Men who actively keep fit by lifting weights and drinking protein shakes may be speeding up hair loss, according to experts. While both components individually may not cause hair loss, a combination of the two may lead to increased testosterone levels, which could accelerate male pattern hair loss.
According to the study, a combination of weight lifting and the consumption of protein powders increase the body's testosterone and Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels. These increased levels may then lead to early on-set hair shedding and loss.
DHT, which is a converted type of testosterone, can attach to a man's hair stand's receptor cells leading to a blockage in essential nutrient absorption. The blockage can eventually cause the hair follicles to shrink and wither until it dies.
Weight lifting may cause an increase in DHT levels after each session but it is not likely to have long-term effects in hair loss, according to Dr. Melina Jampolis, Physician Nutrition Specialist from CNN. But when weight lifting is combined with supplements to increase testosterone levels, it could accelerate normal male pattern hair loss.
Protein shakes often contain growth hormones such as DHEA and Creatine which do not only increase muscle mass but also raise testosterone levels in the blood, according to Dr. Thomy Kouremada-Zioga, a surgeon specializing in hair transplants from The Private Clinic of Harley Street. The issue of hair thinning and hair loss is typically manifested when a male is predisposed to pattern baldness.
Kouremada-Zioga explains that protein shakes do not directly cause hair loss. However, it can accelerate hair loss in men with androgenetic hair loss.
About 95 percent of male pattern baldness is genetic which is passed down from one parent. Other common causes of hair loss include prolonged and severe stress, medication and severe nutrient deficiencies.
Most clinical trials have proven that Minoxidil and Finasteride are the only two options that can treat hair loss, according to Daily Mail. Over 90 percent of hair loss treatments contain Minoxidil while Finasteride is an oral tablet that reduced levels of DHT.
Hair transplants are also increasingly sustainable by moving hair from an area where hair is abundant in the body to thin or bald areas. Platelet-rich plasma treatment (PRP) is another possible technique that spins blood in a centrifugal machine to separate nutrient-rich platelets to be re-injected into the scalp to boost hair strands.
