This Morning: Liz Earle discusses supplements for hair loss
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Some degree of hair loss and thinning can be a natural side-effect of ageing. However, there is a wealth of research to suggest that dietary choices could be linked with a decline in your hair’s health.
Booze, and how much you consume each week, could be a leading factor in frail follicles, according to Dr Earim Chaudry, medical director at men’s health platform Manual.
He pointed out that although there is “no direct link between alcohol and hair loss”, how many drinks you consume on a weekly basis can still impact how full your hair looks overall.
Dr Chaudry said: “Heavy drinking can in fact lead to nutritional deficiencies or hormonal issues, which in turn can thin out your remaining locks”.
Drinking too much alcohol can contribute to deficiencies or malabsorption of zinc, copper or protein.
There are a number of studies to show that not getting enough of these nutrients can lead to hair shedding over time.
Zinc and folic acid are both known to help maintain the strength and thickness of hair.
Unfortunately, excessive consumption of alcohol can rob your body of these vital nutrients and lead to hair breakage and thinning.
There is also some speculation that a lack of iron could actually result in hair loss.
Though a 2021 study looked to confirm this theory, scientists determined that the results were “inconsistent”.
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Despite this, it is clear that a poor diet and a lack of nutrients can interfere with the way the body processes and uses food during digestion.
In particular, drinking alcohol can interfere with the absorption of protein.
Furthermore, drinking booze on a regular basis can disrupt a balanced diet and see people reaching for fewer healthy forms of protein.
In 2002, scientists from the University of Portsmouth found a deficiency in protein can lead to hair issues, as well as cause problems for skin and nails.
How many alcoholic drinks are “safe” each week?
Excessive alcohol consumption is not only bad for your hair, but it can also have a negative impact on your overall health.
According to the NHS, both men and women are advised not to drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week.
The health service states: “Units are a simple way of expressing the quantity of pure alcohol in a drink.
“One unit equals 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol, which is around the amount of alcohol the average adult can process in an hour.”
The number of units in a drink is based on the size of a drink, as well as its alcohol strength.
People are advised to spread their drinking over three or more days if they regularly drink as much as 14 units per week.
How can you boost your hair’s health?
There are a number of ways to combat hair loss and damage.
As well as reducing how many alcoholic drinks you consume on a weekly basis, it is also advised that people eat a well-rounded diet.
This includes eating plenty of iron-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, beans and grains, an array of high-protein foods such as lean meats and seafood, and food rich in omega-3 acids such as fish, flax seeds and walnuts.
Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water can also boost the overall health of your hair.
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