Hair falling out...

Theo166

averaging 11lbs a month for 7 months is some serious weight loss.

Maybe try eating at maintenance for 1-2 weeks and see how you feel, some call it a 'diet break'

JaydedMiss

eat more fat in your diet its necessary and good for you.

jdog022

I would go straight to maintenance calories . like right now. if malnutrition is the cause of hairloss then you cannot afford to slowly reverse diet. This is serious and why take a risk its something else. diet break aka eating at maintenance has great benefits after long periods. resets hormones,adapted metabolism etc.

You will gain a few pounds. it's not fat. dont freak

PHXLoser

Hair loss is very common when you lose a lot of weight. If you look at any of the weight loss surgery blogs, it's one of the biggest side effects. It grows back once your body adjusts. That's assuming that you're otherwise healthy. Check with your doctor if you're concerned.

JaydedMiss

PHXLoser wrote: »

Hair loss is very common when you lose a lot of weight. If you look at any of the weight loss surgery blogs, it's one of the biggest side effects. It grows back once your body adjusts. That's assuming that you're otherwise healthy. Check with your doctor if you're concerned.

no. its not common. nor is it okay. Its a malnourished body telling you theres trouble.

willow8220

I can relate to your problem and I am sorry you are experiencing hair loss, it can be very distressing. My hair has always been very thick, healthy and long but I have put my body under a lot of stress by not eating enough.

I lost 32 kgs (70lbs) in 7 months by eating at a very low unhealthy deficit. I wasn't counting calories when I first started my journey, but I would have been eating about 1000 calories with strenuous exercise on top of it. One of the huge side effects from being so malnourished was alarming hair loss. I was, and still am afraid to wash my hair as it comes out in huge amounts in the shower and combing afterwards.

I couldnt sustain that weight loss and eating so little and it started a horrible binge restrict cycle. I am so glad I learnt my lesson, my body was in desperate need of vital nutrients and now I am listening to it. I am eating 1500 cals now and ensuring I consume lots of protein in the form of plain greek yoghurt, protein bars, salmon, chicken, eggs as well as healthy fats like avocado, walnuts and olive oil. I am hoping my hair grows back over time, I have probably lost a third of it. I am also very satiated on more calories and havent had a binge in a few weeks which is amazing for me I am so fortunate to have stumbled across MFP, its been eye opening for me to know that I dont have to starve myself and be unhappy to lose weight and be healthy.

Good luck to you OP and glad you are being proactive, I wish you well on the rest of your weight loss journey!

rhps84

Mine is also falling out. Figured maybe it's because I'm getting older.

NEOHgirl

My endo told me that even though I was losing at a healthy rate (about 6-7# per month at that time), it puts stress on the body, so while you might not be feeling emotional stress, your body is under physical stress from adjusting to the changes. Definitely increase your protein & fats and calories. The doc told me that hair is mostly made of protein so that should help. I wouldn't increase your supplements, you are also on a very high dose. My doc told me that the thinning hair should resolve once I went to maintenance. I've increase my protein and it has at least slowed, although it hasn't thickened back and I suspect it never will.

LKArgh

mirelaavdich wrote: »

I have been eating 1200-1400 calories per day since September. On days that I am active a lot I eat about 1500 calories.

I started exercising slowly (walking, Pilates, 7 minute workout) but for the last 4 months I have exercised 6 days a week (alternate running and strength training).

I do have Hashimoto's, and PCOS (insulin resistant). I was pre-diabetic at my August 2016 check up. Just had the labs done in March. My thyroid levels are great and no longer pre-diabetic (A1C is 5.6). Doctor said I am doing great.

I could be protein deficient as I eat mostly plant based and looking at my food diary protein intake is usually around 20%-30%. I am not vegan and do eat eggs daily. I am not a fan of meat (texture issue) but do eat a lot of beans and legumes.

Go back to your dr. It could be that you now have a thyroid problem again (it can change suddenly, it has happened to me) or it could anemia if you are not getting enough iron. Also your dr might want to check for pernicious anemia, it is more common for people with Hashimoto

AnnPT77

One side comment that I think is relevant:

What's happening when you lose hair? When it's weight-loss-related, one major reason can be that on a too-low calorie level, your body has less fuel, and starts to prioritize where to use its energy (speaking metaphorically). Growing hair is usually somewhat low on the body's priority scale.

Think of your hair (again, metaphorically) as a tiny tube made out of protein that's being sort of extruded from the follicle on your head, i.e., it grows from the base. When you have a period of low growth, that can result in a thinned strand at the base. If it's too thin, it is fragile enough to break off when you wash, comb, move against the pillow while sleeping, etc.

One implication is that a severe calorie restriction, even if it's fairly short, can cause hair loss by creating that thin area in the strand. (For a timeline perspective, some kinds of chemotherapy that cause hair loss take effect so fast that the hair loss happens in around 3 weeks. Of course, that's a more severe stressor - but it gives you an idea of how fast a stressor can cause this problem.)

Everyone's body is a little different. Some people will experience hair loss faster at a less-extreme calorie restriction, compared to others.

But, as someone above said, the hair loss is a warning that you're underfueling your body more than it can make up simply by burning body fat - a "canary in the coal mine" moment. It's possible that the hair loss is the only problem, but it's far more likely that other bodily functions are suffering as well.