I'm losing my hair!

[f1jim]

Interesting observation Alamunsi about calories. One of the side effects of starvation can be hair loss! If it still falls out after upping your calories I'd look for some other cause. I bet the reasons for hair loss in humans are nearly unlimited. It doesn't seem to be a common occurrence here on the boards.
f1jim

[nosoyyo]

I'm having the same problem. I went plant-based WF almost two years ago and lost 30 pounds in 5 weeks (was eating at least 1200 calories though) and several months later noticed a huge amount of hair loss. I stayed plant-based but slowly became a junk food vegan and maintained my weight loss but didn't lose more and hair loss stopped after around 6 months. Then this year I went back to a whole foods diet and have been slowly losing weight and hair loss has returned. I'm definitely freaked out, I feel like its nearly 50% of my hair.

Excessive hair loss is called Telogen effluvium, and according to this link, going vegan can cause the same reactions as a "crash diet." Luckily it should be reversible?

http://www.vegsource.com/articles/harris_hair_loss.htm

There are some deficiencies including vit. D (which I have) and, according to above link, zinc, that can cause/contribute to hair loss.

[jonesiesgirl]

Hair loss can be a sign of allergies. See: http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_allergic.html If you really are having allergy issues it seems unlikely that thinning hair would be the only symptom. But it's something to keep in mind in case eating more food doesn't help.

[Alamunsi]

It's been 4 days since I posted my question in the forum, and you all gave me some things to consider. -And now it's time for a hesitant (and maybe premature) update.

So, I've researched the whole flaxseed/omega-3 thing a little bit more, and I've found out that:
1: I should eat more
2: They should preferably be ground
3: I should avoid cooking them

Also, like I said, I found out that I was not getting enough calories, only around 800-1000/day.

For the past 3-4 days I've eaten about 1400-1700 calories, and logged everything I've eaten with cron-o-meter, just to keep track.

Also, I've started my mornings with 1 tbs of ground flaxseeds in a glass of water.

The result - and I'm a little hesitant to say - is no more hair loss!

I can't really believe it yet, just because it was so bad before, and it's been going on for several months. - Could it really be that I somehow reversed this in less than a week?!

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that, from now on, my hair will stay attached to my head

Thank you everybody so much!

[tangoviv]

wow please come back in a few days and let us know
I am very interested since I am not loosing any yet but since I have had that experince before I would like to know if it starts that I have a route to follow

[nosoyyo]

It's been 4 days since I posted my question in the forum, and you all gave me some things to consider. -And now it's time for a hesitant (and maybe premature) update.

So, I've researched the whole flaxseed/omega-3 thing a little bit more, and I've found out that:
1: I should eat more
2: They should preferably be ground
3: I should avoid cooking them

Also, like I said, I found out that I was not getting enough calories, only around 800-1000/day.

For the past 3-4 days I've eaten about 1400-1700 calories, and logged everything I've eaten with cron-o-meter, just to keep track.

Also, I've started my mornings with 1 tbs of ground flaxseeds in a glass of water.

The result - and I'm a little hesitant to say - is no more hair loss!

I can't really believe it yet, just because it was so bad before, and it's been going on for several months. - Could it really be that I somehow reversed this in less than a week?!

I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that, from now on, my hair will stay attached to my head

Thank you everybody so much!

That is incredible if it keeps up! From your research is it only the omega-3's in the flaxseed that is the benefit? I ask because I prefer chia to flax (I know Jeff recommends flax but flax bothers my stomach, chia doesn't need to be ground or refrigerated, and chia has more fiber and minerals), but if it's also the lignans or something else in flax, maybe I should switch or use both.

[zoey55]

Alamunsi, how is your hair situation? I had posted earlier I was having similar problem and have had bloodwork to check my Thyroid, Vitamin D and B-12. My thyroid was fine but Vitamin D was deficient (14) where it is supposed to be 30-100 for the range. I have subsequently seen articles about Vitamin D deficiency and hairloss and another poster on this thread mentioned it as well.

Anyway, I am embarking on a Vitamin D regimen and also getting my B-12 back in order. I've only been Vegan for 1.5 yrs so thought I would be safe but evidently not.

I am REALLY REALLY hoping to see improvement in the hair shedding in the upcoming weeks, I will let you know if I do but also very curious to hear how things are going for you.

[Conz]

go see a hair specialist!

[tangoviv]

Interesting observation Alamunsi about calories. One of the side effects of starvation can be hair loss! If it still falls out after upping your calories I'd look for some other cause. I bet the reasons for hair loss in humans are nearly unlimited. It doesn't seem to be a common occurrence here on the boards.
f1jim

you know when i was doing the 6 weeks body make over I lost a lot of hair and the nutritionist kept telling me that I was not eating enough and I needed to add a little bit more fat to my diet..now after 6 weeks of being in a plant based program my hair has not fallen and I am constantly getting compliments about it, I think it is even getting thicker or fluffier or something..so it might be the calories after all and not the fat amount

[Alamunsi]

Update:

So, last time I checked in, I was feeling really hopeful, because it seemed like my hairloss was lessening.
Unfortunately, after a few weeks, it came back...

So I went to the doctor, who took some blood tests, mostly because she thought my iron levels were too low. Turns out my iron level, and various other mineral/vitamin levels were fine, I was however quite deficient in vitamin D.
I live in Denmark, and getting enough D-vitamin from sun exposure this time of year is next to imposible, so I agreed to a supplement even though I know what Dr. Mcdougall has to say about that.
Danish people in general consume a lot of dairy and when she heard that I've cut that out as well, she also recommended that I take a calcium supplement. I've chosen not to follow that advice, simply because she didn't check my calcium level, and because, honestly, I think her prejudice against a vegan diet is behind that recommendation.

My boyfriend has recently noticed that his hair is falling out as well (it takes longer to notice when you're blond and have short hair), so I'm pretty sure it must be diet related. Also I think that this means that the thyroid issue can be ruled out, as well as the connection to rapid weight loss (he's really slim and has only lost about 4 kg during the last 8 months).

I don't know what to do.... I'm just not sure what we're doing wrong...

My doctor said to come back in a couple of months if it hasn't stopped, I'm not sure if she's gonna be able to help with any diet related issues... - I don't want to go back to eating meat and dairy...

Any help at all? - I'm a little lost...

[soul food]

Several people have mentioned the lack of vit D as a factor and you said you are deficient. So I googled it.


Vitamin D – A Gene-Regulating Super Nutrient
Thursday, November 06, 2008
By: Byron J. Richards, Board Certified Clinical NutritionistPrint E-mail
http://www.wellnessresources.com/tips/a ... _nutrient/

One of the main functions of vitamin D is telling your genes what to do. Many of these functions relate to cell growth and division. For example, adequate vitamin D is crucial to the healthy growth of your skin and hair. In fact, a lack of vitamin D can result in an autoimmune reaction that makes your hair fall out or in disruptions to consistent skin pigmentation.

just as a side note that is interesting...having to do with northern latitudes...

The further you live from the equator the higher your risk for getting type I diabetes23. If you live in Finland your risk goes up 400 fold. How vitamin D protects the beta cells of your pancreas is not known, but it likely dampens inflammatory immune signals and boosts antioxidant protection – as it has been shown to do in other areas of your body.

soul food

[Alamunsi]

Hi Soul Food,

Your post makes me hopeful. I'll take my vitamin d supplement and hope for the best

[jonesiesgirl]

The further you live from the equator the higher your risk for getting type I diabetes23. If you live in Finland your risk goes up 400 fold. How vitamin D protects the beta cells of your pancreas is not known, but it likely dampens inflammatory immune signals and boosts antioxidant protection – as it has been shown to do in other areas of your body.

I agree that low vitamin D levels may be a concern, but my understanding is that type 1 diabetes is often caused by dairy consumption. Northern Europeans are the only ethnic group in which most people can digest dairy, so their high rates of type 1 diabetes are as a result of consuming the milk of other species.

Here is a link from Dr. McDougall about diabetes: http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_hot_diabetes.html

[zoey55]

Alamunsi - how low was your Vitamin D? Mine was 14!

The regimen for 'correcting' my Vitamin D is kind of intense, I was advised to take 50,000 IU per week! The biggest I could find was 5000 so I am doing 10 a week. This is supposed to be for 6-8 wks. Then, going to 2000 IU daily.

I've been doing for almost 2 wks now. I think I'm seeing some slow improvement in hair shedding.

Did you have B-12 checked? Mine was low as well.

[petalpusher]

Here is my experience:

I started losing my hair shortly before starting this WOE. I saw a family doctor, rheumatologist,and dermatologist. After testing they chalked it up to being an aging female and said it would come and go. The only thing that went was my hair. It was crazy...I was clogging drains and pulling out what seemed like handfuls. Luckily, I had a lot of hair...but I have probably lost over a third of it.

Finally, my family doctor suggested testing for Vitamin D and I was very low (13). The only med I was taking was a small dose of clonidine for BP.

My Plan: Take the prescribed 50,000 units of Vitamin D (a prescription); change BP meds and take some Vitamin B (mainly folic acid). I also continued to take about 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed in my oatmeal daily.

This may be controversial given this program's stance on supplementation but hair loss can cause desperation and in the larger scheme of things I didn't feel this plan was that crazy.

Results: Within one month my hair stopped falling out and has returned to better condition (it has been a total of 4 months now). I cannot tell if it is getting thicker but it is growing fast. I am still on the Vitamin D as it slowly goes up the scale. I am smiling again.