Thinning hair, anyone?

history_grrrl · September 2023

I normally have very thick hair or, at least, a lot of it. Once or twice in the past I've noticed a thinning problem; the last time, it was probably related to a major medical event and medication. Also, I'm in my early 60s and post-menopausal, so hair changes are not unusual.

But I've been tracking food regularly for the past two months or so, and my hair seems noticeably thinner. I've read some old MFP threads about this and gone back into my diary to see if there's a big protein deficit or other patterns. I'm not seeing any major red flags, though I do want to up my protein intake - and I'm not getting as much in the way of leafy greens or fruit lately as I should.

I do wonder if I'm just not eating enough: I'm about 5'6" and started at about 183-ish, and am now around 175 on 1200 calories a day. I started out eating back exercise calories but am doing less of that now. I am eating mindfully and not letting myself stay hungry.

Does anyone have thoughts about this? If it helps, my diary is open (there are a few days in there when I had visitors and didn't track exercise or all food). Or I'm happy to hear anyone share their own experience with or knowledge about this. Thanks!

mariabella2021 · September 2023

I always had thick hair and I noticed a thinning issue. Turns out I had hypothyroid. It seems to be a pretty common health issue. Thinning hair is one of the top symptoms. Have your doctor do the blood test to see if you have it. I also used a hair thickening shampoo & conditioner to help. My hair is no longer falling out with the proper meds.

Winning4EJ · September 2023

Hi. I was thinking having blood work done as well, could possibly be hormone related.

Best of wishes in resolving things

history_grrrl · September 2023

Thanks to both of you! I did get bloodwork the last time this came up and nothing unusual appeared, but some things have changed since then - and I'm actually going for bloodwork this week so maybe I can get my GP to add that in.

By the way, I meant to add that I don't take Biotin supplements (though it was recommended last time by a hair stylist), because I have cardiac issues and it can alter bloodwork results. So that's something to watch for.

kshama2001 · September 2023

history_grrrl wrote: »

Thanks to both of you! I did get bloodwork the last time this came up and nothing unusual appeared, but some things have changed since then - and I'm actually going for bloodwork this week so maybe I can get my GP to add that in.

By the way, I meant to add that I don't take Biotin supplements (though it was recommended last time by a hair stylist), because I have cardiac issues and it can alter bloodwork results. So that's something to watch for.

Have them check your iron levels. During my struggle with anemia, I had thinning hair. I did take biotin, and it didn't stop me from excessive shedding.

If you're undereating, and especially not eating much heme iron foods, you could be low on iron. But don't just take a supplement without getting your iron levels checked - too much iron has its own set of problems.

There are many forms of iron. Digestive issues are common with iron supplements, but I never experienced this with iron bisglycinate, which is available on Amazon.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/iron/

csplatt · September 2023

I shed a lot of hair when I lose weight. My dermatologist told me it’s normal as long as I am not vastly under eating. She said the body feels stressed by weight loss and this is one result. It stops when I return to maintenance. Sometimes it doesn’t start shedding until several months into a cut.

Lietchi · September 2023

1200 calories is pretty low. How fast is your weight loss?

psuLemon · September 2023

Also something to consider, how much protein are you eating? Low protein can impact hair loss

cmriverside · September 2023

psuLemon wrote: »

Also something to consider, how much protein are you eating? Low protein can impact hair loss

Well, there's no way she's getting much at 1200, she even mentioned thinking that.

@history_grrrl I lost a lot of hair about three months in to a 1200 calorie plan. It took a long time to recover that hair. Years. 1200 is way too low. I lost the majority of my weight - from 185 pounds down to 140, Female, mid 50s, 5'7", 80 pounds lost total - at 1500 PLUS exercise calories. Most days that meant that with my one hour walk and sometimes a dance class I was eating 1800-2000 calories.

AnnPT77 · September 2023

cmriverside wrote: »

psuLemon wrote: »

Also something to consider, how much protein are you eating? Low protein can impact hair loss

Well, there's no way she's getting much at 1200, she even mentioned thinking that.

@history_grrrl I lost a lot of hair about three months in to a 1200 calorie plan. It took a long time to recover that hair. Years. 1200 is way too low. I lost the majority of my weight - from 185 pounds down to 140, Female, mid 50s, 5'7", 80 pounds lost total - at 1500 PLUS exercise calories. Most days that meant that with my one hour walk and sometimes a dance class I was eating 1800-2000 calories.

Endorsed. Similar story, all the way down the line.

I was 5'5", 183 to start, around 130 now. 1200 (plus all exercise!) was way too low: Got weak, fatigued, probably some hair thinning, too. Most of my loss was at 1400-1600 plus all exercise, so 1600-2000+ most days. That was at age 59-60, I'm 67 now.

There's no getting truly good nutrition if calories are too low. Weight loss rate tells the story about actual deficit, but at 183 I wouldn't be looking for more than 1.5 pounds/week loss, and 1 pound might be better.

I don't know about you, but I find that technically I can do anything I could when younger . . . but there are bigger/sooner/longer consequences if I overdo or overstress my body. I'm a little less resilient, don't bounce back as effortlessly from that sort of thing. For me, that puts a premium on avoiding major stressors, whether a big calorie deficit, exercise disproportionate to my current fitness level, under-nutrition, inadequate sleep, etc. Combinations of those things can be a bit of a train wreck. Not everything is controllable, but many of the things I just listed are.

Best wishes for continuing progress (and thick hair!).

history_grrrl · September 2023

Lietchi wrote: »

1200 calories is pretty low. How fast is your weight loss?

My loss has been fairly slow, I would say. I've been staying regularly in a calorie deficit for about two months, sometimes eating back exercise calories, sometimes not, and I seem to have lost about 7 pounds. So, nothing too drastic. I'm definitely feeling better, and clothes are fitting better. Face is thinner, so the double chin is going away. I definitely need more sleep, as I am a night owl and end up crashing for a nap in mid- or late afternoon.

My height-weight ratio is a bit off because of my connective tissue disorder and scoliosis. Until a few years ago, I was almost 5'8". Now I measure at below 5'6 or lower but still have long limbs - so more weight is not as noticeable as it might be on a truly shorter person.

@cmriverside and @AnnPT77, I appreciate your input and will do my best to take it to heart. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed by how many changes - food, exercise, sleep, self-love, etc., etc. - need to happen at once (or at least it seems that way), and I do tend to "force" myself into some rigid patterns, in hopes of making a sharp break from old habits, that might not be sustainable long-term.

ETA: I couldn't reach my GP's office before going for bloodwork but will follow up to see if he can order another test for iron, thyroid, and whatever else he thinks might be relevant.

AnnPT77 · September 2023

history_grrrl wrote: »

Lietchi wrote: »

1200 calories is pretty low. How fast is your weight loss?

My loss has been fairly slow, I would say. I've been staying regularly in a calorie deficit for about two months, sometimes eating back exercise calories, sometimes not, and I seem to have lost about 7 pounds. So, nothing too drastic. I'm definitely feeling better, and clothes are fitting better. Face is thinner, so the double chin is going away. I definitely need more sleep, as I am a night owl and end up crashing for a nap in mid- or late afternoon.

My height-weight ratio is a bit off because of my connective tissue disorder and scoliosis. Until a few years ago, I was almost 5'8". Now I measure at below 5'6 or lower but still have long limbs - so more weight is not as noticeable as it might be on a truly shorter person.

@cmriverside and @AnnPT77, I appreciate your input and will do my best to take it to heart. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed by how many changes - food, exercise, sleep, self-love, etc., etc. - need to happen at once (or at least it seems that way), and I do tend to "force" myself into some rigid patterns, in hopes of making a sharp break from old habits, that might not be sustainable long-term.

ETA: I couldn't reach my GP's office before going for bloodwork but will follow up to see if he can order another test for iron, thyroid, and whatever else he thinks might be relevant.

Just because all of those factors interact doesn't mean you need to change them all at once.

But IMO there is - sort of - a tradeoff between faster (which is often less doable/sustainable long term) and patience/persistence (which is absolutely required if not going fast). Well, actually, patience/persistence is still required when going fast . . . but there's maybe more of a motivational feedback from the "fast" that moderates the difficulty of patience/persistence?

Personally, I'm not good about changing lots of habits all at once. I do better if I focus on one dimension at a time, usually.

royekd · September 2023

Did you contract COVID recently? It can cause accelerated hair shedding for several months, but it is usually not a permanent hair loss

kshama2001 · September 2023

I really thought I was going to have hair loss after my hysterectomy, which was not the easy kind. I had a 13" incision. But nope, no hair loss and now that I am no longer anemic, I'm keeping my hair

history_grrrl · September 2023

@kshama2001 That sounds like quite an ordeal; hope you have recovered well.

@royekd Good question, but luckily I haven’t had COVID since the summer of 2022; and it was pretty mild after the first few days.

Well, I have a new shot at bloodwork, since mine showed some sort of kidney problem and my GP wants to test me again in a few weeks, after having me drink 2-3 litres of water a day. So I’ve asked if he can add in the other stuff suggested here.

kshama2001 · September 2023

history_grrrl wrote: »

@kshama2001 That sounds like quite an ordeal; hope you have recovered well.

@royekd Good question, but luckily I haven’t had COVID since the summer of 2022; and it was pretty mild after the first few days.

Well, I have a new shot at bloodwork, since mine showed some sort of kidney problem and my GP wants to test me again in a few weeks, after having me drink 2-3 litres of water a day. So I’ve asked if he can add in the other stuff suggested here.

My partner has had an issue with kidney stones off and on for the last few years. Last year, he had surgery. He had his one year follow up this week. His doctor told him, "Keep doing what you're doing."

I said, "WHAT?!? You smoke, eat fast food and drink Coke."

I told him that I am very frustrated because for 10 years I've been waiting for him to have health consequences from his smoking so I can get on his case and it keeps not happening.

Thinning hair, anyone?

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