Hairloss on a low-carb diet

[HughJass]

PURPOSE: To determine the effect of a 6-month very low carbohydrate
diet program on body weight and other metabolic
parameters.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty-one overweight or obese
healthy volunteers who wanted to lose weight were placed on a
very low carbohydrate diet (
25 g/d), with no limit on caloric
intake

Adverse Effects
At some point during the 24 weeks, 28 subjects (68%)
reported constipation, 26 (63%) reported bad breath, 21 (51%) reported headache, 4 (10%) noted hair loss, and 1 woman (3%) reported increased menstrual bleeding.

full text:
http://www.calstatela.edu/faculty/rd...04/westman.pdf

[wstef]

Although I would never doubt the temporary issues - constipation, bad breath, headache etc... (people always report this on the Atkins, for example), I think that the sample size is too small to determine it's effect on hair loss.

Something like 40% of people start losing their hair before their mid-life so 10% of this group is probably about right.

I think it's pretty much a general consensus that in most cases of hair loss it's genetic and diet is a secondary factor.

But... I also have no doubts that a good diet helps to maintain healthy hair (e.g. thickness, colour, scalp condition etc)

[vjykmr89]

Rapid weight loss will often cause hair loss, but it's not permanent. This time around, why not try for a more moderate weight loss rate, not only will it help prevent the hair loss, but it will make it easier to stick to low carb as a permanent way of life.