This popular drink could cause premature hair loss, according to study

Hair loss is usually nothing to worry about, although sometimes it could be a sign of a medical condition. Also, if there’s a family history of hair loss or baldness, you probably have it coming, so there’s limited external risk. Now, if you don’t have that genetic background, you might be interested in learning that a new study has linked premature hair loss to the consumption of fizzy drinks.

Hair loss and sugar

According to the NHS, it’s normal to lose between 50 and 100 hairs a day often without even noticing. Researchers at Tsinghua University in Beijing have found that the risk of losing hair increases with drinking even one can or bottle of fizzy drink in a day.Healthline explains that this could be because high sugar intake tends to trigger polyol pathways, leading to hair loss.

The American Academy of Dermatology Association says male pattern hair loss (MPHL) by the age of 50, half of all white men will have this type of hair loss, although it can sometimes occur as early as teenage years. Dr Sharon Wong, one of the authors of the recent study published in the journal Nutrientssaid:

Hair follicle cells are the second fastest dividing cells in the body and require all the nutrients of a well-balanced healthy diet. This includes lean proteins, good carbohydrates and fats, vitamins and minerals, but there is no one superfood for hair.

Misleading?

The researchers looked at data gathered from 1,028 Chinese men between the ages of 18 and 45 that was collected between January and April 2022. Analysis of the data revealed a significant association between drinking sugar-sweetened beverages and male hair loss. Also, higher consumption levels appeared to increase this risk even further, according to Healthline.

However, speaking to the health news outlet, Dr Susan Massick at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, urges caution in interpreting what these results mean.

The study findings do not support the misleading conclusion that sugar-sweetened beverages increase the risk of male pattern hair loss. Diet does play a critical role in your overall health; however, male-pattern hair loss is multifactorial. This study does not prove a causal effect that indulging in sugar-sweetened drinks induces male pattern thinning.

Sources used:

Healthline: Can Drinking 1 Soda a Day Really Increase Your Risk of Hair Loss?

Ladbible: Study finds drinking energy drinks causes hair loss in men