much for women’s hair

Hair follicles are some of the highest-metabolism structures in your body. They rely on iron to deliver oxygen and energy to the rapidly dividing cells that build each strand of hair. When your iron stores drop, your body prioritizes vital organs first—hair gets downgraded, and shedding often follows. (Source)

In a large meta-analysis of 10,029 women with nonscarring hair loss (like female pattern hair loss and chronic telogen effluvium), about 1 in 5 had clear iron deficiency using classic ferritin cutoffs, and nearly 60% had ferritin levels below 30–40 ng/mL—ranges many hair specialists consider “sub-optimal” for hair. (Source) Chronic shedding conditions such as telogen effluvium are estimated to affect up to ~30% of women in developed countries like the USA, UK, and Japan. (Source)

Not every woman’s hair loss is caused by low iron—but iron deficiency is common, especially in menstruating and postpartum women, and it’s one of the first lab abnormalities providers look for when a woman reports increased shedding.

Why Locklab uses chelated iron (and not the cheap stuff)

Most standard iron tablets use inorganic salts like ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate. They work—but they’re also notorious for nausea, constipation, metallic taste, and poor absorption, which is why many women “forget” to take them after a week or two.

Amino acid chelate iron is different:

• In lab and animal studies, iron amino acid chelates showed 4.7–7.2× higher uptake into intestinal mucosal cells compared with common iron salts. (Source)
• In infants with iron-deficiency anemia, chelated iron achieved roughly 75% bioavailability vs ~28% for ferrous sulfate, raising both hemoglobin and ferritin more efficiently. (Source)

Human clinical trials and a 2023 systematic review of randomized controlled trials comparing ferrous bisglycinate (a chelated iron) to traditional iron salts found that:

• In pregnant women, ferrous bisglycinate at 15–30 mg/day generally produced equal or greater increases in hemoglobin than higher-dose ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate. (Source)
• Across trials, ferrous bisglycinate was linked to fewer gastrointestinal side effects; pooled analysis showed a significantly lower rate of nausea, constipation, and other GI complaints versus standard iron (incidence rate ratio ~0.36—about a two-thirds reduction). (Source)

A separate clinical series of pregnant women given a low-dose iron amino acid chelate (30 mg elemental iron) showed that by 12 weeks:

• Over 70% normalized their hemoglobin above 11 g/dL
• Ferritin levels rose significantly
• Only a small minority reported mild GI side effects, with very few discontinuations. (Source)

Together, these data support exactly what women care about: better absorption at lower doses, with less stomach drama, so you’re more likely to stay on treatment long enough to actually fix the deficiency.

It’s worth noting that major anemia guidelines acknowledge that some patients tolerate chelated forms like ferrous bisglycinate better, while also stating that “hard proof” of dramatic superiority in long-term outcomes is still evolving. (Source) Locklab’s position is simple: if two options correct deficiency, we prefer the one women can actually take every day.

How better iron supports better hair

Correcting iron deficiency doesn’t magically override genetics—but it removes a major brake on hair growth in women whose levels are low.

In women with nonscarring alopecia, a systematic review found that ferritin levels are, on average, about 20 ng/mL lower in patients with hair loss than in women without hair loss, with an even larger gap in premenopausal women. (Source) Other clinical work suggests that maintaining adequate ferritin (often ≥40–70 ng/mL in many hair-loss protocols) is associated with better response to hair-loss treatments, especially in diffuse shedding conditions. (Source)

That’s why Locklab Women pairs a clinically dosed chelated iron with oral minoxidil, biotin, and folate:

• Minoxidil helps follicles grow thicker, longer hairs
• Chelated iron helps ensure your follicles aren’t starved of oxygen and energy
• Biotin and folate support normal keratin and cell production

You get a hair-focused formula that doesn’t just add “some iron”—it uses a high-quality, well-absorbed chelate designed to quietly fix a problem that a huge number of women never realize they have.

Locklab vs typical iron supplements

Most iron tablets:

• Use ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate—effective but harsh
• Require higher doses to overcome poor absorption
• Commonly cause nausea, constipation, or dark stools, which kills adherence

Chelate iron in Locklab Women:

• Uses an amino acid chelate form—similar to the way iron is bound in foods—shown to have higher mucosal uptake and better bioavailability than standard iron salts in several models (Source)
• Is used at a once-daily, hair-focused dose, designed to replenish iron stores steadily without overwhelming your gut
• Is part of a single tablet that targets multiple drivers of female hair loss, prescribed and monitored by a Locklab provider so your overall health and lab work are taken into account

Clinical snapshot (for the science-curious)

• Iron deficiency & hair loss in women:
  • 10,029-patient meta-analysis: ferritin deficiency in ~21% of women with nonscarring alopecia at classic cutoffs; nearly 60% had ferritin below 30–40 ng/mL. (Source)
• How common is shedding?
  • Chronic telogen effluvium (chronic shedding) is estimated to affect about 30% of women in countries like the USA, UK, and Japan. (Source)
• Chelate vs standard iron:
  • Iron amino acid chelate: 4.7–7.2× more mucosal uptake, ~75% bioavailability vs ~28% for ferrous sulfate in human/animal data. (Source)
  • Ferrous bisglycinate RCTs/meta-analysis: similar or better hemoglobin gains at lower doses and significantly fewer GI side effects than ferrous sulfate/fumarate in pregnant women and other adults. (Source)

Bottom line

‍For women with low iron—a problem that’s both common and under-diagnosed—the right form of iron is non-negotiable. Locklab Women uses a clinically studied, gentle chelate iron to quietly rebuild your iron stores in the background, so your follicles have one less reason to give up on growing great hair.