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Experiencing hair loss, especially when it seems to come out of nowhere, can be downright frightening. You may not be sure of the root cause of your hair shedding, but there’s one thing you do know: you’ll do whatever it takes to get it under control. Before you turn to Amazon or your local pharmacy and start buying up one expensive serum after another, some experts say the first place to look to is your diet. There are nutrients you could be missing in your diet — and ingredients that may be making a negative impact on your hair. This is the one food many experts say you should stay away from because it could make hair loss much worse.
There isn’t one simple food you should stay away from to reduce hair loss, but rather an ingredient in several foods that could be contributing to inflammation that contributes to hair shedding. The culprit? Sugar.
“The negative health effects of sugar and refined carbohydrates are well known to the general public, but the impact foods of this nature have on hair loss is not often communicated,” says Trista Best, a Registered Dietitian at Balance One Supplements, Environmental Health Specialist, and Adjunct Nutrition Professor. “These foods include items like breads, baked goods, pastries, processed convenience foods, and even some health foods. These foods can interfere with the body's natural mechanisms to reduce and prevent stress. If stress is the cause of your hair loss then these foods will exacerbate the problem.”
According to Best, sugar interferes with blood circulation and when these circulation issues reach the hair follicles hair loss can ensue. “Sugar and foods containing added sugars can cause the scalp to become inflamed, which can also lead to hair damage and loss,” Best says. “To avoid unwanted hair loss it is best to focus on whole foods that are rich in nutrients rather than carbohydrates and sugar.”
Naturally, you may be wondering: if there are foods that have a negative impact on hair follicles, surely there are foods that have the opposite, positive effect? But while Mindbody Nutrition Specialist Mckenzie Hathaway notes that a recent study on the loss of hair focuses on adrenal fatigue and a sluggish liver, she says at this time she is not aware of any foods that have scientific evidence that increases hair loss. “However, if anyone is allergic or sensitive to a type of food and consumes that food there will also be a neurological response to the body's inflammation- trying to adapt to the food that it is reactive to, in turn creating stress on the body, and stress on the adrenals,” Hathaway says.
Eat foods rich in iron.
When looking at hair loss, Hathaway says there may be many different factors at play. “As I mentioned adrenal fatigue and a sluggish liver play a major role, as do low iron levels,” Hathaway says. “I would recommend increasing one's intake of iron heavy foods such as legumes and nuts. In addition to adding in those foods focus on Ashwagandha, a powerful herb that you can purchase in tea, tincture, or capsule form helps the growth of DHEA. DHEA or Dehydroepiandrosterone is an important and naturally created hormone in our bodies that helps produce healthy hair growth as it rids free radicals from hair follicles.”
