Is hair loss linked with the consumption of beverages?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 40-year-old male who has developed a habit of consuming beverages, especially soft drinks and soda, with every meal. Recently, I have come across information suggesting a link between soft drinks and pattern hair loss. I have noticed hair loss on the sides and top of my head near the scalp. Could you shed light on the connection between pattern hair loss and the consumption of these beverages? What lifestyle changes can I make to mitigate the impact on my hair health? Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com

I can understand your concern.

Male pattern hair loss (MPHL) is certainly a very common condition. It has a strong genetic and hormonal cause. This is the reason, it usually starts after puberty when there is an increase in androgen hormone production. It is a heritable disorder, a concept supported by the results of familial studies. A study of 572 males (ages 16 to 91 years) evaluated in a dermatology clinic for concerns unrelated to MPHL found that participants under 30 years of age with a balding father were more than five times more likely to have MPHL than similarly aged participants with fathers without the condition.

As far as other influencing lifestyle and psychological factors are concerned, they show a variable association. These include anxiety, sleep time, age, body mass index (BMI), disease history, physical activities, nutrition, and smoking. Dietary intake is considered to play an important role, and numerous studies have indicated the negative effect of a high-fat and sugar diet on MPHL. The high consumption of added sugars might influence hair loss by triggering some glucose or polyol pathways. An interesting study was conducted in China recently where they saw an association between sugar beverages and MPHL. The association was also seen with beverages using artificial sweeteners, however, it was not observed with sweet tea and coffee, suggesting caffeine has a potential protective role. As this is only one study, the association between sugar-sweetened beverage intake and MPHL needs to be confirmed by additional studies.

Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, hair loss may still occur due to strong hormonal and genetic causes. There are fortunately good treatment options if you want to consider them. These include both applicable or topical and oral options. Please let me know the extent of your hair loss or can send a picture if you are interested, and I can explain and prescribe further.

I hope this information will help you.

Thank you.