I am a woman losing my hair. Help!
Question
I am a woman who is losing my hair. You can see my scalp now. This is very distressing, what can I do?
Answer
Hair loss can have several causes but the most common reasons clinically are insulin resistance and hypothyroidism.
Insulin resistance in women elevates the male hormone testosterone, which can cause hair loss, excess facial hair, a deepening voice, aggression, and other male characteristics. This is because insulin resistance triggers an enzyme called 17,20 lyase in women that over produces testosterone.
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance is very common today and is a stepping-stone to diabetes. It is brought on by overeating and a diet high in sugar and starchy foods: breads, rice, pasta, pastries, potatoes, soda, sweet coffee drinks, and more.
This diet causes the body to overproduce insulin in order to lower chronically high blood sugar. Too much caffeine can have the same effect. Eventually these constant surges of insulin exhaust the body’s cells and they refuse entry to the insulin.
Hypothyroidism
Another common cause of hair loss is low thyroid activity, or hypothyroidism. Other symptoms include fatigue, weight gain, constipation, cold hands and feet, low libido, and depression.
Must address Hashimoto’s
The use of thyroid hormone medication can sometimes halt or reverse hair loss. However for 90 percent of Americans, an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s causes hypothyroidism. If this immune imbalance goes unaddressed, hair loss may continue despite thyroid medication.
It is common to see women suffer from both insulin resistance and hypothyroidism, causing a double whammy for hair loss.
Natural therapies proven to work
In addition to dietary therapy and lifestyle adjustments, many scientifically backed herbs, compounds, and nutrients have been shown to stabilize blood sugar, reverse insulin resistance, restore balance to a malfunctioning immune system, and even stimulate the flow of blood to the head, which can foster renewed hair growth. When combined with diet and lifestyle changes, these natural medicine approaches can offer true and lasting solutions.
