When it comes to spoiling our health, we are left with an umpteen number of options especially in the junk food category, isn’t it? In the present times, living sedentary yet very complicated lifestyles have to lead many of us to fall prey to an unhealthy and overweight body. The BMI score of our bodies has literally gone for a toss! It must have taken us an occurrence of too many serious realizations to finally make up our minds that we need to get fit and healthy. And if there is any good time to begin that, then the best time is now! And amongst an array of options that are available for us to look at, get influenced by, it is the ketogenic diet that seems to have won our hearts as it’s the only diet that has been trending all over the world be it online or offline.
It is gaining attention and momentum because of its working concept where the body is burning fat instead of carbs to produce energy for the body. This is why many people have been observing the keto diet in their life. It is a successful diet because it has proven to be an excellent strategy for weight loss as well. People always look up for potential side effects or any threats that diets pose to us humans, they did so with keto as well. And they understood that nausea, constipation, and fatigue were the only side effects that keto had and therefore many people took a chill! They started off with a ketogenic diet and were very overwhelmed with the rapid weight loss that they were achieving. However, there was one thing which they were losing apart from weight—their hair! The rapid hair loss apart along with the weight loss took many by surprise and shock. People began to wonder if both of these were linked to each other. And the answer to this doubt is yes! Dear readers turn out that hair loss accounts for a potential side effect if you’re following keto diet regularly. To understand more about how the keto diet can cause hair fall and what you can do to stop it, read on.
6 Reasons Explaining Why Hair Loss Occurs While Following the Keto Diet
If you look at the normal mechanism of the body, our body makes use of the carbohydrates stored in the body from our food intake and converts it into energy for our body to function. But, if you follow a low carb diet like the keto diet, then the body enters a peculiar state called the ketosis state. In this state, the body begins to start using the fat for making fuel instead of the carbohydrates.
Several research results have found that hair loss is one of the most common side effects of low carb diets. There are several reasons why ketosis triggers hair loss in the body and also affects the health of our hair. Here are the common reasons listed out for you:
- Huge Calorie Deficits
A study was conducted to analyze the effects of a keto diet on teenagers battling epileptic seizures. The results of the study came out very positive. However, two patients for every 45 patients experienced severe thinning of hair. The results showed that the ketogenic diet alone couldn’t be held responsible for the massive amount of hair loss. The problem of hair loss had to also do with the body’s initial reactions when it was forced into a ketosis stage. The study showed that a majority of the patients lost almost 25% of their total body weight. If you’re losing so much weight, it’s natural to think that the food consumed by them was lower than their normal diet. this translates to lower calorie intakes in the body. And when you’re eating fewer calories, the body starts focusing on what’s important and pays very little attention to non-vital systems, for example, the hair growth. The drastic calorie deficit impacts hair health.
- Mineral And Vitamin Deficiencies
When people start observing a low-carbohydrate diet like the keto diet, they fail to replace the carbs with essential vitamins and minerals. This results in a lack of amino acids and many essential micronutrients like zinc in the body—most of these are responsible for the problem of hair loss.
Also, when you’re eating lesser carbs, your body ends up producing lesser amounts of insulin, and this results in the glycogen store to run empty. When these glycogen stores are running low, the kidneys in the body start excreting water from electrolytes like zinc, magnesium, potassium, iodine, etc in huge amounts. If these electrolytes aren’t replenished, then you can never enjoy healthy hair again.
- Stress Plays The Villain’s Role
When the body undergoes major dietary changes, it makes the body feel very stressed. And it’s no secret that experiencing stress plays a vital role in hair loss. Here are some reasons which could be causing stress in your body while on a ketogenic diet:
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Major calorie restrictions
- Keto rash
- Keto flu
- Huge calorie deficits
- Dearth Of Biotin
The other name for biotin is vitamin H and it helps your body in converting the food that is eaten into energy for the body to function properly. A study has shown on low carb with a regimen of high fat could cause biotin deficiency in the body. Therefore, it is essential for people to take biotin supplements when following a keto diet regularly.
- Lack Of Protein
It is very common for people who follow the keto diet to undereat their proteins. This is because a standard keto diet comprises of low carbs, moderate amounts of protein, and a high intake of fats. When we are talking about nutrient deficiencies causing hair fall in the body, under-consumption of protein is one of the main reasons for it.
- Bad Gut Health
Many people fail to realize that the gut microbiome has direct effects on every single system in the body, be it your nails, your skin, or even your hair. An unhealthy gut leads to gut syndrome leakage and this causes stress in the body. And we all know that stress is directly related to hair loss. Bad gut bacteria also lowers the production of biotin in the body.
Hair Loss Induced By Keto Is A Very Temporary Setback
Of course, seeing those extra strands of hair left behind on your comb or in your sink can cause havoc. But understand one thing that hair fall that occurs while stepping on a keto diet is only temporary because, in the initial stages, the body goes through stress because the energy starts being produced by burning fat and not carbohydrates. But once the body’s metabolism gets used to this change and you have been following the keto diet in a very disciplined way, the hair loss will fade away. But that doesn’t mean you don’t pay any attention to your hair fall problems. Always take into account that while following the keto diet, you are ensuring that your calorie intake is correct and you aren’t depleting any nutrients or vitamins from the body which are essential. Here are a few nutrients that you need to take to prevent hair fall during keto in your life:
- Biotin
It is a very trusted hair supplement that boosts healthy hair growth in both men and women. Therefore, it is essential for you to indulge in keto-friendly foods like the following:
- Cauliflower
- Almonds
- Eggs with yolks
- Avocados
- Spinach
- Salmon
- Dairy products
- Zinc
Several research results have claimed that zinc deficiencies can lead to severe hair loss and hyperthyroidism. Therefore, ensure you are eating the following foods to load up on zinc:
- Cashews
- Mushroom
- Lamb
- Cocoa powder
- Pumpkin seeds
- Chicken
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C not only helps in improving the immune system of the body, but it also helps in improving the overall health of the body. It also plays a vital role in healthy collagen production of the body. Excellent sources of vitamin C include:
- Thyme
- Parsley
- Yellow peppers
- Kale
- Mustard spinach
- Brussel sprouts
- Lemon
The other essential nutrients that you must keep a watch on are iron, vitamin A and E, protein, etc. We hope that now you have a clearer picture as to why hair loss is caused by a keto diet and what can be done to solve the problem.