The causes and the facts
THERE IS NO SINGLE CAUSE OF THINNING HAIR; THERE ARE MANY
Thinning hair affects men and women of all ages. The cause is often genetic, and can also be triggered by certain life stages. Hair cells reproduce at a faster rate than any other in our bodies, so they are also sensitive to changes in our health or environment. Addressing thinning begins with understanding what causes and contributes to it, and the early warning signs to look out for.
GENETICS
A common family predisposition involves natural, age-related hormonal changes that can trigger hair loss. This is caused by the conversion of testosterone
» TESTOSTERONETestosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testicles of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands. It is the principal male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid.
into the toxin Dihydrotestosterone (DHT» DHTDihydrotestosterone , or 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT), also known as androstanolone (5α-androstan-17β-ol-3-one) as well as 17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one, is a sex steroid and androgen hormone. The enzyme 5α-reductase synthesizes DHT in the prostate, testes, hair follicles, and adrenal glands. This enzyme reduces the 4,5 double-bond of the hormone testosterone.) and can be inherited from either your mother or your father.
STRESS AND TRAUMA
Stress can produce increased levels of testosterone» TESTOSTERONETestosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group and is found in mammals, reptiles, birds, and other vertebrates. In mammals, testosterone is primarily secreted in the testicles of males and the ovaries of females, although small amounts are also secreted by the adrenal glands. It is the principal male sex hormone and an anabolic steroid., which converts to DHT» DHTDihydrotestosterone , or 5α-dihydrotestosterone (5α-DHT), also known as androstanolone (5α-androstan-17β-ol-3-one) as well as 17β-hydroxy-5α-androstan-3-one, is a sex steroid and androgen hormone. The enzyme 5α-reductase synthesizes DHT in the prostate, testes, hair follicles, and adrenal glands. This enzyme reduces the 4,5 double-bond of the hormone testosterone. and interrupts the hair’s growth cycle. Stress also constricts blood supply through the capillaries, restricting oxygen and nutrient uptake and vitamins to the hair follicle.
NUTRITION AND DIET
What you eat can play a significant role in hair thinning. A high consumption of animal fats, rapid weight loss and liquid protein» PROTEINProteins are large biological molecules consisting of one or more chains of amino acids. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within living organisms, including catalyzing metabolic reactions, replicating DNA, responding to stimuli, and transporting molecules from one location to another. Proteins differ from one another primarily in their sequence of amino acids, which is dictated by the nucleotide sequence of their genes, and which usually results in folding of the protein into a specific three-dimensional structure that determines its activity. diets can result in a lack of amino acids, biotin» BIOTINBiotin, also known as vitamin H or coenzyme R, is a water-soluble B-vitamin ., iron» IRONIron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element (by mass) forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust. Iron's very common presence in rocky planets like Earth is due to its abundant production as a result of fusion in high-mass stars, where the production of nickel-56 (which decays to the most common isotope of iron) is the last nuclear fusion reaction that is exothermic. This causes radioactive nickel to become the last element to be produced before collapse of a supernova leads to the explosive events that scatter this precursor radionuclide of iron abundantly into space., protein» PROTEINProteins are large biological molecules consisting of one or more chains of amino acids. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within living organisms, including catalyzing metabolic reactions, replicating DNA, responding to stimuli, and transporting molecules from one location to another. Proteins differ from one another primarily in their sequence of amino acids, which is dictated by the nucleotide sequence of their genes, and which usually results in folding of the protein into a specific three-dimensional structure that determines its activity. and zinc» ZINCZinc, in commerce also spelter, is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element of group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2. Zinc is the 24th most abundant element in the Earth's crust and has five stable isotopes. The most common zinc ore is sphalerite , a zinc sulfide mineral. The largest mineable amounts are found in Australia, Asia, and the United States. Zinc production includes froth flotation of the ore, roasting, and final extraction using electricity (electrowinning). — all of which are essential for healthy-looking hair.
MEDICATION
The hair follicle is incredibly sensitive to changes in the body. Any hormone therapy (including birth control) can contribute to hair thinning, as can steroids, specific chemotherapies, and medication for blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and acne.