9 Scary Reasons Why Drinking Alcohol Might Cause Hair Loss
So let us get this out of the way: not everyone who drinks alcohol experiences hair loss related to alcohol. You might know an alcoholic or two with a head full of hair; everyone has a different biochemistry. What causes an allergic reaction to you like dust and pollen might not bother someone else at all. Even what is deadly for you (peanuts, hazelnuts, fava beans, etc.) might be a delicious and healthy snack or a meal for someone else.
Well then, moving back to our topic, we see that prolonged use of alcohol and also binge drinking cause hair loss for many people. Here are the reasons:
Alcohol Causes Fluctuations in Blood Sugar
Glucose is a vital part of our metabolism. It is the sugar found in our bloodstream. Our brain needs a steady supply of glucose to function and conduct the functions of other vital organs. Our body adapts to ways in which we consume food and does its best at keeping blood sugar levels stable. But the thing about alcohol is: the liver breaks it down to glucose at some point in metabolisation.
When too much glucose finds its way into the bloodstream, a thing we call “blood sugar spike” occurs. People with diabetes or insulin resistance are extra susceptible to this. Their body cannot produce or react to insulin. This is the hormone responsible for blood glucose downregulation, and people with such conditions. And as if the glucose that comes from breaking down alcohol is not enough, many alcoholic drinks (especially cocktails) contain sugary substances in them.
And on top of these concerns, a wide study conducted in Finland demonstrated there are more to be afraid about concerning alcohol. The study suggested that people with moderate or heavy alcohol intake habits also eat unhealthily, and they often have multiple nutritional deficiencies. In the reports, we see that moderate and heavy drinkers get lower amounts of iron, retinol, calcium and fibre. Nutritional deficiencies are a key factor in hair loss as well.
Dehydration
Alcohol puts quite a strain on the kidneys. It is a pretty effective diuretic, meaning that it causes the consumer to urinate more often. It’s the reason why alcohol causes hangovers too. Our body consists of 65% water on average so it cannot mean something good about your hair, right? That is exactly the case here.
- Hair is around 40-50% of the water in mass
- Losing water means losing elasticity in hair and decreased nutrient circulation in blood.
Both of which can wreak havoc on your scalp.
While a night out is not likely to make you go bald, moderation is still quite important when it comes to alcohol.