Hormonal Hair Loss in Women - Causes & Natural Treatments
Each day, typically beginning in our 30s, a healthy adult woman loses about 100 hairs from the scalp.
But when the hair doesn’t grow back, or hair loss occurs more rapidly, it may be time to explore the root of the problem... pun intended!
Hormonal hair loss causes
Hormonal hair loss is also known as androgenic alopecia because there is a predominance of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a derivative of the male hormone testosterone. DHT binds to androgen receptors in hair follicles which leads to a shrinking of follicles and miniaturization of the hair itself, making it nearly impossible for hair to survive. The result is female pattern baldness.
What is DHT?
DHT is the most potent male sex hormone produced in both men and women. In women, it is synthesized directly by the ovaries or the adrenal glands. In the presence of increased DHT, the hair anagen (growth) phase is shortened and the telogen (resting) phase is increased, causing increased hair loss.
Like this - check out this photo from Fullscript (my client supplement source):
There are also other hormonal hair loss causes:
- Stress
- Genetics
- Medications & medication side effects
- Menopause (womp)
- Poor nutrition or a low protein diet
- Thyroid conditions
Here are some recommended natural treatments:
Plants you can supplement with to inhibit 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme that helps metabolize DHT, therefore reducing DHT:
- Black cohosh
- Chaste tree
- Green tea
- Licorice
- Red reishi (a fave of mine)
- Saw palmetto (second fave of mine)
- Spearmint (I like to drink Spearmint tea)
- White peony
- Pumpkin seed oil
Other natural substances have been shown to help treat hair loss:
- Amino acids such as lysine and cysteine have been shown to thicken hair
- Herbs such as capsaicin, curcumin, garlic, onion, and rosemary have been shown to help promote hair growth and reduce shedding
- Vitamins such as biotin, vitamin D, vitamin E, and zinc are important because deficiencies in these nutrients can lead to thinning hair
SO... What to do next?
Here are my suggested next steps if you're experiencing thinning hair or hair loss:
1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of protein, fruits and veggies!
2. Use a high quality multivitamin
3. Exercise regularly, especially aerobic exercise
4. Practice stress management techniques like deep breathing, meditation, yoga, etc.
5. Consider supplementing with saw palmetto & reishi with a daily dose of spearmint tea
6. If none of this helps, talk to your doctor about testing your hormones
Source: Fullscript.com
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