There are various hair disorders, and they do not appear the same. There are two primary categories of extreme hair loss: telogen effluvium and androgenetic alopecia. Androgenetic alopecia is the more common of the two. Alopecia is a type of hair loss caused by genetic factors and affects men and women in almost equal numbers. You may be familiar with the words “male-pattern baldness” and “female-pattern baldness,” which both refer to hair loss in a pattern you can identify.
The hairline of males typically begins to recede in the shape of an ‘M’ right above the temples, while the pattern of hair loss in females appears to be quite different in this regard. It starts at the parting and moves to the back, gradually thinning the hair while reducing the rate at which it grows. Several variables, including genetics and shifts in hormonal levels, have been linked to this form of hair loss.
However, Telogen Effluvium, another prevalent kind of hair loss, is not influenced by heredity but is caused by environmental factors such as chemical exposure, medicinal treatments, hormone shifts, and food.
Foods That Lead to Hair Loss
Generally, consuming foods high in nutrients may do wonders for hair health, including rejuvenating the follicles, boosting hair development, preventing hair thinning in its tracks, increasing thickness, and making it stronger. On the other hand, the fact that some foods can actively disrupt the nature of the strands and cause hair loss in various ways should be more widely understood. In this article, we will look at five foods that promote hair loss and analyze the mechanisms behind them.
Foods High In Sugar
There has been a lot of research and writing on how addicting sugar and sugary foods and baked products can be. Sugar is not only hazardous for your health when consumed in excess, but it is also detrimental to your hair since it inhibits blood circulation throughout your entire body, which includes your hair follicles.
Not only is there a restriction in the flow of blood, but even the elements in the stream do not infiltrate your hair, making it unnecessary to consume other useful foods. Consuming excessive sugar can also cause inflammation of the scalp and damage to the strands, which can ultimately contribute to hair loss.
Dairy
Although the advantages of milk proteins make the connection between dairy and hair loss less clear-cut than sugar, it is generally accepted that a certain level of fat in dairy elevates testosterone concentrations and promotes hair loss. It also makes conditions like psoriasis, dandruff, and eczema worse, which leads to even more shedding of the skin and hair.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol has a detrimental effect on the process of protein synthesis that occurs in the body. Drinking alcohol can result in strands of hair that are weaker and dull, in addition to generating an imbalance in nutrients. In addition, it causes the scalp to get dehydrated and the strands to become brittle, which makes hair more prone to breaking.
Aerated Beverages
Both regular and diet sodas include artificial sweeteners, and research has shown that these sweeteners can cause damage to hair follicles, which can lead to hair loss. When eaten in excess, these beverages lower the response rate of insulin and discharge sugar into your bloodstream. This hinders circulation and prevents the effects of nutrients.
Fast Food
Consuming fast food might increase the amount of sebum, which has proven to disrupt the usual moisture balance on the scalp. However, if the body produces excessive oily fluid, it can cause the scalp to become greasy and cause your hair to lose its bounce. It also fails to supply the essential nutrients necessary to deliver well-balanced sustenance.
If the sebum is not given enough time to evaporate, it can accumulate and plug the hair follicles, preventing them from “breathing” or being purified. This can have a negative impact on the health of the hair and lead to hair loss. Inadequate nutrient consumption or nutritional supplements are two dietary factors linked to hair loss.
Micronutrient Deficiencies
Two primary components make up hair: the shafts, which are the visible part, and the follicles, which are situated below the surface of the skin. The hair follicle is the structure from which hair grows.
The average rate of new hair growth is 0.35 millimeters each day. About one hundred hairs fall out of the scalp every day, which might increase depending on how often you wash and brush your hair.
The hair follicle is a very delicate and active structure. Because the cells in the hair follicles are some of the most quickly dividing cells in the body, it should be no surprise that vitamin deficiencies can have a detrimental impact on the rate at which your hair grows.
Iron
Hair thinning is one of the symptoms of iron insufficiency, the most frequent nutrient deficiency worldwide. This issue is associated with a kind of hair loss that is called telogen effluvium. Telogen effluvium is defined as a disturbance in the regular hair development cycle. This results in an abnormally high rate of hair loss and shedding.
Iron insufficiency is still being studied as a cause of hair loss. Still, preliminary findings suggest that it disrupts hair growth by redistributing the body’s iron stores away from the hair follicle. According to a few studies, those who suffer from hair loss are more likely to have lower amounts of iron in their hair and blood than those who do not suffer from hair loss.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential to the process of growing new hair as well as maintaining the health of the hair follicles. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to various hair loss diseases, including female pattern baldness and alopecia areata. According to several pieces of research, consuming vitamin D supplements can help people who are experiencing hair loss due to a lack of vitamin D to regenerate their hair.
According to the findings of a study published in 2020 that involved 109 participants, individuals experiencing hair loss had considerably lower concentrations of vitamin D in their blood than individuals who did not experience hair loss.