Nutrition has significant effects on hair growth. Hair loss can occur quickly in individuals who are protein-deficient after an intense diet. We observe that male-pattern baldness, which used to occur mostly in middle age, can now start as early as 18-20 years old. Research is ongoing, but it is debated that our dietary habits may also have an impact.
Low-calorie diets can lead to sudden hair loss (telogen effluvium) and male pattern baldness.
Consuming fish that are rich in mercury can also increase hair loss and alopecia areata
Male pattern baldness: Research has shown that Western-style diets (containing fast food and processed foods and short-chain fatty acids) are low in fiber and can alter the natural protective microbiota layer and bacterial production in our intestines, leading to inflammation. It is believed that the disruption of this microbiota could also have a negative effect on hair growth.
Processed and packaged foods contain harmful chemicals such as chemical preservatives, phthalates, and bisphenol. Phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA) are known as endocrine disruptors widely used in the production of various consumer products in industry, and they have a negative effect on the hormonal system. These chemical substances are used to provide flexibility in food packaging, materials in contact with food, cosmetics, toys, bags, shoes, drugs, medical supplies, and construction materials. Phthalates can mix with food especially when plastic is heated or exposed to sunlight. They can cause various disorders ranging from obesity, early puberty in children, infertility in men, and cancer. Therefore, it is recommended that people with hair loss avoid consuming packaged and processed foods as much as possible and not eat with plastic products.
More research is needed to explain the relationship between hair loss and diet.
