Hair loss is a very complex issue for many men. Most of the time, the cause of alopecia is genetic, and there’s not much we can do about it other than slow it down or get a hair transplant once and for all. But if we can’t stop the inevitable hair loss, we can try to prevent it from getting worse by limiting external factors like stress or drinking too many sugary drinks .
A recent study by researchers at Tsinghua University, published in the Nutrients Journal in January 2023, mentions a worrying relationship between excessive consumption of sugary drinks and hair loss in men. A discovery that could well challenge many of our eating habits and relationship with sugar.
Why do sugary drinks promote hair loss?
Researchers at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, conducted a study of 1,028 men between the ages of 18 and 45. They analyzed their eating and lifestyle habits to identify factors potentially linked to baldness. The study revealed that young men who regularly consumed sugary drinks were more likely to experience hair loss. A correlation was observed between high consumption of these sugary drinks and early signs of alopecia, although it is not yet possible to conclude whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship.
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According to the study’s authors, it’s normal to lose about 50 to 100 hairs a day, but the sugars in these drinks increase insulin levels and inflammation in the body, two factors that can negatively affect hair health. Excess sugar also disrupts the natural growth and resting cycles of hair follicles. Sugar causes spikes in glucose and insulin in the blood, which weakens hair follicles and shortens their growth phase. The result is hair that falls out faster and grows back weakly.
While there are some shampoos, oils, pills, scalp massages, and other natural hair growth remedies , such as aloe vera and green tea, that you can use to counteract hair loss , it’s best to do everything you can to stop hair loss if it’s something you’re insecure about.
Forget sugar to stop hair loss?
Given these findings, the question arises: can we overcome baldness by changing our diet? In light of this study, eliminating or reducing sugar from our diet is a good strategy to adopt. By eating a more balanced diet with anti-inflammatory foods rich in vitamins and minerals, and increasing the amount of protein and iron we consume, we might expect to reduce hair loss and even stimulate hair growth.
Although genetics and hormones remain the main causes of hair loss, in recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the impact of external factors, particularly diet. Poor eating habits, such as excessive sugar or fat consumption, clearly contribute to worsening baldness. Other important contemporary factors, such as stress, pollution, and sleep quality, have also been linked to accelerated hair loss.
So be very careful in your daily life and try to change your habits and routine as soon as possible because hair loss , or at least the rate at which it occurs, is not entirely inevitable. And, although some treatments with nanoxidil or minoxidil can help and be a great ally in this hair loss process , it is still a very complicated event, not only for men but for human beings in general.