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SearMeCarefully
November 2nd, 2008, 11:48 PM
I read in another forum (body building) that having a low body fat percentage can cause hair loss. Has anyone heard about this? I'm trying to lower my bf a good 15% but when I read that I'm totally going EEK!

rileysmama32208
November 2nd, 2008, 11:58 PM
yes absolutely. ONe of the major signs of anorexia nervosa is hair loss..

That said, I do believe you can avoid massive hair loss as long as you arent suddenly dropping pounds and if you dont cut fats out. Healthy fats will be key!

Simply having low body fat isnt going to ake you lose your hair, its all in how you get there :) Hope I helped a little bit!

RavennaNight
November 3rd, 2008, 12:12 AM
Yeah, I think you have to be undernourished, and lack body fat in the unhealthy way. As long as you're not underweight for your height, age, and build you should be fine.

SearMeCarefully
November 3rd, 2008, 12:38 AM
yes absolutely. ONe of the major signs of anorexia nervosa is hair loss..

That said, I do believe you can avoid massive hair loss as long as you arent suddenly dropping pounds and if you dont cut fats out. Healthy fats will be key!

Simply having low body fat isnt going to ake you lose your hair, its all in how you get there :) Hope I helped a little bit!

Huh yeah this makes sense.. maybe the woman that posted it in the other forum is just going about it an unhealthy way..

Katahdin
November 3rd, 2008, 12:45 AM
I wouldn't doubt that can be true if you have an extremely low body fat percentage.

But according to my doctor I'm underweight by about 3-5lb, and my hair is pretty thick. As long as you're eating healthy and stuff, I wouldn't worry about it.

Robbi Dehlinger
November 3rd, 2008, 01:30 AM
I would think low protein would cause it also? Since hair is made up of lots of protein?

Seraphina
November 3rd, 2008, 02:26 AM
I was very sick a few years ago (an intestinal disorder) and as a side effect I lost a lot of weight,and yes,my hair fell out in copious amounts.After the problem was fixed and put some weight back on,my hair was back to its normal thickness.

ChloeDharma
November 3rd, 2008, 04:11 AM
As has been said, loosing scalp hair is a known side effect of anorexia, along with an increase in body hair.
Crash diets also can cause the same thing as well as other more subtle lack of nutrition.
From what i gather body building can be quite extreeme and when approaching the competition season the diet becomes extreemely restrictive in an effort to become as "cut" as possible which means having as little body fat as possible.
Fat/oils though given a bad press are extreemely important in our diets for things like hormone production and absorbing fat soluble nutrients like vitamin E, D and A. They are also a source of essential fatty acids...."essential" being the key word there as they are important for various body functions and also brain health.
So yes, a body fat level below a healthy level would be a very likely cause of hair loss.

Giggy2
November 3rd, 2008, 05:19 AM
I read in another forum (body building) that having a low body fat percentage can cause hair loss. Has anyone heard about this? I'm trying to lower my bf a good 15% but when I read that I'm totally going EEK!


Are you interested in bodybuilding? If so, BBer's don't maintain 15% body fat all year round. Usually they will get it down just for competition and that's gradual over a 2 month period. Maintaining 18-22% is more realistic. Also, if you are eating clean wholesome foods you shouldn't be depriving your body of anything. You should be monitoring your Proteins, carbs, and fats at healthy manageable limits.

I weight trained for 2 over years, never competed, but nonetheless I've learned much about it and you shouldn't experience hairloss unless you are doing something wrong. It's all about being healthy, strong, and balanced not anorexic.

Gothic Lolita
November 3rd, 2008, 07:03 AM
Hair loss is,as already posted, a side effect from anorxia nervosa or bulimia. I think not only the extremly low body weight causes this, but also the malnutrition and lack of protein. Many athletes have a low body fat percentage, but because they eat healthy, they still have pretty hair.

rhubarbarin
November 3rd, 2008, 07:52 AM
I have pretty low body fat, and the thickness of my hair is always the same! I also know quite a few athletic girls with thick healthy hair..

Diet is key! Eat plenty of fat, if you want to cut calories cut sugar and junk carbs. Also if you are trying to lose weight, don't do it quickly - keep it to a couple pounds a month, no more than a pound a week. I have known a couple people who went on a strict exercise routine and lost a lot of weight very fast, and even though their diet was healthy, it took a toll on their skin and hair..

Anyway, I doubt you will ever get down to 15% unless you are actually competing in body-building. I don't know how you are calculating your bodyfat% now, but the scales, etc they sell don't work. The only thing that can give you an approximate are the expensive machines at the doctors, or a trained professional with bodyfat calipers. Even those aren't 100% accurate.

sahiba
November 3rd, 2008, 08:00 AM
I feel if the body fat is less due to crash dieting it will definitely cause hair loss while if you are lucky to have no tendency towards weight , I feel it should be ok on hair.

heidi w.
November 3rd, 2008, 08:09 AM
Allow me to explain another point,

A lot of people lose weight by eliminating all fats of any kind. This is a very bad plan.

At least healthy fats are necessary.

Some fat, even in a low-fat diet (not non-fat), is neeeded because many nutrients (vitamins and minerals) are delivered or taken up and used via the delivery system of fats.

No fats means no delivery/uptake.

No delivery/uptake means no nutrients.

Lack of nutrients means the body is nutritionally starving (which is different from starving from lack of calories).

Nutritional deficiencies (a lot of elderly have this issue!) means that the body will attempt to preserve nutrients for the more needed organs and tissues. Hair, unfortunately, is not one of these. This is why hair is often a first signal to some kind of body issue, since it'll be one of the earliest places that behavior will change.

Robbi points out about protein. Robbi is correct in her point. Many sources of protein (whether vegetarian or vegan or meatatarian) have as a bonus iron included in the protein source. IRON is important in the case of anemia, and healthy blood. Even a borderline case of low iron, not even full on anemia, can mean an increase in hair shedding, perhaps chronically so, persisting until the issue is taken care of. I have known people who have gone on for a year in this way, not realizing.

One way to help yourself with these two concerns is to take a simple daily multi-vitamin that has a low dosage of iron included in it. DO NOT TAKE IRON PILLS WITHOUT SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION AND OVERSIGHT BY A QUALIFIED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER. Such pills can be toxic. DO NOT GIVE TO CHILDREN WITHOUT SPECIFIC INSTRUCTION. Children are prone to this toxicity more than adults even (same for eldery sometimes) because of lower body mass. Keep the jar out of reach of children. (Example, many who are undergoing cancer treatments MIGHT be asked to take iron pills; those who are recovering from surgery and lost much blood MIGHT also be asked to take iron pills for a specific duration.) Iron pills can cause CONSTIPATION, so if this is ever prescribed to you, beware!! (Surgery, for example, means greatly slowed systems meaning bowel movements are slower....) I provide this caveat paragraph purposefully, in case anyone thinks, oh I'll just take iron pills!

Menstruating women may need to up their iron just before the onset of the mensus. That bleeding can cause a dip in iron storage (bone marrow). This accounts for unusual tiredness early on after bleeding begins. Do get more sleep at this time, perhaps take a nap, time permitting. BUT you can prepare a meal high in iron. We all KNOW spinach has a lot of iron in it. The problem is that it's hard for the body's system to get that iron out of spinach when eaten by itself. So I offer a meatatarian dish, and a tip for cooking greens (kale, spinach, any dark, leafy green other than lettuce types).

The enzymes in red meat help the body take up the iron out of spinach!
So a few strips of red meat let sit in a marinade of soy sauce (can use low salt), dijon mustard, honey or molasses and herbs. (Think Asian! such as ginger)
stir fry in a pan of olive oil, cut spinach, sliced tomatoes (or halved grape tomatoes).....
I like to put spices in the oil first and heat them such as ginger, a dash of cinnamon, pepper, garlic.....
stir fry
serve over rice.

If you like add asparagus!! mmmm.

For cooking greens, one reason I used to despise them by themselves is the intense bitterness. So, if you cook them, such as a stir fry, add the smallest pinch of sugar to offset this bitterness. Do so at the very end (not the beginning). I have now come to love Kale. The bitterness is still present, but not the intensity.

This becomes a great side dish on the table with some real garlic bits thrown in.

Just stir frying in olive oil, not a vat, of course; this will be sufficient fat added to the diet of the right kind of fat.

heidi w.

heidi w.
November 3rd, 2008, 08:22 AM
Here's a great link, with a table, about fat soluble vitamins: A D E and K

It includes a brief explanation of the necessity of these vitamins and how they work: stored in fat, so don't overdo it! (I did, twice, on the Vitamin A and began itching in patches from the inside out. My dermatologist caught it. I can't take hair vitamins since they're so high in Vit. A.)

http://arbl.cvmbs.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/misc_topics/vitamins.html
another good visual link

FYI, if feeding a pet a whole food diet, don't forget appropriate fat!! Flax seed oil would be one. This works GREAT as a salad dressing oil! DO NOT HEAT THIS OIL. It is not intended for frying. REFRIGERATE this oil!!! No, this is not an oil for hair and skin. Internally it can help with sheen of skin and hair. 1 Tablespoon a day or so is fine.

http://www.causeof.org/vitamins.htm
This is helpful.

DON'T FORGET CALCIUM, MAGNESIUM and needs such as that in the diet. There are precautions for taking too much of these too, especially when working towards a balance.

For the most part, a varied healthy diet in vegetables and fruits, legumes, grains, and for some a little bit of meat is all you'll ever need to have a healthy, nutritionally sound and balanced body and weight.

(Most restaurants serve too much protein, too large of portions and massive unhealthy carbs additionally. I find most do NOT know how to prepare vegetables, either, nor provide fully ripened fruit!)

heidi w.

mommy101405
November 3rd, 2008, 10:28 AM
I think you have gotten a lot of really good answers. If you are going to be body building your diet needs to support that. With plenty of protein and good fats. I have been working on strength training for a few months now and my body fat is pretty low (not 15% but now far). I have found since I have changed my diet due to my workouts my hair has actually improved in thickness.

Bottom line, low body fat doesn't mean thinner hair, undernourished could certainly mean less hair.

Heidi_234
November 3rd, 2008, 10:57 AM
I'd like to support Gothic Lolita's words, and other's too. Good points are made here.
I have first hand experience with underweight causing hair loss. I've been severely underweight once, and at that time I experienced a major shedding. I lost about third of my hair I’d say! Scary. But while hair loss is indeed a symptom for a severe eating disorder, it might not be caused because of the low fat percentage, but by the, well, disordered eating.
As Heidi said, avoiding necessary food types, lack of protein and other stuff would affect your hair for the worse. So even people with normal fat percentage, when drastically changing their diet, cutting food types and so, might have undesirable effect on their hair.
I’m not trying to scare you, since I’m sure you’re probably long way from being severely underweight even if you wished for it. So just be reasonable!

FYI, I hang around 7%-10% BF at the moment, and my hair is thick enough to be called thick. So, as said before, it not the BF it's the diet.

longhairedfairy
November 3rd, 2008, 12:59 PM
If your fat intake is too low, heck yeah, it can cause hair loss. That happened to my sister. When she increased her fat intake she began to notice something weird and velvety all over her scalp. Then she realised it was a lot of new hair coming in.

heidi w.
November 3rd, 2008, 02:38 PM
Heidi 234 makes the additional point that sudden and drastic changes in diet can also cause hair shedding and loss and thinning. This is why changes in diet, I think, are better made in gradual steps. (1) for reasons of getting used to the habit of the one change, then the next new habit and so on (psychological) (2) to acclimate the body, a little more slowly, to changes

that all are intended for a long term benefit.

heidi w.

SearMeCarefully
November 3rd, 2008, 08:24 PM
Wow thank your everyone for you wealth of knowledge! I'm into body building and have wanted my bf % to go down to show some actual definition lol. But I know I'm getting a good amount of fats in - it's mostly carbs I'm limiting more than normal. And that dang multivitamin! Man I always forget to take it everyday! (totally why I don't do the Pill birth control lol eek!) I'm trying really hard though and will have to remember my multi is just as important as protein intake and calories!

Elphie
November 3rd, 2008, 08:32 PM
In some cases, the condition is not reversible. My sister was anorexic for a long time period and while she is an expert at concealing it, there are places where she needed hair extensions to cover some bald patches that no longer grow any hair.

Darkhorse1
November 3rd, 2008, 09:56 PM
You would have to be severely under weight in order to start losing your hair. If you are speaking of increasing your muscle mass and losing weight, you will be fine. Just do it sensibally and don't do crash diets, as they can affect more than just your hair ;)

I believe you have to be 30pds or more below your ideal body weight to start losing hair and be deemed anorexic. My father researches this disorder so I can ask him.

SearMeCarefully
November 4th, 2008, 09:24 PM
Yeah I'm definitely going to do it the right way! Right now my goal is 19% body fat.. and maybe eventually ~15% - I'll see how I feel once I get to 19%

Lara1
November 4th, 2008, 10:19 PM
As long as you don't have intentions to lose weight really fast you will be fine. If you have to be on diet it is also OK as long as you have balanced nutrition intake.
I am under weight all my life, but I eat very well. I used to lose weight really fast by just not eating for a few days before I have a photoshoots (that was a suggestion of my modeling agent), but I stopped doing that after I passed out in the street.
Another thing, don't exclude fats from your diet. If you stop eating fats (butter, vegitable oil) your body will suffer and as soon as you will eat some fatty food you will gain even more weight. The best thing is to eat a little bit and frequent. I eat 5-6 time per day, but small portions.
HTH

mahoganyhorizon
November 5th, 2008, 02:22 PM
Not for me :) Between 09/07, and 05/08 I lost around 35 to 37 lbs......it never affected my hair growth. In fact healthy eating and exercise seemed to ACCELERATE my hair growth :)

MAO
November 5th, 2008, 02:46 PM
It's lack of NUTRITION that causes hair loss. As long as he's not on a 'drastic' diet and suddenly drop a lot weight at once, he should be fine. And keep him away from the roids, of course!

MAO
November 5th, 2008, 02:48 PM
DUHHH for some reason I saw bf and thought 'boyfriend'...my bad

Ursula
November 5th, 2008, 02:49 PM
It really depends.

You say you are trying to lower your body fat by 15%. If you are currently very overweight, so that after loosing 15% you are still at a healthy weight and body fat level, and if you loose the weight slowly and carefully, you should be fine.

If the 15% loss in body fat makes you underweight, or if you loose it very rapidly, or if you have poor nutrition, then it may be a problem.

Slow and sensible - for your health as much as for your hair.

SearMeCarefully
November 5th, 2008, 05:45 PM
Well I haven't been tested I just did one of those measure here and here and here and your about _____.. I figure I'm about ~31% body fat - which is more than what's average for women I think. So by losing 15% I would be about at ~15-16%. And like I said when I'm around 19% I'll see how I feel :D

rhubarbarin
November 5th, 2008, 05:54 PM
I wouldn't worry about your actual %, when you get fitter, lose fat and gain muscle definition it will be very visable. You'll know by how you look and how you feel what's right for your body, numbers aren't as important.

Good luck with your bodybuilding!

Giggy2
November 6th, 2008, 07:12 AM
Well I haven't been tested I just did one of those measure here and here and here and your about _____.. I figure I'm about ~31% body fat - which is more than what's average for women I think. So by losing 15% I would be about at ~15-16%. And like I said when I'm around 19% I'll see how I feel :D

I think when you get to 19% you're going to feel splendid! I maintain 19-20% and it seems to be a good balance. Read the female forums at bodybuilding.com the advice there is great and learning about balancing your macros is very important. Fitday.com is free and it's a great way to track your food intake to make sure you're getting the right balance of nutrients. I was following a 40P/30C/30F macro, for a while 50P/30C/20F (that's an outrageous amount of protien though), and it worked wonderful for my goals.

You're giving me the itch to get back into the gym ;) Its been about 2 months since I've worked out.

Best wishes reaching your goals! It's wonderful that your making such a positive change in your life. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful your going to feel by giving yourself this gift, it's simply priceless!:cheese:

mahoganyhorizon
November 6th, 2008, 07:36 AM
wow, it really seems like when people worry about hair, they worry about health and vice versa. I really became into this hair care thing after nearly reaching my goal weight and dropping 35 lbs. It feels really good to be able to fit into a size 6 too :) You'll do it, just slow, and carefully for your health. Also if you are concerned about hair, try to make much of the calorie loss come from lots of exercise instead of restriction. I restrict but got a lot of loss from jogging 2 miles EVERY MORNING 5 to 6 days a week, and that helps, so that I can eat more, thus get more nutrients, while at the same time, keeping trim. Hope this helps.

SearMeCarefully
November 7th, 2008, 04:05 PM
I think when you get to 19% you're going to feel splendid! I maintain 19-20% and it seems to be a good balance. Read the female forums at bodybuilding.com the advice there is great and learning about balancing your macros is very important. Fitday.com is free and it's a great way to track your food intake to make sure you're getting the right balance of nutrients. I was following a 40P/30C/30F macro, for a while 50P/30C/20F (that's an outrageous amount of protien though), and it worked wonderful for my goals.

You're giving me the itch to get back into the gym ;) Its been about 2 months since I've worked out.

Best wishes reaching your goals! It's wonderful that your making such a positive change in your life. I can't begin to tell you how wonderful your going to feel by giving yourself this gift, it's simply priceless!:cheese:

Lol that's actually where I first got the idea (bb forums) of losing hair. A woman on their mentioned it so I was all whaaat?! I've been trying to follow that macro as well, it's hard to get the carbs down to 30 lol my goal right now is more protein than carbs! I've been rockin' fitday for a long time, but have gotten so much better at logging everything - I do it everyday now and really watch my macro breakdown!
If you want there's a nice weightlifting thread going on here - check it out =]