The endocrinologist-nutritionist Oksana Khmelnitskaya spoke about the causes of hair loss
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The causes of hair loss are varied. Generally, there is no single isolated cause, which requires a comprehensive approach to therapy. Actually, a person tries to figure it out on his own, using supplements unsystematically, looking for external means of treating hair loss without specifying the internal causes of imbalance.
What are the causes directly or indirectly related to hair loss:
Anemia and latent iron deficiency are one of the most common problems that lead to hair loss, hair thinning, and brittleness. We should remember that it is not always enough to focus only on hemoglobin numbers, which reflect only the tip of the iceberg. Iron performs a variety of functions, and in the case of iron deficiency, it is spent on the primary needs of the body such as hematopoiesis, enzyme function, maintaining the detox systems in the liver. Beautiful thick hair is not a priority for the body in this situation.
Insulin resistance, which is often confused with elevated testosterone levels. Against the background of excess body weight, obesity, excess simple carbohydrates in the diet, the elevated insulin levels activate the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase, leading to increased synthesis of the strongest and most aggressive intracellular androgen - dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In this case, testosterone levels may be normal or even reduced.
Thyroid diseases, accompanied by both a decrease (hypothyroidism) or an increase (thyrotoxicosis) in its function. The hair loss is typical not only on the head, but also in the eyebrow area, especially their outer parts, and eyelashes. Hair becomes dull, brittle, dehydrated, easily split and grows more slowly. Autoimmune thyroiditis often leads to the development of persistent hypothyroidism. Autoimmune thyroiditis is also a serious warning sign of problems in the immune system. Aggression of your own immunity can also affect your hair, causing autoimmune alopecia (alopecia areata and cicatricial). The iodine deficiency is spread throughout the Russian Federation and can lead to subclinical mild hypothyroidism, when a cell already experiences energy starvation at normal level of thyroid hormones in the tests.
Protein deficiency in the body. Protein is a building material for all human organs and systems. ""Life is the mode of existence of protein bodies"" – as it was accurately noted by Friedrich Engels. With a lack of protein in the diet, with poor absorption against the background of gastrointestinal diseases, with the energy waste of the body during inflammation, there will not be enough building material for the hair. Protein deficiency is often associated with impaired absorption due to insufficient production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Hypoacidity is often associated with hypothyroidism and iodine deficiency.
Deficiency of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the body due to insufficient consumption, low-fat diets or impaired gallbladder function. The sufficient amount of fats is necessary for our membranes to be of high quality and elastic, to create a water-lipid mantle on our skin, to synthesize sex hormones, cortisol, vitamin D, and for the good bile flow.
Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D activates over 2,000 genes in our body. Contrary to the popular belief about its effect on calcium absorption and bone strength, its functions are much more extensive. One of them is stimulating the growth of hair follicles.
Insufficient amount of all the necessary vitamins and minerals in the diet against the background of hypocaloric diets, fasting, unbalanced diet - sulfur, silicon, iodine, iron, copper, zinc, biotin, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, selenium and others.
Sex hormone imbalance - testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, more often their deficiency
Excess of stress hormones - prolactin and cortisol, against the background of which there is a spasm of the vessels that feed the hair follicle. Sometimes people even complain that their hair roots hurt. This is a pronounced spasm against the background of stress.
Deterioration of microcirculation, including in the cervical spine, if the posture is violated, with prolonged forced posture during work, with constant looking at a smartphone, when resting on an uncomfortable mattress and pillow, when tightening excessively hair bands.
Any acute and chronic infection, intoxication.
As you can see, there are a huge number of reasons for hair loss. Correction strategies are varied. But today I wanted to tell you about one of the components of treatment that has deserved its popularity. This is biotin. It has long been noted that it gives excellent results in brittle nail syndrome, hair loss, and deterioration of the skin condition. Initially, farmers gave biotin to strengthen the hooves of their horses. Then scientists made use of this property of biotin and developed supplements for humans.
Biotin activates amino acid metabolism in hair roots and nail bed cells. In addition to its effect on hair, biotin improves glucose metabolism, increases tissue sensitivity to insulin, improves the functioning of the nervous system, and overall metabolism.
Biotin can be synthesized by healthy gastrointestinal microflora and is found in liver, soy, egg yolk, cheese, and kidneys.
Biotin deficiency can be caused by genetic reasons, by taking antibiotics and anticonvulsants, by intestinal dysbiosis and decreased intestinal absorption, and by limited intake with food.
Fans of raw eggs block biotin absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
If a biotin deficiency has been developed, food sources alone will not be enough to replenish the deficiency. Biotin is a supplement with a good safety profile. It is used in doses up to 5000 mcg, with a course of up to 6 months or more.
Sometimes a rash on the face is noted while taking biotin. This is not an allergy, but a manifestation of vitamin B5 deficiency, competing for the same receptors during absorption. Also, biotin absorption may be compromised against the background of magnesium deficiency. With an excessive dosage, there may be loose stools. The important point is that biotin can interact with test systems in laboratories and distort the results of some tests, for example, reduce the level of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) when assessing thyroid function and also give a negative troponin test when diagnosing acute myocardial infarction. The supplement does not negatively affect the heart and thyroid gland. It just changes the numbers in the test tube. It is important to understand this in order to inform your doctor about any unexplained deviations in the tests or take a break in its reception for a few days before the planned test.
It is important to find out exactly your reasons for hair loss. It is important to solve the problem both from the outside and from the inside, adjust your lifestyle, nutrition, to work with stress, to eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies, to eliminate foci of chronic infections, inflammation and oxidative stress, to restore the gastrointestinal tract. And it is important to be patient, since the recovery process takes at least 3 months. In this case the treatment will be most effective and you will be happy seeing a new hedgehog of hair on your head being replaced by a thick, shiny, beautiful shock of hair.
What are the causes directly or indirectly related to hair loss:
Anemia and latent iron deficiency are one of the most common problems that lead to hair loss, hair thinning, and brittleness. We should remember that it is not always enough to focus only on hemoglobin numbers, which reflect only the tip of the iceberg. Iron performs a variety of functions, and in the case of iron deficiency, it is spent on the primary needs of the body such as hematopoiesis, enzyme function, maintaining the detox systems in the liver. Beautiful thick hair is not a priority for the body in this situation.
Insulin resistance, which is often confused with elevated testosterone levels. Against the background of excess body weight, obesity, excess simple carbohydrates in the diet, the elevated insulin levels activate the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase, leading to increased synthesis of the strongest and most aggressive intracellular androgen - dihydrotestosterone (DHT). In this case, testosterone levels may be normal or even reduced.
Thyroid diseases, accompanied by both a decrease (hypothyroidism) or an increase (thyrotoxicosis) in its function. The hair loss is typical not only on the head, but also in the eyebrow area, especially their outer parts, and eyelashes. Hair becomes dull, brittle, dehydrated, easily split and grows more slowly. Autoimmune thyroiditis often leads to the development of persistent hypothyroidism. Autoimmune thyroiditis is also a serious warning sign of problems in the immune system. Aggression of your own immunity can also affect your hair, causing autoimmune alopecia (alopecia areata and cicatricial). The iodine deficiency is spread throughout the Russian Federation and can lead to subclinical mild hypothyroidism, when a cell already experiences energy starvation at normal level of thyroid hormones in the tests.
Protein deficiency in the body. Protein is a building material for all human organs and systems. ""Life is the mode of existence of protein bodies"" – as it was accurately noted by Friedrich Engels. With a lack of protein in the diet, with poor absorption against the background of gastrointestinal diseases, with the energy waste of the body during inflammation, there will not be enough building material for the hair. Protein deficiency is often associated with impaired absorption due to insufficient production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Hypoacidity is often associated with hypothyroidism and iodine deficiency.
Deficiency of fats and fat-soluble vitamins in the body due to insufficient consumption, low-fat diets or impaired gallbladder function. The sufficient amount of fats is necessary for our membranes to be of high quality and elastic, to create a water-lipid mantle on our skin, to synthesize sex hormones, cortisol, vitamin D, and for the good bile flow.
Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D activates over 2,000 genes in our body. Contrary to the popular belief about its effect on calcium absorption and bone strength, its functions are much more extensive. One of them is stimulating the growth of hair follicles.
Insufficient amount of all the necessary vitamins and minerals in the diet against the background of hypocaloric diets, fasting, unbalanced diet - sulfur, silicon, iodine, iron, copper, zinc, biotin, magnesium, manganese, cobalt, selenium and others.
Sex hormone imbalance - testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, more often their deficiency
Excess of stress hormones - prolactin and cortisol, against the background of which there is a spasm of the vessels that feed the hair follicle. Sometimes people even complain that their hair roots hurt. This is a pronounced spasm against the background of stress.
Deterioration of microcirculation, including in the cervical spine, if the posture is violated, with prolonged forced posture during work, with constant looking at a smartphone, when resting on an uncomfortable mattress and pillow, when tightening excessively hair bands.
Any acute and chronic infection, intoxication.
As you can see, there are a huge number of reasons for hair loss. Correction strategies are varied. But today I wanted to tell you about one of the components of treatment that has deserved its popularity. This is biotin. It has long been noted that it gives excellent results in brittle nail syndrome, hair loss, and deterioration of the skin condition. Initially, farmers gave biotin to strengthen the hooves of their horses. Then scientists made use of this property of biotin and developed supplements for humans.
Biotin activates amino acid metabolism in hair roots and nail bed cells. In addition to its effect on hair, biotin improves glucose metabolism, increases tissue sensitivity to insulin, improves the functioning of the nervous system, and overall metabolism.
Biotin can be synthesized by healthy gastrointestinal microflora and is found in liver, soy, egg yolk, cheese, and kidneys.
Biotin deficiency can be caused by genetic reasons, by taking antibiotics and anticonvulsants, by intestinal dysbiosis and decreased intestinal absorption, and by limited intake with food.
Fans of raw eggs block biotin absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.
If a biotin deficiency has been developed, food sources alone will not be enough to replenish the deficiency. Biotin is a supplement with a good safety profile. It is used in doses up to 5000 mcg, with a course of up to 6 months or more.
Sometimes a rash on the face is noted while taking biotin. This is not an allergy, but a manifestation of vitamin B5 deficiency, competing for the same receptors during absorption. Also, biotin absorption may be compromised against the background of magnesium deficiency. With an excessive dosage, there may be loose stools. The important point is that biotin can interact with test systems in laboratories and distort the results of some tests, for example, reduce the level of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) when assessing thyroid function and also give a negative troponin test when diagnosing acute myocardial infarction. The supplement does not negatively affect the heart and thyroid gland. It just changes the numbers in the test tube. It is important to understand this in order to inform your doctor about any unexplained deviations in the tests or take a break in its reception for a few days before the planned test.
It is important to find out exactly your reasons for hair loss. It is important to solve the problem both from the outside and from the inside, adjust your lifestyle, nutrition, to work with stress, to eliminate vitamin and mineral deficiencies, to eliminate foci of chronic infections, inflammation and oxidative stress, to restore the gastrointestinal tract. And it is important to be patient, since the recovery process takes at least 3 months. In this case the treatment will be most effective and you will be happy seeing a new hedgehog of hair on your head being replaced by a thick, shiny, beautiful shock of hair.