So you have gained some weight that you would instead not be carrying around. Fear not for we have all been there. There are so many diets out there people often don’t know which one to choose. And once they have chosen one, there’s always a better one just around the corner. The keto diet is one of the most popular diets on the planet. This blog discusses the link between the keto diet and hair loss.
If you are considering the keto diet to shift some excess pounds, then read the rest of the article to find out if you should worry about losing your hair too. Hair loss is a serious concern, and if you feel you’re suffering from hair loss, keto diet or not, you should seek some help.
The Keto Diet In Brief
To call keto a diet is somehow not doing enough justice to it. Keto is more of a lifestyle and if followed correctly and to the letter, delivers more weight loss in comparison to other diets. Why lifestyle? Because keto shouldn’t be something, you start and stop once you achieve a given weight. It should be ongoing so that you maintain the ideal weight you have decided for yourself.
So what is the keto diet? It is an eating regime that restricts carbohydrates while increasing the intake of healthy fats and moderate protein. The goal is to put the body into ketosis, a state where the defacto source of energy switches from carbohydrate to fats. In essence, the keto way of eating turns your body into a fat-burning furnace. So what’s this got to do with hair?
Well, quite a bit to be fair. Dietary protein supports the growth of healthy hair, together with other micronutrients which are part of a varied diet. When it comes to keto, you restrict carbohydrate intake while increasing protein and fat consumption. The result may well be that your protein intake isn’t enough to support daily body functions as well as hair growth, and this is when the problem begins.
A Little About Hair Structure And Growth
Hair is composed of 95 per cent keratin which requires protein for its synthesis. About eighteen different amino acids, including proline, threonine, leucine and arginine, are found in hair. Adequate dietary protein is essential for the formation of keratin and consequently, hair growth. The scalp also requires a variety of oils and nutrients for its nourishment. A healthy scalp is excellent news for hair follicles because this is where they grow. A varied diet which supplies all the nutrients your scalp and hair need to become healthy is, therefore, vital.
Since keto is a diet which encourages eating a lot of protein, this should be enough to cover the needs for your hair too, right? In short, the answer is yes, because of the high protein intake, all things being equal, you should be covered in that department. However, the diet is quite calorie-restrictive in some cases, causing the body to shut down other non-essential processes. Despite what you may think, when it comes to matters of life and death, growing hair is low down the pecking order, unfortunately.
I’m On Keto And My Hair Is Thinning
Hair shedding occurs everyday keto or no keto diet. If you’re experiencing excessive shedding then perhaps the first thing you should do is consult a dermatologist. As much as you may want to put down your diet as the cause of hair loss, receiving a diagnosis will do two things:
- It will put your mind at ease, knowing the underlying cause of hair loss.
- You will treat the actual cause instead of wasting time tweaking your diet when it may not be the reason why your hair is thinning.
Once the verdict is in your dermatologist may recommend using OTC or prescription medication to slow down hair loss or regrow your hair.
If it’s diet-related, recommendations may include increasing protein intake. If the situation is terrible, your doctor may suggest you come off the diet until you have your hair problem under control.
How Can I Improve My Chances Of Losing Weight and Keeping My Hair On Keto?
If you experience an increase in hair shedding post starting the keto diet, you are probably missing critical nutrients in your diet. Instead of coming off the diet and failing to achieve your weight goals, there’s another option. Supplements.
Taking a multivitamin supplement or the so-called hair supplements which are rich in zinc, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C. Typical shedding on the keto diet may only last a short time, and taking supplements may restore your hair to health.
Also, ensuring you get at least 15 per cent of your calories from high-quality protein sources will help with maintaining a healthy head of hair.
Although the keto diet may be ideal for some people and help to lose weight, the risk of losing hair at the same time may be too much to bear for others. Furthermore, slow to moderate weight loss is preferable and will ensure you don’t suffer from rapid weight loss induced hair loss. Aim for under two pounds of weight loss per week because anything over this may accelerate hair loss.
Getting Professional Help With Hair Loss
The bottom line is: the keto diet may excel at helping you lose weight, but if done incorrectly, it may have unwanted side effects. Not only that, there is proof that rapid weight loss may result in hair loss too. In any case, it is advisable to seek professional help if you start experiencing hair sudden hair loss. If you have recently started a diet restricting your calories, this may well be the reason, but you can never be sure. Vinci Hair Clinics all over the world offer hair loss consultations to help determine the reason behind hair loss. They can then help by providing the best treatment suitable for your situation. Get in touch today and start your journey to healthy hair.
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