Understanding Hair Loss: The Basics

Hair loss can be a complex issue with many factors involved. The body has tiny blood vessels that nourish each hair root, and hormones like thyroid, testosterone, and estrogen all play a role. Inflammation and cellular metabolism also contribute. Let’s break these down into easier-to-understand components.

Gut Health

You’ve probably heard that 99% of your immune system is in the gut. This is true, but it’s more than just the immune system. The gut is where disease starts and can stop, and where inflammation begins and can end. It’s also crucial for your ability to "sense" right from wrong, friend from foe - when it’s working properly.

So what does proper gut function look like? It means you can easily digest food without:

• Gas
• Bloating
• GERD
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

There’s some debate about what constipation is, so let’s clear that up: Constipation is having fewer than 1-2 healthy bowel movements a day. A healthy bowel movement is a 2-4 on the Bristol stool chart.

If you can’t vacate the small intestine and colon daily, your gut isn’t healthy. This can make it hard to absorb key nutrients like zinc, selenium, and iron, which are crucial for strong hair and nails. B vitamins, which help hair health, are also harder to absorb.

In fact, conditions like IBS, Crohn's, IBD, and colon cancer are linked to hair loss. These links are often related to a poor mucosal barrier and an imbalanced gut microbiome. Things that can disrupt this balance include:

• Birth control
• Antibiotics
• Antifungals
• Antivirals
• Herbs
• Synthroid/Levothyroxine
• Antacids
• Blood pressure medications
• Beta blockers
• Antidepressants
• ADHD medications

The Thyroid

The thyroid is your metabolism and life generator, often underappreciated. Most problems stem from a medical system that doesn’t fully understand what’s happening. You need a full thyroid panel every six months, including:

• TSH
• T4
• T3
• Reverse T3 (an inflammation marker)
• Antibodies for TPO and TGB

If TSH is low, there might be a thyroid problem. If T4 is low, it’s a definite issue. Low T3 indicates gut, liver, and muscle health, not just the thyroid. T3 levels are a better indicator of hair health. If you haven’t had these measured, now’s the time. If your T3 is within range but not optimal (100-180 ng/dL or 3.0-4.0 free T3), let’s chat! If antibody numbers are above 1, you’re starting to develop an autoimmune disorder. You can wait until it becomes a problem, or start prevention now. Your choice, your body, your hair.

Testosterone

When testosterone isn’t appropriately degraded, it converts to DHT, which is like poison to hair follicles. This often happens due to liver and gut health issues.

Restoring Hair Health

How long will it take to restore hair health? Great question. It depends on how long you’ve been damaging it and when you started noticing hair loss. If gut and liver issues persist, so will hair problems. Once corrected, it typically takes 3-6 months to see improvement.

What Can You Do in the Meantime?

• Pure rosemary oil was shown in a 2023 study to be as effective as minoxidil without the side effects, taking about 6 months.
• Saw Palmetto can help.
• Scalp massage.
• Red light therapy three times a day.
• Good healthy fats like salmon, avocado, and raw nuts.
• Avoid hairstyles that pull on hair follicles.

Remember, all of this will take 3-6 months to see any results.