Connection Between Aspartame And Hair Loss
Connection Between Aspartame and Hair Loss : Researchers are finding that many environmental toxins are linked to hair loss. Aspartame is a popular sweetener included in many food products. Yet it is known to have many detrimental consequences on the body. And there seems to be growing support for the association between Aspartame and sudden, unexplained loss of hair.
Connection Between Aspartame And Hair Loss : Avoid Hair Loss By Reducing Diet Drinks
If you are a fan of diet colas or shakes, you may want to consider reducing your intake or stopping your consumption of these beverages due to the aspartame content. Your motive for doing so should not only include hair loss, but other health risks as well.
Many people have become aware of the potential dangers of aspartame. The Wall Street Journal and other sources have reported that the sale of diet soda has dropped well below their regular counterparts. At the same time, many new low-calorie artificial sweeteners are being developed instead. However, no one knows for sure if these too carry negative health effects like Aspartame.
Again, break down products may entail adverse consequences to the hair follicles, which are very sensitive organs that often react to stress by going into a resting phase where hair stops growing. This is one way to help them conserve energy for recuperation purposes instead of manufacturing new hair shafts. Hair loss typically occurs about three months later.
Targeting external factors leading to hair loss may simply reduce the rate of shedding. This is likely to be an effect in those who are genetically predisposed to pattern baldness . Or it may offer a more permanent and complete solution in others.
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A Note On Alopecia Areata
This condition can result in total loss of hair from the head and sometimes loss of body hair also, although most sufferers develop a few isolated patches of hair loss, which may correct themselves without any treatment. Since the cause is unknown, treatment is hard. Talk to your GP if you are concerned about hair loss.
This article was last reviewed on 4 July 2019 by Kerry Torrens.
Kerry Torrens is a qualified Nutritionist with a post graduate diploma in Personalised Nutrition & Nutritional Therapy. She is a member of the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine and a member of the Guild of Food Writers. Over the last 15 years she has been a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including BBC Good Food.
Jo Lewin is a registered nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition with a specialism in public health. Follow her on Twitter .
All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website terms and conditions for more information.
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Fried Foods And Red Meat
An older study from 2010 suggested avoiding fried foods and red meat for hair health. The authors stated these foods could negatively affect hair health because they cause the overactivity of sebum and oil glands.
Studies exploring the effect of diet on hair loss are still in the early stages. However, a 2020 review suggested a form of hair loss called telogen effluvium may sometimes stem from a diet severely lacking in calories, protein, or certain micronutrients.
A 2016 study suggests eating a balanced diet, including sufficient amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals, is necessary for hair health and growth.
The following are some of the dietary recommendations:
- Protein: Proteins contain amino acids necessary for hair growth. Examples of protein sources include:
- cottage cheese
Why Glycemic Index Is Important
The glycemic index of foods measures how much a food will cause blood sugar levels to rise after being digested. Foods rich in highly processed carbohydrates have high glycemic indices, as do carb-rich junk foods. On the other hand, natural, plant-based and whole or unprocessed foods have low glycemic indices.
Processed cereals have a very high glycemic load because the natural fiber from the plant has been removed. Normally, the fiber would cause it to be digested and absorbed into our bodies more slowly.
With the removal of this natural fiber, the food sugars go straight into the bloodstream. This causes a huge spike in blood sugar levels.
In response, the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin. This hormone attaches to cells in our body, instructing them to absorb the sugar from the bloodstream and use it up as energy. Insulin also helps store sugar into the liver for future use, to be released when blood sugar levels drop too low.
In summary, insulin is essential to keep the levels of blood sugar under control.
When we live on a chronic diet of high glycemic load foods, our body often cannot cope with all this flood of sugar.
Our cells then develop resistance to the effects of insulin, and our blood sugar levels stay permanently elevated. Doctors call this insulin resistance .
There is also evidence linking insulin resistance to hair loss.
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How Losing Hair Is Connected To High Protein Diets
If youre eating a diet high in protein, you may have cut out or drastically limited your intake of foods like carbohydrates. When you deprive your body of certain foods, it can cause nutritional deficiencies that may lead to hair loss. If your body isnt getting all the nutrients it needs to function properly, neither is your hair.
Can A Vegetarian Or Vegan Diet Cause Hair Loss
If youve ever let people know that you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you may have received comments about potential issues such as hair loss.
Although some vegetarians and vegans may develop hair loss, its important to understand that hair loss isnt directly caused by a vegetarian or vegan diet.
When people talk about plant-based diets and hair loss, they generally arent talking about male pattern baldness — the common form of male hair loss that can cause you to develop a receding hairline or bald spot as you get older.
Instead, theyre referring to a form of temporary hair loss that may develop when your diet lacks essential vitamins, minerals and/or other nutrients.
Although not all vegetarians or vegans develop nutritional deficiencies, you may be more at risk of developing some nutritional deficiencies if you follow a plant-based diet, such as a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Several nutritional deficiencies may cause hair loss. These include:
In addition to the nutritional deficiencies listed above, hair shedding can also develop as a result of crash dieting. You might notice increased shedding and hair loss if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet to lose weight and reduce your calorie intake by a significant amount in the process.
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Hair Loss Prevention Tips
- Avoid diets that restrict calories too severely
- Add a variety of healthy proteins to your diet to help improve the production of amino acids needed to produce keratin
- Eat plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables
- Get adequate sleep
- Take a high-quality multivitamin that provides at least 100% of the recommended daily value needed to keep you healthy, vibrant and happy
While your hair loss may be related to nutritional deficiencies from being on a diet, its important to consult your doctor before taking supplements other than a multivitamin. Your medical history and a physical exam will help your doctor pinpoint whether genetic disorders, medical conditions or dietary practices are responsible for your hair loss.
Treat Your Hair Gently
As your hair grows back, it is important not to strain it too much. This means no rough combing, vigorous towel-drying, and no brushing when hair is wet or weak. For female patients, it is good to avoid skipping styles that pull like updos or tight ponytails. Over-styling and daily blowouts can also irritate your scalp as well.
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Other Causes Of Hair Loss
While a change in diet can lead to hair loss, there are many possible reasons for thinning hair. Genetic hair loss is the most common reason, but losing hair can also be caused by autoimmune conditions, hormonal fluctuations, thyroid disease, anemia, chronic stress and harsh styling practices. Other triggers include prescriptions such as blood thinners, birth control, steroids, antidepressants and weight loss drugs.
What Causes Hair Loss During Dieting
If youre just starting your weight loss journey, perhaps you have questions about unintentional side effects, such as hair loss. If youre already well into this journey, maybe youve already noticed some thinning of your hair. Either way, its important to learn the facts about the connection between weight loss and hair loss and rule out other potential causes.
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Does Your Diet Affect Your Hair
The answer to that question prompts a brief investigation into our biochemistry and anatomy. Hair strands are indeed lifeless. Yet the cells living within hair follicles are some of the fastest-growing cells in the human body, second to intestinal cells. And what do these hair cells depend on for optimal growth? If you guessed nourishment for foods to prevent hair loss, you are right. Yet any old form of nourishment wont do. See, hair isnt a living organism, which means it wont demand nourishment the way that vital organs and tissues do. When theres a nutritional deficit or poor diet, the bodys cellular response is to go into self-preservation mode. Instead of seeking out nutrients, it cuts off energy to specific functions to preserve energy for more essential functions like digestion and circulation. And whats one of the first functions on the chopping block? Hair growth.Simply put: a restricted diet thrusts your body into preservation mode to protect vital life functions and as a result, prohibits cells within the hair follicles from growing.
Can Diet Change Cause Hair Loss
Can diet change cause hair loss? Dramatically restricting your calorie intake means that you likely are not ingesting enough essential nutrients, like protein, fatty acids, and zinc. These deficiencies, especially if maintained over a period of time, can lead to a type of hair loss called telogen effluvium.
How do I stop my hair from breaking off? Everyone has experienced some form of hair breakage, whether its split ends, excessive shedding, or brittle strands that break off easily. Its important to note that some hair loss is completely normal. The average person actually loses 60-100 hairs a day. Any more than this however is highly unusual.
Is henna better for your hair than dye? One-hundred percent pure henna is technically safer than commercial hair dye. Theres also compound henna, which includes indigo, cloves or coffee to turn your hair a color other than red. This natural dye stains your hair and will fade very little, if any. Unlike chemical dye, henna is not damaging.
What are the side effects of henna hair dye? Henna seems to be safe for most adults when used on the skin or hair. It can cause some side effects such as inflammation of the skin including redness, itching, burning, swelling, scaling, broken skin, blisters, and scarring of the skin.
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Is There Anything I Can Do To Prevent Hair Loss On The Keto Diet
Some good news: You might be able to stave off keto-induced hair loss if youre intentional about your nutrient intake from the get-go.
Palinski-Wade recommends making sure youre consuming at least 15 percent of your total calories from protein each day to avoid becoming deficient. She also suggests avoiding other nutrient deficiencieswhich can also cause hair lossby taking a high-quality multivitamin.
Finally, even though one of the selling points of keto is that its weight-loss results are often crazy impressive, Palinski-Wade says that slow and steady is the way to go when it comes to avoiding some of the diets more unpleasant side effectsincluding hair loss. “Focus on slow to moderate weight loss versus a rapid weight loss of more than two pounds per week, which can accelerate hair loss,” she says.
The bottom line: While keto hair loss is possible, check in with your doctor to confirm a diagnosis before you panic or make any changes.
Sugary Cereals: Dessert For Breakfast
It is commonly said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Whether this is true or not is up for debate.
What is almost certain, however, is that eating highly processed, sugar-rich cereals is bad for our health. This includes our hair follicles.
These mass-produced, highly processed foods have very high glycemic indices that inevitably cause blood sugar spikes. Lets see exactly what this means and why it is so important.
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Fungal Infections Cause Loss Of Hair In Patches
In some cases, a scalp infection may be causing your loss of hair. Ringworm is a fungal infection that is especially common in children. Ringworm of the scalp, called tinea capitis, can cause your scalp to become scaly and your hair to fall out, usually in patches. This fungal infection is easily treated with anti-fungal medication, which will stop the loss of hair.
Consuming Foods Rich In Processed Sugar:
Processed sugar has many adverse effects on the body and deteriorating hair and nail quality is one of them. High sugar intake leads to an increase in blood glucose which means the body has to produce more insulin. This further leads to an increase in androgens, or male sex hormones, which can result in shrinking of the hair follicles and eventually lead to early baldness.
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Do Short Haired Cats Need Brushing
Cats need regular brushing to keep their coats looking tidy, especially if they have long fur. Brushing also helps remove dirt and tangles while spreading healthy oils throughout their coat, keeping their skin and fur healthy and getting rid of irritation. Cats with short hair only need to be brushed once weekly.
Trichotillomania Is An Impulse Control Disorder
Trichotillomania is a type of mental disorder known as an impulse control disorder, and is most commonly seen in teenagers, particularly teenage girls. In trichotillomania, people feel compelled to impulsively and repeatedly pull out their own hair, which can result in noticeable loss of hair. People with trichotillomania experience a constant urge to pull out the hair from their scalp, eyelashes, nose, eyebrows, and other areas of their bodies.
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