Higher Metabolism = Hair Loss

TNT

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I've noticed that any time I rev up my metabolism, I get major hair loss. Any idea why this happens? Last year, after many years of low carbing, I switched to a high carb diet (most carbs through fruit). I feel tons better, and I'm delighted that I can eat way more calories without gaining weight, plus I sleep better, can put on more muscle, etc. But the hair loss is killing me. I'm a single woman, and my hair was my identity and pride. I thought maybe it was candida from the carbs, but I've noticed that anything else that revs me up (such as iodine, T3 supplementation, or C60, or acupuncture on my thyroid) also makes my hair fall out. Help!
 

jitsmonkey

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You'll want to look for a shortfall in vitamins/minerals/proteins/other hormonal levels/etc....
anytime you increase metabolism and outstrip your internal resources you see some form of negative result.
ie. you hear people talk about eating sugar or using thyroid and their teeth becoming problematic. This isn't a sugar or thyroid or even metabolism problem
its a lack of particular nutrition and for everyone its often different.
I know for me personally it took a lot of detective work and lots of self awareness and documentation.
 

Elize

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I've noticed that any time I rev up my metabolism, I get major hair loss.

T3 and iodine impact my adrenal function and lowers cortisol then experience hair loss. Why I use T3 only twice a week and use Thyrogold a T3/T4 rest of the week I use Synthroid.
 

fradon

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I've noticed that any time I rev up my metabolism, I get major hair loss. Any idea why this happens? Last year, after many years of low carbing, I switched to a high carb diet (most carbs through fruit). I feel tons better, and I'm delighted that I can eat way more calories without gaining weight, plus I sleep better, can put on more muscle, etc. But the hair loss is killing me. I'm a single woman, and my hair was my identity and pride. I thought maybe it was candida from the carbs, but I've noticed that anything else that revs me up (such as iodine, T3 supplementation, or C60, or acupuncture on my thyroid) also makes my hair fall out. Help!

heres a theory: high carb diets lower SHBG which would create a lot more free testosterone and Estrogen that could convert to dht or other metabolites and cause hair loss. you are the second person who has posted something like this. low carb diets increases SHBG and thus would bind up excess Testosterone and Estrogen

second theory is the increased oxidation. carbs are faster to burn and thus increaes oxidation it could also increase thyroid. oxidation makes you age faster and this could lead to hair loss.
 
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TNT

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Thank you, @fradon . If the first theory is correct, then do you know how one would increase SHBG? I'm female, in case that matters. And for that matter, what would be a way to address it if the second theory is correct? I really don't wanna go back to low carb -- I felt like ***t and had terrible sleep.
 
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  • Drugs that Raise SHBG:
  • Raloxifene (Evista)
  • Tamoxifen
  • Spironolactone
  • Anticonvulsants (Phenytoin)
  • Oral (but not transdermal) estradiol
  • Ethinyl estradiol (oral contraceptives)
  • Metformin
  • Exogenous insulin in Type 2 DM
  • Coffee!
  • T3 thyroid hormone
I find this link usefull
 

fradon

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Thank you, @fradon . If the first theory is correct, then do you know how one would increase SHBG? I'm female, in case that matters. And for that matter, what would be a way to address it if the second theory is correct? I really don't wanna go back to low carb -- I felt like ***t and had terrible sleep.

a low carb diet or a diet high in fiber vegetables with some protein would work. SHBG seems to be controlled by insulin so keeping insulin in check builds up SHBG.

LIKE beef and brocolli
chicken and cabbage
even keto dieting would work as it is low insulin.

on the flipside some people report better libido on peating because i figure all the sugarlowers their SHBG and raises T and E
 
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TNT

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Thanx, @General Orange and @fradon . This really sucks, because I feel awful without carbs, but I also don't wanna be bald! And I don't want to take medication -- that's not what health is to me.
 

fradon

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Thanx, @General Orange and @fradon . This really sucks, because I feel awful without carbs, but I also don't wanna be bald! And I don't want to take medication -- that's not what health is to me.
get your carbs from vegetables which won't spike your blood sugar and you should be fine. fiber can be very filling.
 
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TNT

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Thanx, @fradon . I did that for about 15 years, and it made me feel awful. I need more carbs than that. I didn't start feeling well until I went 60-75% carbs.
 

yerrag

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How do you know your metabolism has revved up? Did you note some improvements in markers such as temperature and heart rate?

Granted that your metabolism did actually increase, jtsmonkey is right. Peat talks about vitamin A and magnesium as those things that may suffer a shortfall as your metabolism increases.

You also mention eating a lot of fruits. What fruits are these? I recently discovered that the sour orange (satsuma) I had been juicing was very acidic (I tested my urine pH, that's how I found out). A constant daily load of acid eventually leads to stress on the liver and kidneys, and this stress robs energy- the same energy needed to grow hair. Growing hair is optional to our health, so the body focuses on its internal needs (the health of its vital organs).
 

xetawaves

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I believe my hair loss is directly linked to my metabolism. I have a very high metabolism and it takes a lot of food for me to gain weight. I've discovered that if I cut calories, my hair sheds badly and gets thinner. The only way for me to get enough calories is to eat carbs with every meal. Does anyone here know of a way that I could stop my hair loss and possibly thicken my hair?
 

yerrag

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That's a question with no definite answer. I can stand to grow more hair myself. Imho, it's all about energy and balance. I'm with you with having high metabolism, to produce enough energy. But oftentimes, the body won't produce enough energy, for many reasons - nutritional deficiency, poor oxygenation, poor glucose regulation, stress from infection, oxidative stresses from heavy metals and from endotoxins, faulty acid-base balance. And for the same reasons, not all of the energy produced is used well; it is wasted on fighting and compensating for all the aforementioned stresses. What is left over, if there is any, of the energy, is too little to support the growth of a full head of hair.

You have to do a personal assessment of your condition. Understand your context, and work on improving it.
 

xetawaves

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That's a question with no definite answer. I can stand to grow more hair myself. Imho, it's all about energy and balance. I'm with you with having high metabolism, to produce enough energy. But oftentimes, the body won't produce enough energy, for many reasons - nutritional deficiency, poor oxygenation, poor glucose regulation, stress from infection, oxidative stresses from heavy metals and from endotoxins, faulty acid-base balance. And for the same reasons, not all of the energy produced is used well; it is wasted on fighting and compensating for all the aforementioned stresses. What is left over, if there is any, of the energy, is too little to support the growth of a full head of hair.

You have to do a personal assessment of your condition. Understand your context, and work on improving it.

It seems that simply increasing calories has worked for a lot of people on this forum.

It just sucks cause I can eat and eat and barely gain any weight. My hair just falls. My scalp is almost always sore in the thin areas and the hair on top is weak and comes out with minimal effort. After years of researching hair loss, I still can't seem to solve what is going on with my body. The only cure I have discovered is high amounts of estrogen, but I'm not giving up my manhood for hair. Pattern baldness is one of the worst things to ever happen to the human race, yet we just can't seem to figure it out.
 

lampofred

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How long have you been restricting PUFA? If not for long, it might just be that increasing your metabolism is causing your stored PUFA to form prostaglandins and toxic byproducts at an increased rate because of the increased heat and oxygen (I think this is why metabolism down-regulates in the first place in response to excess stored PUFA, to prevent damage). Aspirin and Vit E might help until your stored PUFA gets low enough that you can boost metabolism without causing damage. The same thing happened to me when I first took thyroid 3 years ago, before I had a chance to substantially restrict PUFA.
 

olive

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Intermittent fasting increases SHBG. I eat all my calories in a 2-4 hour feeding window.

Metformin isn’t a bad idea either. 500mg extended release pre-bed.
 
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eat a salad before the main course, that'll keep insulin levels more stable

snack on fruits one at a time, maybe 2, this will also keep blood glucose steady. Don't drink your calories or just sip on em
 
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TNT

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That's interesting, @lampofred . I've been restricting PUFAs for a couple year, but in the last 6 months or so, I've been eating sardines -- not sure if that counts as PUFAs. And I also take sunflower lecithin, which might count as PUFAs? And avocados -- not sure where those stand. Oh, and black seed oil, except that I heard Ray Peat recommends that. So I don't know if this even counts as PUFA restriction, but I don't eat nuts or seed oils (except black seed oil).
 
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TNT

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@yerrag , I know my metabolism is revved up because I have way more energy and can eat way more calories. As for fruits, it depends on what's in season, but right now it's mostly grapes, and in the winter, it'll be mostly bananas.
 

lampofred

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That's interesting, @lampofred . I've been restricting PUFAs for a couple year, but in the last 6 months or so, I've been eating sardines -- not sure if that counts as PUFAs. And I also take sunflower lecithin, which might count as PUFAs? And avocados -- not sure where those stand. Oh, and black seed oil, except that I heard Ray Peat recommends that. So I don't know if this even counts as PUFA restriction, but I don't eat nuts or seed oils (except black seed oil).

I've read that omega 3s are especially bad for hair follicles because they block the cellular pathway that causes hair growth and instead redirect that energy to the brain (but in a very damaging, excitotoxic way), by causing tryptophan to produce quinolinic acid instead of NAD. You mentioned you've been eating sardines for a while, so the increase in quinolinic acid caused by high scalp omega 3 content + raised metabolism could explain the highly increased sense of energy combined with deteriorating hair follicles.
 
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TNT

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Thanx, @lampofred . Unfortunately, the hair loss preceded the sardines. But I appreciate your bringing that piece in!
 

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