low carb diets & hair?

[SophieGrowGrow]

since low carb diets are veg ( low carb ), protein and fats I would assume it would make your hair grow faster and remain as healthy if your taking vitamins to suplement what you are not getting?

does anyone know the affect low carb diets have on hair & hair growth?

[Exodus]

since low carb diets are veg ( low carb ), protein and fats I would assume it would make your hair grow faster and remain as healthy if your taking vitamins to suplement what you are not getting?

does anyone know the affect low carb diets have on hair & hair growth?

Well, I've been eating low-carb for three or four years and what I have noticed is that neither my scalp or hair are as dry as they were before that. As for growth, nothing in the world makes my hair grow faster. But a friend, who started low-carb (it was a total change from her old habits), has definitely faster growth now and thicker shinier hair.

[SophieGrowGrow]

Well, I've been eating low-carb for three or four years and what I have noticed is that neither my scalp or hair are as dry as they were before that. As for growth, nothing in the world makes my hair grow faster. But a friend, who started low-carb (it was a total change from her old habits), has definitely faster growth now and thicker shinier hair.

huh, I thought getting alot of protein would.. ok maybe not make hair growth faster but maximize the pace of it?

[Curlsgirl]

I was on Atkins maintenance for about 5 years and I didn't notice any difference but I abused it for much of that time. My hair is actually healthier but that started when I came here and learned how to take care of it. The only difference I have heard people remark about is that like any diet if you lose VERY quickly, increased shedding can occur.

[MsBubbles]

There's always someone who has the opposite experience...my hair thinned drastically when I went on a no-carb diet. When I say no carb, I mean fruits & veg only (as well as fats and proteins), excluding potatoes and corn as well. I was also training for an ultra-marathon which may have been what pushed my hair over the edge - I don't think I was getting enough calories. I lost a ton of weight (for me). I was following a diet designed to help ulcerative colitis, and as far as I can tell it did cure it. I was able to ditch the diet and go back to eating normally. Now I weigh a ton again and my hair is back to normal. I followed the diet for about 3 months and then my hair started falling out. I went from a (ii) to a (i) in thickness. However, looking back I don't think I was getting enough iron.

Everybody reacts differently though!

[ChloeDharma]

I'm wary of any diet that is designed for very fast weight loss and any that is too restrictive. Personally i believe in the boring sounding balanced diet with minimal empty calories and aiming to stick to wholefoods.

[Oskimosa]

I think it has alot to do with overall vitamin intake. If you cut ALL carbs, you might still miss out on some sugars that you need and some fiber and other things. And I think it was Mellie who linked to an article ..shoot I thought I had bookmarked it. Anyhow, it said that a diet rich in protien and low in carbs, even if low-calorie, doesn't increase life span or help with better aging compared to a normal junk diet. (what most of us eat :p) But that a diet that is well balanced or vegan and low calorie DOES. It's because most people go over the daily reccommended amount for protien.

Did I make sense?

Basically, a diet has to be well-rounded. Mental state also has almot more to do with hair growth than one might think.

[Leabhar]

I don't think low carb diets make your hair grow faster or shed less, but the fats and proteins are good for your hair and skin. I'm on low carb and notice no ill effects on my hair, skin, or nails. Hair condition is part genetics, part diet, and part handling, but if you don't get enough proteins and fats from your food, your body's not going to spend it on your hair, yeah?

Note for Ms Bubbles--I'm glad that fruits and veggies helped your UC but fruits and veggies aren't necessarily low carb! :D

[Wavelength]

I think it has alot to do with overall vitamin intake. If you cut ALL carbs, you might still miss out on some sugars that you need and some fiber and other things.

It's kind of impossible to cut out ALL carbs, unless you're on a diet of pure meat.

[Rebelkat]

Just a note on low-carb diets. Sometimes these can be very destructive to your health, especially for those of us out there that are diabetic. It can cause your liver to start producing glucose, which in turn causes your blood sugar to run higher, and can cause a whole mess of problems. My dietitian told me that the best thing to do is not to cut out carbs, but to start eating things with more fiber *or the don't eat starches that are white theory*. I don't know how that works for non-diabetics but it worked out nicely for me. XD

[Oskimosa]

It's kind of impossible to cut out ALL carbs, unless you're on a diet of pure meat.

Bah, of course that's not what I meant ;). Some people throw out all starches and just eat meat and veggies, which of course have some small level of carbs in them. But there's sauces and stuff too that are high in carbs. You know what I meant! Right?? I don't just mean pasta and rice. I mean things that are high in carbs.

[hipmama1970]

I lost weight on low carb very successfully a few years ago (and I really should be doing it now, kicking self for falling off wagon...) At first I lost very quickly, because I had a lot to lose and I was really restrictive. For a little while it seemed like I had extra hair fall, but it never made a difference in how thick my hair looked.

After a month or so, the hair loss leveled off, and quickly grew back in. And it was so shiny and healthy!

Arg, I need to get back doing that, it was the best I felt EVER.

[Exodus]

Just a note on low-carb diets. Sometimes these can be very destructive to your health, especially for those of us out there that are diabetic. It can cause your liver to start producing glucose, which in turn causes your blood sugar to run higher, and can cause a whole mess of problems. My dietitian told me that the best thing to do is not to cut out carbs, but to start eating things with more fiber *or the don't eat starches that are white theory*. I don't know how that works for non-diabetics but it worked out nicely for me. XD

That's the worst BS I've heard in a long time.

Type 1 diabetes is one thing, it needs medication, but for type 2 diabetes, low-carb diet can be very good. I know IRL serveral people that have been able to give up insulin injections because they have started to control their blood sugar with food instead. Low-carb.

Producing glucose is an ability the liver has. The liver is able to produce glucose for the brains. So in theory that means you wouldn't actually have to eat sugar/carbs for your brain's sake, because the liver can produce it itself. It's not something dangeours. Unless you eat too much sugar, and so force the liver to take care of the sugar, produce too much glucose and push it out in the body. And this is the problem of diabetes. Glucose is the sugar and insulin is the hormone. Insulin tells the cells to pick up the sugar. And very simple, if you eat to much sugar you not only cause the liver to overwork itself, you mess upp the insulin-levels when your body tries to take care of too big amounts of sugar.

edit: writing more later, have to go to work.

[rhubarbarin]

Originally Posted by Rebelkat http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?p=305828#post305828)
Just a note on low-carb diets. Sometimes these can be very destructive to your health, especially for those of us out there that are diabetic. It can cause your liver to start producing glucose, which in turn causes your blood sugar to run higher, and can cause a whole mess of problems. My dietitian told me that the best thing to do is not to cut out carbs, but to start eating things with more fiber *or the don't eat starches that are white theory*. I don't know how that works for non-diabetics but it worked out nicely for me. XD
That's the worst ******** I've heard in a long time.

Type 1 diabetes is one thing, it needs medication, but for type 2 diabetes, low-carb diet can be very good. I know IRL serveral people that have been able to give up insulin injections because they have started to control their blood sugar with food instead. Low-carb.

Producing glucose is an ability the liver has. The liver is able to produce glucose for the brains. So in theory that means you wouldn't actually have to eat sugar/carbs for your brain's sake, because the liver can produce it itself. It's not something dangeours. Unless you eat too much sugar, and so force the liver to take care of the sugar, produce too much glucose and push it out in the body. And this is the problem of diabetes. Glucose is the sugar and insulin is the hormone. Insulin tells the cells to pick up the sugar. And very simple, if you eat to much sugar you not only cause the liver to overwork itself, you mess upp the insulin-levels when your body tries to take care of too big amounts of sugar.

edit: writing more later, have to go to work.

To be fair to Rebelcat, I've heard similar information from actual doctors. As for nutritionists and dieticians - I think they should be more closely regulated, because there's a lot of them out there that are giving people diet advice that could be actively harmful. There's still the mindset that 'carbs=good, sugar=harmless, fat=DEATH' in most of the medical community.

However, there is hope! (http://www.diabeteshealth.com/read/2008/01/09/5616.html)

I feel like I harp endlessly here about low-carb diets. So I'll keep it short: read Good Calories, Bad Calories. (http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Controversial-Science/dp/1400033462/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1224338117&sr=8-1)

I personally think sugar is poison, and lots of protien and tons of fat in the diet are very, very good things. I get about 60% of my calories from fat, my hair and skin are no longer dry, my acne is almost gone, my bowels are super-regular, I feel great overall (but I can't gain weight without eating plenty of carbs too, so I still eat grains for now).


I think it has alot to do with overall vitamin intake. If you cut ALL carbs, you might still miss out on some sugars that you need and some fiber and other things. And I think it was Mellie who linked to an article ..shoot I thought I had bookmarked it. Anyhow, it said that a diet rich in protien and low in carbs, even if low-calorie, doesn't increase life span or help with better aging compared to a normal junk diet. (what most of us eat :pinktongue:) But that a diet that is well balanced or vegan and low calorie DOES. It's because most people go over the daily reccommended amount for protien.

I really don't think there's been enough definitive research done on humans for us to really know what's best for us to eat. There's been plenty done on mice, but mice aren't people - they are meant to digest a diet of mostly seeds and plants, with maybe some insects thrown in. Of course feeding them too much protein is bad for them. I also read a study done on rabbits, where they 'proved' that a diet high in fat causes excess fat deposits in the abdomen, and atherosclerosis of the ateries. Rabbits naturally eat zero fat, so it makes sense feeding it to them would make them sick. Humans naturally (before the rise of agriculture) ate almost zero sugar and starch, so it's not surprising that when we eat 150 lbs of it a year we start getting fatter, our teeth rot, we get diabetic and cancerous, even our veins and hearts don't function as well.

What I do know is that the diets of people who still live 'primitively' are high in (mostly animal) fat and protein, with the only carbs consumed (if any are - the Inuit and the Masaai don't eat any) fibrous vegetables, some roots/tubers and fruit (if available).

[misstwist]

I'm glad to hear some sense about low-carb diets from Exodus and rhubarbarin. I don't even talk about it most of the time, online or IRL because of the misinformation and extremes of emotion that such discussions provoke. I don't have the emotional wherewithal for that.

For anyone who is interested, here are a few good links.

http://www.proteinpower.com/drmike/

http://www.proteinpower.com/forum/

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/2008-10-01/Dietary-Fat-Health-Weight.aspx

[rhubarbarin]

Thanks for the links, misstwist.

Yeah, people get very upset when I put forward an opinion that all the nuritional information the American goverment and medical establishment has been pushing for the last 40 years is not only wrong, but in fact directly causes health problems.

Which I totally understand, cause when I started doing research about nutrition and found out how pathetic the 'science' was, and that there hadn't been definitvie studies after all, and that basically powerful 'researchers' so aggressively promoted their pet theories (without any proof), along with the rise of the Junk Food Lobby with their total disregard for the enviroment and human health and concern with profits above all else (and what's cheaper to produce and easier to sell than prepackaged, processed, sugary floury addictive treats?), to the point that even most doctors accept carbs as 'the perfect food'.. I WAS REALLY UPSET TOO. I still am, to the point that I feel I need to speak out, no matter how crazy people think I am, or how mad they get.

[Magdalene]

I don't know about the low-carb itself causing hair loss, but I do know when I lost a LOT of weight very quickly, I lost hair, too. I personally can't do a high-protein diet because of my kidneys.

[Teacherbear]

Please, ladies and gentlemen, consult your doctor before modifying your diet or medication based on things you've read on the internet.

[Wavelength]

Bah, of course that's not what I meant ;). Some people throw out all starches and just eat meat and veggies, which of course have some small level of carbs in them. But there's sauces and stuff too that are high in carbs. You know what I meant! Right?? I don't just mean pasta and rice. I mean things that are high in carbs.

No worries, it's just that since being on a low-carb diet myself, I've heard from people who actually DO think that you "need" to eat bread, grains, pasta etc to get ANY carbs at all. Just making sure we were on the same page. :wink:

Minor hijack: I've mentioned this before on another thread, but an excellent and very well-researched book about diet myths and misconceptions is Good Calories, Bad Calories (http://www.amazon.com/Good-Calories-Bad-Gary-Taubes/dp/1400040787) by Gary Taubes. It's not promoting any diet nor does it tell you what to eat. It analyzes decades of food and nutrition research and comes up with some fascinating conclusions about the current "wisdom" on most diet approaches. It's a pretty dense read and definitely not something you can just skim through in an afternoon, but I really found it helped me understand how my body works with the food I choose to eat. I feel I have much more control over by diet now, and that's helped me better control my migraines and lose weight.

ETA: Oops, I just noticed rhubarbarin recommended the same book! :D

[RocketDog]

My mother did The Zone diet back in '98-99 and LOST a lot of hair, and what remaining hair she had was dry and brittle. I don't know if it was a direct result of the nutrition, or just due to the fact that she lost 60lbs in 5 months - way faster than is healthy.

[jel]

I followed the Atkins way of eating for about a year several years ago, and had thicker, shinier hair than ever before. At the time I was a shorthair, though, so not sure about the speed of growth.

BTW, I ate natural food with plenty of phytonutrients, proteins and essential fats - and enough of it for optimal health.

[SophieGrowGrow]

As for low carb diets being bad for you, it does take a toll on your liver and also studdies have proved its linked to bowel cancer. Also all the protein in your diet leaches calcium out of your body but then again if your having cream and so on I would assume your having more calcium than usual. I would never do this long term. I don't have very much weight to loose ( im not overweight at the moment I just gained alot of weight for myself over the last two months which im trying to loose ).

Ive heard alot of people say that when they eat ALOT of protein their hair grows up to anywhere near 2 inches per month and they growth is thick, shiney and healthy. Well I will report back in two months about my hair progress eating high protein seeing if it can maximize the growth of my already fast growing hair.

My diet isn't very high in protein at the moment anyway apart from what I get from vegtables. I eat what would be considered "a healthy diet", well I did untill I went to stay with family twice over the last two months and the stuffed me with every preservative going along with giant home cooked meals

Ill measure my hair on the 5th to see how much it has grown since it will be a month since I cut it and I got it cut very blunt so it will be quite noticible. Ill then start taking MegaMilk protein along with starting my diet and keep you updated. This should be intresting.