Hello all - first time poster here...

It has been roughly 9 months since I started my diet/exercise routine for fat loss (I started Aug. 1st, '05). I began at 310 (probably higher, but the scale could only handle up to 310) and 49% BF, and am currently 199, 22.5% B.F. My progress thus far has been amazing. My only concern has been that, along with the fat, I am losing a rather significant amount of hair!

About 2 months after I started, I noticed a LOT of hair coming out in the shower - much more than normal. I noticed it on my head first, and then realized that it was easily coming out of my chest, arms, legs, and even pubic region. Has anyone else experienced this with their fat loss? I did al little research, and it is supposedly called "telogen effluvium" - a temporary hair loss brought about by a shock to your body. It is supposed to only last for about 6 months, though I'm still shedding considerably (although shedding the pounds as well!)

My diet is about 1800 calories in 5-6 meals per day, cardio 4-5 times per week, 30 mins 70-80% max heart rate. I take a whole range of vitamins, and am also getting about 100g. protein via meat and supplements. Has anyone else experienced hair loss without "crash dieting"? Did it grow back? I don't know if I'm doing something wrong w/my diet, or if this hair loss is simply a consequence of losing a lot of weight, rather quickly.

Any thoughts?

It has been roughly 9 months since I started my diet/exercise routine for fat loss (I started Aug. 1st, '05). I began at 310 (probably higher, but the scale could only handle up to 310) and 49% BF, and am currently 199, 22.5% B.F. My progress thus far has been amazing. My only concern has been that, along with the fat, I am losing a rather significant amount of hair!

My diet is about 1800 calories in 5-6 meals per day, cardio 4-5 times per week, 30 mins 70-80% max heart rate. I take a whole range of vitamins, and am also getting about 100g. protein via meat and supplements. Has anyone else experienced hair loss without "crash dieting"? Did it grow back? I don't know if I'm doing something wrong w/my diet, or if this hair loss is simply a consequence of losing a lot of weight, rather quickly.

You lose over 12 pounds a month that can be a shock especially if you keep it up as long as you have. But Big congrads on your loss of weight. Don't have anything to suggest on hair.

I do have a BIG suggestion on exercise, you need to have an effective weight training program going. You probally lost a great deal of muscle. Cardio builds little if any muscle. As long as you kept on diet, you have lost some muscle and lowered metabolism. Start weight training! It might help your hair,:tucool: who knows.

A certain amount of hair loss every shower is normal but it sounds like you are over that. Call a doctor today. Hair loss like that usually means something is very wrong. Two things I wont mess with. Hair falling out like a cancer patient or blood in my urine.

A few years ago I lost 125 pounds....

The entire time I was losing, I was shedding!

As soon as I got to maintenance mode, the shedding stopped!

t

Hello all - first time poster here...

It has been roughly 9 months since I started my diet/exercise routine for fat loss (I started Aug. 1st, '05). I began at 310 (probably higher, but the scale could only handle up to 310) and 49% BF, and am currently 199, 22.5% B.F. My progress thus far has been amazing. My only concern has been that, along with the fat, I am losing a rather significant amount of hair!

About 2 months after I started, I noticed a LOT of hair coming out in the shower - much more than normal. I noticed it on my head first, and then realized that it was easily coming out of my chest, arms, legs, and even pubic region. Has anyone else experienced this with their fat loss? I did al little research, and it is supposedly called "telogen effluvium" - a temporary hair loss brought about by a shock to your body. It is supposed to only last for about 6 months, though I'm still shedding considerably (although shedding the pounds as well!)

My diet is about 1800 calories in 5-6 meals per day, cardio 4-5 times per week, 30 mins 70-80% max heart rate. I take a whole range of vitamins, and am also getting about 100g. protein via meat and supplements. Has anyone else experienced hair loss without "crash dieting"? Did it grow back? I don't know if I'm doing something wrong w/my diet, or if this hair loss is simply a consequence of losing a lot of weight, rather quickly.

Any thoughts?


i'd kick that protein way up! 100grms ain't jack.

You know, when I was cutting good about 2 years ago:lol:
...towards the end I thought I noticed something similar. Like thinning or something.
Although it could be the way my hair was cut...so I really don't know.

Now it's all good and thick especially for my age;)

Keep us posted.

A certain amount of hair loss every shower is normal but it sounds like you are over that. Call a doctor today. Hair loss like that usually means something is very wrong. Two things I wont mess with. Hair falling out like a cancer patient or blood in my urine.


Geeze, you're gonna scare the guy! Hair only falls out in cancer patients due to chemotherapy, not due to the cancer itself. Also, he could easily have male pattern baldness, and has reached the age where it has accellerated. Due to the way natural hair loss on the head happens, it often seems like it's "going all at once all of a sudden", when in reality it has been thinning for years, but only recently became noticible.

Sure, it's never a bad idea to check with a doctor if you're concerned about something, but chances are this is nothing.

I'm going to up my protein, and see what happens. I have been doing a little more research, and evidently this is VERY common with people who have gastric bypass surgery. Either from inadequate nutrition or losing a lot of weight quickly (or both), it's not supposed to be a big deal, so I'll see what happens.

I really don't think it's male pattern baldness, in that I'm only 19, and my hairline hasn't changed AT ALL. MPB's early signs are receding at the temples, of which I have none. Also, my hair is coming out in visible amounts (at times, handsful!), which is also not characteristic of MPB. (with MPB, hair falls out at a normal rate, but it grows in smaller and thinner).


It'll probably work itself out - I was just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience, given how many people here have lost 80+ pounds.

I read something the other day. I don't have a source, as I was just surfin', but it mentioned that hairloss definately speeds up at a caloric deficit, especially if you're extremely low. Your calories might be too low for your level of activity and age. It's hard to say, but I don't think it's a permanent thing.

I have experienced the same thing. I am 44 started at 300, now 228. I alternate days weights then cardio. I noticed two things. the first was that i seemed to be growing more hair like on my arms and shoulders, the other is that i seem to be losing hair on my head although I am not going bald by any stretch. I am sure they are related to weight loss and working out. It is a small price to pay. I actually think that I am growing more hair on my head as well which is making it seem as if more is coming out if that makes any sense.

Great job on losing all that weight, I can't wait to crack the 200 lbs threshold.

I've had almost the exact opposite reaction. Since I've been working out it seems I'm getting hair in areas on my arms and back that have been bare all my life. I personally attribute it to an increase in circulation there. I can't wait until I get to the point where I get to shave it all off and reveal my rippedness.

As far as hair on my head. Thick hair and my father never had a problem with it.

I want to add that when I added some fat back into my diet I noticed it getting thicker.....I was cutting for long time...like the above poster mentioned when I switched to a more "maintanence" nutrition plan is when
"I" thought it was getting thicker.


As a matter of fact, everytime I eat a boatload of protein and fat my facial hair, eyebrows and hair in general grows like a weed!
What's that tell ya;)

It could be that you do have TE - crash diets can definitely cause hair loss. A couple of years ago I started an Atkin's type diet and I soon developed Alopecia Areata (bald spots) and thinning in other areas. It did grow back in the bald areas due to Kenalog shots but even now it still isn't as thick as it was prior. It's been 2.5 years and I'm still fighting it. So yeah, a shock to your system can cause it and the loss maybe temporary but the regrowth is very slow.

Geeze, you're gonna scare the guy! Hair only falls out in cancer patients due to chemotherapy, not due to the cancer itself. Also, he could easily have male pattern baldness, and has reached the age where it has accellerated. Due to the way natural hair loss on the head happens, it often seems like it's "going all at once all of a sudden", when in reality it has been thinning for years, but only recently became noticible.

Sure, it's never a bad idea to check with a doctor if you're concerned about something, but chances are this is nothing.

I know why hair falls out on cancer patients. I doubt he has male pattern baldness on his pubes. He said its falling out of there too as well as the rest of his body.

Calories arent dangerously low. 100g of protein is not dangerously low and he is eating vitamins. He is not malnourished so something is happening.

You lost 12 pounds a month while not being malnourished. 12 pounds a month is a huge number. Did I read something wrong? Something is strange here. Something is not adding up.

edit: I take it back. I am thinking that after cardio you are averaging less than 1500 calories a day. This is probably your problem. I would double those calories for a 200 pound guy.

In addition, if your hair started falling out at 2-3 months after (the usual starting timespan) the initial shock, shedding continues for approx. 6 months. However, noticable regrowth takes another 6 months to a year after the shedding stops so you're looking at a long term thing. Not to scare you or anything, this is just the facts. Look on the bright side, if you're shedding all over your body, it most likely ain't male pattern baldness which is permanent.

In my case with AA, I had bald spots on the front and side of my head about the size of a golf ball. How do you explain to people the cause of that? LOL...

Maybe have a look at your zinc and selenium intakes. Maybe you're getting too little selenium (or indeed too much, which I think can also cause hair-loss).

It could be that you do have TE - crash diets can definitely cause hair loss. A couple of years ago I started an Atkin's type diet and I soon developed Alopecia Areata (bald spots) and thinning in other areas. It did grow back in the bald areas due to Kenalog shots but even now it still isn't as thick as it was prior. It's been 2.5 years and I'm still fighting it. So yeah, a shock to your system can cause it and the loss maybe temporary but the regrowth is very slow.


What's TE stand for?

same here regarding hair loss <--> fat loss.

Hair got thinner and thinner and developed considerable receding brow.

As soon I upped my caloric intake it got better again.

I was on a very low caloric / low fat diet.
Maybe a lack of good fats I think.

Josh

What's TE stand for?


from above:
and it is supposedly called "telogen effluvium" - a temporary hair loss brought about by a shock to your body.

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I'd think you'd still want to see a doc just to get a medical opinion. What's happening isn't normal. You obviously have concerns otherwise you wouldn't waste your time trying to diagnose it yourself.

It's probaby been brought on by a lack of calories and the extreme weightloss. Also what made up those cals? How much fat/cabs/pro? I'm betting you went extremely low fat.

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I'd think you'd still want to see a doc just to get a medical opinion. What's happening isn't normal. You obviously have concerns otherwise you wouldn't waste your time trying to diagnose it yourself.

It's probaby been brought on by a lack of calories and the extreme weightloss. Also what made up those cals? How much fat/cabs/pro? I'm betting you went extremely low fat.


thanks...just got done deadlifting and was a little foggy:lol:

When I did a cut of losing 40 lbs, I noticed that I was shedding alot, then I took a pill that a doctor recomended and it had, certin side effects that lead me to bein abit depressed and gain some weight back, but my hair stopped fallin out, so now I'm cutting again, but alot slower and it seems that it ain't fallin out for now. I think that during my first cut it was mainly with cardio, but now I'm doing a majority of lifting and it might be giving me a testostorone boast..... just an idea....

I think that during my first cut it was mainly with cardio, but now I'm doing a majority of lifting and it might be giving me a testostorone boast..... just an idea....

Thanks for the suggestion. I know my strength training is definitely lacking, and I'm going to get started with it in earnest again this week. Starting out at 310+ pounds months ago, I couldn't really see any merit in strength training, as I wanted my main focus to be cardio for maximum fat loss. Now that I'm at 22% BF, I can see that strength training/bulking can definitely help the hanging fat on my abs, lovehandles, and tits. (and yeah, I'm a guy who happens to have massively fatty, pendulous tits...hoping I won't need surgery for them)

Dude,

I don't know this has anything to do with it but, I've heard and read many times that you should never eat below your BMR. It seems to me that you are eating way below your required number of calories.

Would anyone else like to comment?

This has happened to me too.

At age 21 I started losing a lot of fat and coincidentally my hairline started creeping back.

I've lost 120+lbs and still am cutting at age 25 and haven't shown much progress of growing it back. I am at a caloric deficit and keep my diet in the 20% fat macro range.

FWIW...