Does Whey Protein Trigger Hair Fall
Losing about 50-100 strands of hair daily is normal. Your hair goes through a cycle where you naturally lose a few strands and grows new strands to replace the lost ones. However, a problem occurs when you notice excessive hair fall or hair thinning and do not witness the growth of new hair stands on the scalp.
There may be several reasons for hair fall, and one of them could be the consumption of whey protein. You may have heard a million times that protein and vitamin supplements are good for hair growth. However, recent studies claim that modern dietary supplements or protein shakes could be a major reason for hair loss in people, especially in men.
What is whey protein?
Whey protein, found in dairy products, is an essential protein. It is contained in whey, the milky fluid that separates from the curd in the process of making cheese. Whey protein provides your body with substantial amounts of amino acids that help you function properly build muscle and gain strength.
Usually, athletes and people, who are into sports or bodybuilding, incorporate whey protein as a part of their exercise regime to improve muscle strength.
How does whey protein trigger hair fall?
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What You Should Do
McManus says that in certain cases, chemical-free protein powders may be helpfulbut only with medical supervision. Such cases could include
- difficulty eating or an impaired appetite
- a surgical incision or a pressure wound that is not healing well
- a serious condition requiring additional calories and protein in order for you to get better .
Otherwise, get protein from whole foods: nuts, seeds, low-fat dairy products , legumes , fish, poultry, eggs, and lean meat. “You’ll find,” McManus says, “that there are many ways to get protein without turning to a powder.”
What Is Protein Deficiency
Protein deficiency is when your intake is unable to meet your bodys requirements.
An estimated one billion people worldwide suffer from inadequate protein intake .
The problem is especially severe in Central Africa and South Asia, where up to 30% of children get too little protein from their diet .
Certain people in developed countries are also at risk. This includes people who follow an imbalanced diet, as well as institutionalized older people and hospitalized patients .
While true protein deficiency is uncommon in the Western world, some people get very low amounts from their diet.
Too little protein may cause changes in body composition that develop over a long period of time, such as muscle wasting.
The most severe form of protein deficiency is known as kwashiorkor. It most often occurs in children in developing countries where famine and imbalanced diets are common.
Protein deficiency can affect almost all aspects of body function. As a result, it is associated with many symptoms.
Some of these symptoms may start to occur even when protein deficiency is marginal. They are listed below, along with some typical symptoms of kwashiorkor.
Summary: Protein deficiency is when people do not get adequate amounts of protein from their diet. Kwashiorkor, its most severe form, is most commonly seen in children in developing countries.
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Amino Acids And Proteins
Protein malnutrition, such as in kwashiorkor and marasmus, can result in hair changes that include hair thinning and hair loss .
One study examined the role of L-lysine, an essential amino acid that may play a role in iron and zinc uptake. Addition of L-lysine to iron supplementation resulted in a significant increase in mean serum ferritin concentration in some women with chronic TE who failed to respond to iron supplementation alone . Although interesting, there is limited data available, and the role of L-lysine should be investigated further.
In terms of other amino acids and proteins, no clear conclusions may be drawn about the role of supplementation in hair loss. While trials of amino acid and protein supplements have been published, they are formulated with a variety of nutrients, and therefore it is unclear what role, if any, is played by amino acid and protein supplementation in the absence of known deficiency.
Growth Hormones Which Stop Growth
Elevated testosterone levels are of particular concern to men with a family history of hair loss because the hormone can exacerbate the thinning of their own hairline. Testosterone can be problematic for certain people because of the way their bodies handle the hormone.
For men with Androgenic Alopecia, or male pattern balding, testosterone is broken down by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. The resulting chemical is called Dihydrotestosterone which then inhibits the growth of new hair cells in the scalp. As time goes on, the lack of growth means that the man in question loses hair through normal shedding processes but which cannot then be replaced.
The protein shakes mentioned by Dr Martinick become a problem for men susceptible to Androgenic Alopecia because they promote the production of increased levels of testosterone. The more testosterone present in a balding mans blood, the more hormone is converted into the androgen DHT, which in turn affects more hair follicles than normal. Protein shakes do not themselves cause a receding hairline, but they can certainly accelerate the process for certain men.
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The Final Word On Whey Protein
Most people won’t have any issues with consuming protein supplements, whether they come in the form of whey protein powder, BCAAs or any other kinds of products designed to help improve protein intake. Whether your goal is fat loss, increasing muscle mass, or simply improving your overall health, protein dietary supplements can help.
However, if you are already dealing with male pattern baldness, alopecia, or hair loss from any other conditions, you may want to choose your supplements more carefully. Consider picking an alternative kind of protein like casein or pea, or think about trying other forms of supplements like creatine. Make sure you consult with a healthcare professional such as a registered dietitian, dermatologist or other doctor to get final approval on any new supplement you may be taking.
Greater Appetite And Calorie Intake
Although poor appetite is one of the symptoms of severe protein deficiency, the opposite seems to be true for milder forms of deficiency.
When your protein intake is inadequate, your body attempts to restore your protein status by increasing your appetite, encouraging you to find something to eat .
But a protein deficit doesnt aimlessly drive the urge to eat, at least not for everyone. It may selectively increase peoples appetite for savory foods, which tend to be high in protein .
While this may certainly help in times of food shortage, the problem is that modern society offers unlimited access to savory, high-calorie foods.
Many of these convenience foods contain some protein. However, the amount of protein in these foods is often considerably low compared to the number of calories they provide.
As a result, poor protein intake may lead to weight gain and obesity, an idea known as the protein leverage hypothesis (
36 ).
If you are feeling hungry all the time and have difficulties keeping your calorie intake in check, try adding some lean protein to every meal.
Summary: Low protein intake may increase appetite. While a greater appetite is beneficial in times of food shortage, it may promote weight gain and obesity when food is plentiful.
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Can Protein Drinks Affect Hair Loss
Protein shakes are very popular the shakes are most commonly drunk before, during or after working out. Our bodies need protein for growth and repair, protein helps the muscles to heal up after a workout, if your body does not get enough protein the muscles are unable to heal as quickly and this could lead to over training your muscles, leading to an injury.
Protein drinks are popular because they make getting a high amount of protein easy and quick immediately after working out. Solid food takes longer to digest and break down protein, which is why many people opt for protein drinks.
Protein drinks may be a quick and easy option for after a workout, but they do have some side effects and some believe that protein drinks affect hair loss.
Not all dietary supplements can cause problems for hair loss some additives that are found in protein drinks can affect the hormone balance of the person using them. Creatine and inorganic growth hormones which are added to some protein drinks can increase the levels of testosterone in the body.
The increased levels of testosterone caused by creatine and these inorganic growth hormones are then broken down by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase and converted into a chemical called dihydrotesterone . DHT is the chemical that causes hair loss, the hair follicles degrade and shorten the hair growth process. The hair follicles will shrink and eventually die, which results in hair not growing.
Further Important Facts About The Whey Protein
Whey is beneficial in many ways as it is used in the protein drinks. Some crucial facts about Whey protein includes
Minimizes the Muscle Fatigue: Whey possesses precursors that help to increase the water-soluble antioxidant glutathione level.
Immune System: The whey proteins consist of amino acids that improves and boosts the immune system.
Helps During Night: Taking Whey before going to bed increases exercise recovery and training efficiency.
It happens because muscles protein break down and increase of plasma amino acid helps in maintaining the protein balance of the whole body at night.
Helps to control Cholesterol: Well, yes, that is right. Whey protein helps to reduce the cholesterol level almost 7 % and a noticeable reduction in blood triglycerides by 15% approximately.
Reduces liver fat: Whey protein has been tested on women who were obese, and it was concluded that taking only 60g, and it helped them to reduce 21% of liver fat in just a month.
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Is Pea Protein Low Fodmap
Nuzest’s Clean Lean Protein is almost completely free from fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides and polyols, also known as FODMAPs. In plain language, these are carbohydrates that many people have a hard time digesting and absorbing. When left in the gut, these carbs interact with intestinal bacteria, producing excess gas which leads to stomach pain, constipation, and diarrhea.
Pea proteins lack of FODMAPs makes it a great choice for anyone following a low FODMAP diet. Nuzest pea protein doesnt contain the types of carbohydrates and sugar-alcoholssuch as disaccharides, fructans, monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polyolsthat are harder for many to digest. For those that are sensitive to FODMAPs, gas, cramping, pain and bloating are common reactions after ingesting from FODMAP-containing foods.
A complete protein, Nuzest contains up to 90 percent protein, thanks to our isolation process in which yellow peas are ground to a fine powder. Starch and fiberwhich contain FODMAPsare then removed, leaving a clean, sustainable protein source. Clean Lean Protein offers a low-allergen, complete protein, thats free not only from FODMAPs, but contains little to no lectins, phytic acid, saponins, trypsin inhibitors, or other anti-nutrients.
Protein Shake Claims To Reverse The Effects Of Hair Loss
Gym fanatics reacted in horror last year following claims protein drinks could accelerate hair loss in those susceptible to early balding
A controversial new £50 protein shake that promises to reverse hair loss is set to be sold in the UK for the very first time.
Gym fanatics reacted in horror last year following claims protein drinks could accelerate hair loss in those susceptible to early balding.
But now a new breed of whey shake , said to be packed with ingredients that stimulate, rather than hinder, the production of new hair, is set to hit Britain.
And leading hair transplant surgeon Dr Edward Ball, whos become the first to stock and endorse the Help Hair product, says theres compelling evidence to suggest it works.
Dr Ball, Medical Director of The Maitland Clinic, said: We are a nation of gym goers and protein shakes have experienced a real surge in popularity in recent years.
And following a number of recent scare stories, itll be reassuring for many that a product exists which allays some of those fears.
While, on the face of it, a drink that promotes hair growth sounds too good to be true. Its fair to say that there were those of us in the industry were sceptical when the shake was first announced.
Thats why I wanted to be the first in Britain to offer it to my customers.
But this new breed of protein shake works very differently.
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What Is The Best Time To Consume Whey Protein
The best time to consume protein for optimal muscle growth is a controversial topic. Fitness enthusiasts often recommend taking a protein supplement 1560 minutes after exercise. This time frame is known as the anabolic window and said to be the perfect time for getting the most out of nutrients like protein .
Types Of Whey Protein
Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Isolate and Whey Protein Hydrolysate are three major types of whey protein supplements.
- The cheapest of all three whey protein powders is Whey Protein Concentrate. It has about 58 to 89 percent of the lowest volume of protein
- With a minimum amount of lactose and fat, Whey Protein Isolate contains 95 percent of the protein.
- Whey Protein Hydrolysate is the most costly of all whey protein powders and has 99 percent protein. As it undergoes partial hydrolysis, it is called the “pre-digested” type of whey protein.
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Are Protein Shakes Responsible For Hair Loss
Protein supplements are mostly made using whey which is a food by-product extracted from milk. There are alternatives manufactured using plant-based protein supplements which is a popular choice for vegans and the more health conscious consumer.
As it stands there is no firm clinical evidence that confirms protein shakes are the cause of hair loss. But there is a correlation between hair loss and certain types of protein shakes. Typically they contain ingredients that can manage muscle, weight and dietary needs. These ingredients are DHEA, creatine and other prohormones.
Is Protein Powder Related To Hair Loss
So, lets begin with the most fundamental of all workout supplements: the protein shake. What exactly does a protein shake do? Ok, if you have the chocolate flavor, it can be used as a meal substitute, pre-gym snack, post-gym snack, and maybe even a midnight snack! There are several different protein powders available, and you can get them in almost any flavor and with almost any add-on you want. Want to feel more energized?
Is there a powder for it? Will you want to lose weight? Thats taken care of. Is it worth the risk to use these customizable protein powders if they can cause hair loss? Okay, first and foremost, too much protein does not cause hair loss, so the problem isnt with the protein in the powders, but with the add-ons. So, lets have a look at whats in protein shakes and see whats causing the problems. Lets take a closer look
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