Biotin / hair loss
ettaterrell
Posts: 887 Member
I started noticing the hair loss about 6 months in and 45lb down (only needed to loose 52) I feel like the guinnee pig in weight loss for my friends lol. "Do butt work outs so your butt doesn't get flat like mine" "take biotin so you don't loose so much hair".
Anyways...
anyone taking biotin for hair loss or what worked for you? How long did it take to start coming back? I've only been taking it for about a month but it's not slowing down the loss or growing back yet., Going to Florida for my sons graduation in May and just praying it's doing better by then!
Anyways...
anyone taking biotin for hair loss or what worked for you? How long did it take to start coming back? I've only been taking it for about a month but it's not slowing down the loss or growing back yet., Going to Florida for my sons graduation in May and just praying it's doing better by then!
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your hair growth goes in cycles, from what I learned when mine started falling out. it took a good six months before a new hair growth cycle started up for me. I didn't take biotin though, so hopefully it will be quicker for you with adding that in. what really stunk though was when it did grow back in I had all these tiny short hairs by my hair line that wouldn't lay flat for a while.1
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Oh I remember those short hairs when I was a teen! But hopefully they don't grow back grey!!!!!!1
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lol, mine didn't, but they were annoying for a bit especially if I want to put my hair up0
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Research Telogen Effluvium. It is probably the culprit of your hair loss. It hit me in month 5 of my weight loss journey. I cut my hair low and started again.
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I'm literally going to a wig store this weekend to find out what my options are for covering up my balding head. I take biotin and it's done nothing for me. I'm going to have a very obvious bald spot soon, right on the top of my head.
I knew this would happen, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I used to have really thick hair, so I figured if I lose half of it, I'll still have enough.
I understand that slower weight loss (eating more food) would result in less hair loss, but I have a lot more weight to lose than most and my health is more important than my vanity, so I don't plan on slowing things down. But that still doesn't make it easy to look in the mirror right now and see my scalp through my hair.0 -
Yeah I understand completely... How long have you been taking notes biotin?0
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I have been losing hair for years. It has been big worry for me the last 7 or more years because my pony tail is a lot less thicker and I see more skin scalp. I have been taking for biotin for years but it really did not seem to be effective. I came across this article http://www.prevention.com/beauty/supplements-reverse-thinning-hair?cid=soc_Prevention Magazine - preventionmagazine_FBPAGE_Prevention__ and have been using the cocktail of supplements in the article for a about 3 months but not sure how effective it is. My hair does seem to falling out a lot less. There is less hair in the drain when I shower. I don't know if it is cocktail, change in shampoo (I use Morrocan Oil now, there seems to less hair in the drain than with other brands), or from this WOE (in one of the treads someone mentioned lessening of hair loss as a benefit from LCHF).
I am open to any other suggestions. I don;t even let anyone pluck out my gray hairs, because I need to keep every strand I got! LOL!0 -
@ettaterrell I've been eating to lose weight consistently for 4 months and started taking vitamins, including biotin, 3 months ago. The hair loss started about a month ago and hasn't slowed down. My hair balls are the size of rats after I get out of the shower.
I get it though, my body thinks it's being deprived and is giving its nutrients to more important bodily functions. I don't really see how biotin can really combat that issue. But I do hope it helps strengthen the hair I have left.0 -
Well I upped my protein (I loose faster on low protein) and started the biotin. We will see I've heard 6 mo "if" the hair loss is from diet but either way I'll live with it if I have to the weight being gone and feeling better is more important. And no ones pulling my grey either!!! Lol0
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I take biotin to help with the thickness of my fingernails...not really for my hair, although I know that it's allegedly supposed to help with that. I also understand that upping the levels of your protein intake may help with the whole hair thinning / hair loss issue specifically if you are LC because a strand of hair is composed mostly of protein fiber (i.e. keratin). The following article is good if a bit slanted towards the whole "healthy, balanced meal" blather we've all come to ignore following this WOE:
"WebMD Feature Archive
Hair Myths & Facts
What's one of the best-kept secrets for healthy hair? Is it the latest exotic potion from Europe? An exclusive Hollywood salon conditioner?
You might be surprised to learn that it's a balanced diet. Experts agree that a healthy diet with the right mix of protein, iron, and other nutrients can help improve the health, look, and feel of your hair.
"To a doctor," says dermatologist Amy McMichael, MD, "healthy hair is hair that's growing appropriately out of every follicle, not easily broken, and connected to a healthy scalp.... it's hair that's as long and full as you'd like it to be. It's bouncy, shiny, and manageable."
A balanced diet can give your hair all the nutrients it needs to satisfy both definitions for healthy hair, says McMichael, who directs the Hair Disorder Clinic at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Healthy Hair: Protein Is Important
Your hair needs the same well-rounded diet that provides all the recommended vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed for good health in the rest of your body.
Take protein, for example. A strand of hair is composed of mostly protein, which means your hair needs protein to grow. "Hair and nails are both protein fibers," says dermatologist Paradi Mirmirani, MD, of the Permanente Medical Group in Vallejo, Calif., and a member of the North American Hair Research Society.
At any given time, about 90% of your hair is in the growing phase. For each individual hair, this growing phase lasts 2 to 3 years. At the end of that time, hairs enter a resting phase that lasts about 3 months before they are shed and replaced by new hair. If you don't get enough protein in your diet, a disproportionate number of hairs may go into the resting phase.
A typical scalp has about 120,000-150,000 strands of hair, and sheds about 50 to 100 strands of them each day. Most people don't even notice that small amount. But if an unusually large number of hairs enter the resting phase at the same time, hair loss can become noticeable.
If not getting enough protein is the reason, you can fix that through your diet.
Iron and Other Nutrients
Protein isn't the only nutrient needed to maintain healthy hair. You also need iron, vitamin E, and trace minerals such as selenium, copper, and magnesium to help keep your hair in good shape. "These are all involved in the production of the various proteins that make up your hair," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly called the American Dietetic Association).
Not getting enough iron can cause hair loss.
"The best source of iron in your diet is meat," Gerbstadt says. Clams, oysters, and organ meat top the list "But there are problems with eating a lot of organ meat," Gerbstadt says. "Lean meat, though -- pork, beef, and fish -- are all good sources."
Good vegetarian sources of iron include fortified cereals, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, white beans, lentils, and spinach. The problem with iron from non-animal sources is that the body absorbs iron less efficiently from plants. "It's possible to eat a vegetarian diet paying attention to iron and still not get enough," Gerbstadt says.
Her advice: Talk with your doctor about your diet and ask for an iron test so your doctor can check on whether you should consider taking an iron supplement.
Vitamin D and Your Hair
Though the evidence still isn't clear, some studies suggest that vitamin D may play a role in the hair cycle. "We can get vitamin D from the sun," Mirmirani says. "But dermatologists don't recommend a lot of sun exposure."
You can also get vitamin D from fortified foods such as milk, orange juice, and cereals. But, Mirmirani says, according to some studies, many Americans don't get enough vitamin D, "and the actual recommended dosage is controversial." She recommends talking with your doctor about your vitamin D needs and whether or not you should take a supplement.
Are Hair Supplements Necessary?
"Any vitamin deficiency will cause hair loss. All the vitamins are important -- B, C, E," says Carolyn Jacob, MD, founder and medical director of Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology.
But that doesn't mean, as she and other experts point out, that you need to buy special supplements for your hair.
Are Hair Supplements Necessary? continued...
"The best source for the nutrients you need," Jacob says, "is a true, well-balanced diet."
Mirmirani says she is often asked about adding zinc or biotin supplements to a diet. "I don't check the zinc or biotin levels in patients," she says. "It's very hard in an American diet for those things to become deficient. And there hasn't been any good evidence that taking zinc or biotin supplements actually offers any benefits for hair."
Extra biotin probably won't hurt, "but it's not clear it does much good, either," Mirmirani says.
If you take a supplement, Jacob says, tell your doctor so it's part of your health records. Your health care providers should know about everything you take, even if it's natural or didn't need a prescription.
Hair Health and Weight Loss Diets
Weight loss, especially rapid weight loss from a restrictive diet, can cause major hair loss. "Master hairdressers," Gerbstadt says, "know without being told when their clients are dieting -- just from the changes in the hair."
"Women on a very strict calorie-deprived diet will lose weight very quickly. But it's hard to ensure they get the nutrients they need," McMichael says. Weight loss can also stress the body, which also contributes to hair loss. "Even if you lose weight very slowly on a doctor-approved program, you can still have associated hair loss."
It's common to shed hair after losing15 pounds or more. Be patient. If you're healthy, your hair will come back after weight stabilizes, McMichael says.
Link to same article above:
http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-health-11/eat-hair-type
FWIW. YMMV.0 -
ettaterrell wrote: »Well I upped my protein (I loose faster on low protein) and started the biotin. We will see I've heard 6 mo "if" the hair loss is from diet but either way I'll live with it if I have to the weight being gone and feeling better is more important. And no ones pulling my grey either!!! Lol
Do you know how much protein you're getting everyday?0 -
I take biotin to help with the thickness of my fingernails...not really for my hair, although I know that it's allegedly supposed to help with that. I also understand that upping the levels of your protein intake may help with the whole hair thinning / hair loss issue specifically if you are LC because a strand of hair is composed mostly of protein fiber (i.e. keratin). The following article is good if a bit slanted towards the whole "healthy, balanced meal" blather we've all come to ignore following this WOE:
"WebMD Feature Archive
Hair Myths & Facts
What's one of the best-kept secrets for healthy hair? Is it the latest exotic potion from Europe? An exclusive Hollywood salon conditioner?
You might be surprised to learn that it's a balanced diet. Experts agree that a healthy diet with the right mix of protein, iron, and other nutrients can help improve the health, look, and feel of your hair.
"To a doctor," says dermatologist Amy McMichael, MD, "healthy hair is hair that's growing appropriately out of every follicle, not easily broken, and connected to a healthy scalp.... it's hair that's as long and full as you'd like it to be. It's bouncy, shiny, and manageable."
A balanced diet can give your hair all the nutrients it needs to satisfy both definitions for healthy hair, says McMichael, who directs the Hair Disorder Clinic at Wake Forest Baptist Health in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Healthy Hair: Protein Is Important
Your hair needs the same well-rounded diet that provides all the recommended vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed for good health in the rest of your body.
Take protein, for example. A strand of hair is composed of mostly protein, which means your hair needs protein to grow. "Hair and nails are both protein fibers," says dermatologist Paradi Mirmirani, MD, of the Permanente Medical Group in Vallejo, Calif., and a member of the North American Hair Research Society.
At any given time, about 90% of your hair is in the growing phase. For each individual hair, this growing phase lasts 2 to 3 years. At the end of that time, hairs enter a resting phase that lasts about 3 months before they are shed and replaced by new hair. If you don't get enough protein in your diet, a disproportionate number of hairs may go into the resting phase.
A typical scalp has about 120,000-150,000 strands of hair, and sheds about 50 to 100 strands of them each day. Most people don't even notice that small amount. But if an unusually large number of hairs enter the resting phase at the same time, hair loss can become noticeable.
If not getting enough protein is the reason, you can fix that through your diet.
Iron and Other Nutrients
Protein isn't the only nutrient needed to maintain healthy hair. You also need iron, vitamin E, and trace minerals such as selenium, copper, and magnesium to help keep your hair in good shape. "These are all involved in the production of the various proteins that make up your hair," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, RD, spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly called the American Dietetic Association).
Not getting enough iron can cause hair loss.
"The best source of iron in your diet is meat," Gerbstadt says. Clams, oysters, and organ meat top the list "But there are problems with eating a lot of organ meat," Gerbstadt says. "Lean meat, though -- pork, beef, and fish -- are all good sources."
Good vegetarian sources of iron include fortified cereals, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, white beans, lentils, and spinach. The problem with iron from non-animal sources is that the body absorbs iron less efficiently from plants. "It's possible to eat a vegetarian diet paying attention to iron and still not get enough," Gerbstadt says.
Her advice: Talk with your doctor about your diet and ask for an iron test so your doctor can check on whether you should consider taking an iron supplement.
Vitamin D and Your Hair
Though the evidence still isn't clear, some studies suggest that vitamin D may play a role in the hair cycle. "We can get vitamin D from the sun," Mirmirani says. "But dermatologists don't recommend a lot of sun exposure."
You can also get vitamin D from fortified foods such as milk, orange juice, and cereals. But, Mirmirani says, according to some studies, many Americans don't get enough vitamin D, "and the actual recommended dosage is controversial." She recommends talking with your doctor about your vitamin D needs and whether or not you should take a supplement.
Are Hair Supplements Necessary?
"Any vitamin deficiency will cause hair loss. All the vitamins are important -- B, C, E," says Carolyn Jacob, MD, founder and medical director of Chicago Cosmetic Surgery and Dermatology.
But that doesn't mean, as she and other experts point out, that you need to buy special supplements for your hair.
Are Hair Supplements Necessary? continued...
"The best source for the nutrients you need," Jacob says, "is a true, well-balanced diet."
Mirmirani says she is often asked about adding zinc or biotin supplements to a diet. "I don't check the zinc or biotin levels in patients," she says. "It's very hard in an American diet for those things to become deficient. And there hasn't been any good evidence that taking zinc or biotin supplements actually offers any benefits for hair."
Extra biotin probably won't hurt, "but it's not clear it does much good, either," Mirmirani says.
If you take a supplement, Jacob says, tell your doctor so it's part of your health records. Your health care providers should know about everything you take, even if it's natural or didn't need a prescription.
Hair Health and Weight Loss Diets
Weight loss, especially rapid weight loss from a restrictive diet, can cause major hair loss. "Master hairdressers," Gerbstadt says, "know without being told when their clients are dieting -- just from the changes in the hair."
"Women on a very strict calorie-deprived diet will lose weight very quickly. But it's hard to ensure they get the nutrients they need," McMichael says. Weight loss can also stress the body, which also contributes to hair loss. "Even if you lose weight very slowly on a doctor-approved program, you can still have associated hair loss."
It's common to shed hair after losing15 pounds or more. Be patient. If you're healthy, your hair will come back after weight stabilizes, McMichael says.
Link to same article above:
http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-health-11/eat-hair-type
FWIW. YMMV.
Wow great read thanks!! I will talk to doc about adding vit. D to, I am sure I don't get enough because I can't get outside due to rash from sun from new meds I'm on. Ugh it's always somthing! I was getting anywhere from 50-60 g a day 60 being high but now I don't even know I am sure it's prob double that... I don't track to stricted anymore since almost goal.0 -
It was me who mentioned the reduced hair loss when lowcarbing. Apparently I was malnourished when eating a carb heavy diet of 1200 kcal/day. Weak nails too.
When I changed to higher fat and protein, I started having a bag of pork rinds a day. Sometimes even two. (oops, or four). 1 bag is 90 g here. Pork rinds is mainly collagen, which is rumored to be good for hair and joints.
For selenium I eat 1 brazil nut per day.
You can also try gelatin powder for the hair and nails.
Re varied diet. I'm guessing that when people diet hard, a variety of nutrients is one of the first offerings. So it may be that the deficit in itself is not the culprit, but rather the monotonous micronutrients. There's no problem to hit everything you need within a 1200 kcal. But it takes time and planning. I'm all for eating nutrient dense food as a general rule.
But we're human and can't be perfect all the time. Scrutiny your habits, but allow flexible exceptions
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Bone broth! Collagen, protein, minerals. All good stuff for a healthy body. 3
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Are you sure it's not just seasonal hair loss? It's apparently a thing, due to variances in the hair growth cycle at certain times of the year.
I tend to shed every September/October like clockwork. And freak out every year that *this time* I am actually going bald. Other people do get it in the spring though!0 -
Yeah I'm 1000 % sure it's not seasonal I have to thin my hair every 6 weeks with my hair cut because my hair is so thick. I wouldn't dare thin my hair right now lol. I can see scalp about 1-2 in in to hair line. I've never had hair in my shower drain and now in cleaning hair out all the time! I have heard a lot of people who loose weight quickly this happens to so I am sure it's weight loss.1
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Foamroller wrote: »For selenium I eat 1 brazil nut per day.
Well, look at that....I love it when I learn something new! I love brazil nuts and I've been trying to figure out a good source of selenium (obviously not trying very hard on my part) to help my nails with strength issues! LOL
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Foamroller wrote: »For selenium I eat 1 brazil nut per day.
Well, look at that....I love it when I learn something new! I love brazil nuts and I've been trying to figure out a good source of selenium (obviously not trying very hard on my part) to help my nails with strength issues! LOL
Actually, I've upped the brazil nuts to 2/day lately, cause my ex gave me a huge bag as a bribe. I didn't think of it before you said nails and strength. Mine have indeed become much stronger past weeks. The RDA is covered by 1 nut. So YMMV.0 -
Foamroller wrote: »Foamroller wrote: »For selenium I eat 1 brazil nut per day.
Well, look at that....I love it when I learn something new! I love brazil nuts and I've been trying to figure out a good source of selenium (obviously not trying very hard on my part) to help my nails with strength issues! LOL
Actually, I've upped the brazil nuts to 2/day lately, cause my ex gave me a huge bag as a bribe. I didn't think of it before you said nails and strength. Mine have indeed become much stronger past weeks. The RDA is covered by 1 nut. So YMMV.
I do this, too. The brazil nut thing.
I'd rather get it from food than to buy another supplement. I'll run out of counter soon.
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I've always shed some hair but over the winter it started seriously thinning out. I was already on synthroid (thyroid med for hypothyroid) but when my dr rechecked my thyroid levels there was one level that was off and added another med, cytomel, and now I don't shed at all, and have a 3 inch undergrowth of new hair coming in. If nothing is helping you may want to have your thyroid checked as hair loss is a symptom of underactive thyroid.0
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baconslave wrote: »Foamroller wrote: »Foamroller wrote: »For selenium I eat 1 brazil nut per day.
Well, look at that....I love it when I learn something new! I love brazil nuts and I've been trying to figure out a good source of selenium (obviously not trying very hard on my part) to help my nails with strength issues! LOL
Actually, I've upped the brazil nuts to 2/day lately, cause my ex gave me a huge bag as a bribe. I didn't think of it before you said nails and strength. Mine have indeed become much stronger past weeks. The RDA is covered by 1 nut. So YMMV.
I do this, too. The brazil nut thing.
I'd rather get it from food than to buy another supplement. I'll run out of counter soon.
Be wary on these unless they're great quality nuts. Apparently any given nut can have 10%-250% of the recommended "USDA" average amount due to soil depletion and growing areas and climate and all that nonsense. So it make take more to get your "dose" or having many could have you overdosing...0 -
I've always shed some hair but over the winter it started seriously thinning out. I was already on synthroid (thyroid med for hypothyroid) but when my dr rechecked my thyroid levels there was one level that was off and added another med, cytomel, and now I don't shed at all, and have a 3 inch undergrowth of new hair coming in. If nothing is helping you may want to have your thyroid checked as hair loss is a symptom of underactive thyroid.
@darlswife May I ask what "level" it is that was off? I have been shedding like 10-20x the normal rate of loss for a while now. I just had my thyroid stuff tested, and I'd love to know what I can look for. I'm not in a hurry to add another medication, but I'd love to know so that I can focus that direction. Thanks in advance!0 -
I just checked my results. My GFR estimated was 49 which is considered low. My TSH and T3 were barely in normal range and I'd been taking .88 mcg of synthroid for close to a year. He added the cytomel and within weeks my hair stopped falling out. I haven't had bloodwork since then but now I literally have no shedding so I'm not complaining. I hope that info helps. Good luck!!!0
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http://youtu.be/3x55jNuCIbo
I posted this recently (a few minutes ago) on another topic. I really recommend looking into food grade diatomaceous earth. The stuff is amazing and helpful with so many things! For hair and nails, intestinal health, cleansing, skin, it's anti-aging, it's truly amazing.... I have definitely seen improvement in my hair which my hair dresser had told me a couple of months ago that my hair was thinning! I can't afford to lose hair! It's so much healthier. I really feel like the stuff is the all natural fountain of youth. Google it!0 -
I just want EVERYONE To know about it! Can you tell I'm excited? I bought a 10 (or 20!)pound bag on Amazon for 20 bucks. And you don't even want to get me started and what it does for pets and insect control.1
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I just checked my results. My GFR estimated was 49 which is considered low. My TSH and T3 were barely in normal range and I'd been taking .88 mcg of synthroid for close to a year. He added the cytomel and within weeks my hair stopped falling out. I haven't had bloodwork since then but now I literally have no shedding so I'm not complaining. I hope that info helps. Good luck!!!
Interesting. I had all the hallmark symptoms of low thyroid YEARS before it showed up in my tests results. And we tried Armour for a while, which did nothing at all. I learned after the fact that Armour doses must be finely tuned and often increased dramatically to achieve symptom results. I discontinued it. Later (a couple years), my TSH dropped dramatically by over half, and my doctor put me on synthroid this time, 75 mcg. I had my bloodwork improve but really didn't feel better with it, until I added an iodine/iodide supplement. But then, I got referred to a new endocrinologist. He tested my iodine levels, and they were crazy high, so he wanted me to step down to half pills, which I did, and it was still high, so we stepped down to half a pill every other day until I just got annoyed and stopped. My level there is now back into the highest part of the normal range, but my TSH spiked during this iodine stepdown, so he increased my dosage to 88 mcg, then 100 mcg. Within just a few days of increasing dosage, I could feel a definite difference.
Apparently gallbladder issues, or in my case, having had it removed, means that my body is really bad about converting T4 to the active T3. I didn't know that until recently. I also have a few of the symptoms of Hashi's, but the less common ones, which is totally on par with everything I've ever had/been diagnosed with. I never have ALL the symptoms, and I'm usually missing at least 1 of the biggest red flag symptoms, so I'm terrible to diagnose. I'm going to ask my next bloodwork panel to test for the antibodies that can confirm this. Just to ease my mind, more than anything.
But that also means that since cytomel is a T3 medication, I might end up there, too. I didn't realize that synthroid is a T4 only med until reading today. I knew it was only one, but didn't know which. So until I have more testing, I'm not going to panic or anthing...
So GFR was estimated at over 60, no number given, so I got a "pass" on that test, apparently. My TSH was still out of range for my age, and my understanding is that my T4 and T3 were disproportionate to each other in connection to the TSH...or something...
Ugh, I hate that this is so complicated, and I hate that so much is related to gut. What's the worst, though, IMO, is that the thyroid antibodies can be in your body, doing damage to your thyroid and all for 10-12 years before the results show in your TSH! Good luck on your continued improvements, @darlswife.1 -
I actually don't have a gallbladder either. Who knew that could make a difference.
I had symptoms way before my numbers showed issued too. The body is very mysterious.
Sigh1
This discussion has been closed.