Reducing hair shedding? page 3

[cori93437]

That's a possibility with me...
I'm not a carb nazi at all.

There are carby foods that I enjoy and I treat myself every week or two.
Not really scheduled re-feeds, nor BIG re-feeds... just more carb than normal days that shake things up a bit.
I'm all about living a relaxed and happy life, I just need to be VLC most of the time.

[eKatherine]

I started losing hair after going low carb.

My body seems sensitive to changes, especially my hormones (so hair too), and I think going from super high carb, Pasta, rice, bread postoes, to lots of fat (81%), meat and just a few carbs from fruits...was a shock to my body.

I did not even know I was eating low carb really...but my thyroid also started acting up again and my liver enzymes were very elevated, I was tired, had acne and PMS and shed a lot of hair. I increased my carbs to 150-180g a day, and all of my problems subsided or at least bettered.

That is a remarkably high fat content considering you didn't even seem to be aware you were restricting yourself severely. In fact, you went from one extreme diet to a different one. I'm not surprised you had issues. But then, nor do I think your experience can be generalized.

[Mireia]

That is a remarkably high fat content considering you didn't even seem to be aware you were restricting yourself severely. In fact, you went from one extreme diet to a different one. I'm not surprised you had issues. But then, nor do I think your experience can be generalized.

I had replaced my carbs with fat, because I was trying to gain weight.

Carbs seem to matter for many people. I think depending on our pre existing conditions, some do better LC, and some better eith more carbs. It seems some bodies would need a lot of time and healing to be able to thrive on LC. So while I believe it has benefits, I would not readily recommend it to anyone anymore. If I were to reduce carbs again, I would do say VERY gradually.

[Paleobird]

I had replaced my carbs with fat, because I was trying to gain weight.

There seems to be a pattern developing of those who do really poorly on VLC being people who are already quite lean.

At an 81% fat diet, there would be all kinds of dangers of lack of micronutrients many of which can cause hair loss. If only 19% of your calories are anything other than fat, how are you getting your nutritional bases covered? Even the Atkins For Seizures ketogenic protocol is only 65% fat. There is no need for that kind of extreme.

So basically we have someone here who didn't need to lose weight doing a massively extreme version of a diet that is great for weight loss exposing themselves to nutritional deficiencies in the process but yet blaming the hair loss on the low carbs. Am I missing anything?

[Mireia]

There seems to be a pattern developing of those who do really poorly on VLC being people who are already quite lean.

At an 81% fat diet, there would be all kinds of dangers of lack of micronutrients many of which can cause hair loss. If only 19% of your calories are anything other than fat, how are you getting your nutritional bases covered? Even the Atkins For Seizures ketogenic protocol is only 65% fat. There is no need for that kind of extreme.


So basically we have someone here who didn't need to lose weight doing a massively extreme version of a diet that is great for weight loss exposing themselves to nutritional deficiencies in the process but yet blaming the hair loss on the low carbs. Am I missing anything?

Are you referring to me in the third person If yes -why?

My diet was neither calorie restricted, nor lacking nutrients from a few veggies, meat and fruit. Tests taken also revealed I was not lacking anything. I also wasn't doing it intentionally. I only learned on another Paleo Forum that one should do perfectly fine on meat and fat mostly. Only later when I added up the fat/ carbs/ proteins I discovered it was too high and lowered it.

Besides, I already stated that I went from one extreme to another. Where does it say that I am only blaming LC on it? If I recall correctly I just posted something about adjusting gradually.

[Paleobird]

Are you referring to me in the third person If yes -why?

My diet was neither calorie restricted, nor lacking nutrients from a few veggies, meat and fruit. Tests taken also revealed I was not lacking anything. I also wasn't doing it intentionally. I only learned on another Paleo Forum that one should do perfectly fine on meat and fat mostly. Only later when I added up the fat/ carbs/ proteins I discovered it was too high and lowered it.

Besides, I already stated that I went from one extreme to another. Where does it say that I am only blaming LC on it? If I recall correctly I just posted something about adjusting gradually.

My apologies for the third person phrasing.

Your post starts out with "I started losing hair after going low carb". And, yes, you did agree that your diet was extreme but still this opening line on a thread all about hair loss looks like you are blaming the LC and adds more fuel to the fear mongering fires.

You say your diet was not calorically restricted but, if you are severely underweight and not gaining, you are, by definition under-eating (barring a tapeworm or other nasty condition). Even if you are taking in the RDA for various nutrients, you can still be malnourished. Those are just averages and estimates at best. You need to start a thread entitled "Eat More Food."

[eKatherine]

I already posted this in the EMF thread, but my 6 month long shed is ended. Today I washed my hair after 2 weeks without, and lost almost none.

[Mireia]

Your post starts out with "I started losing hair after going low carb". And, yes, you did agree that your diet was extreme but still this opening line on a thread all about hair loss looks like you are blaming the LC and adds more fuel to the fear mongering fires.

That is merely an indicator of a point of time. After I ditched the carbs I replaced them with fat to the point where it was too much. It does not change my statement. I don't wish to be part of the carb wars here on the forum. I simply describe my experiences.

You say your diet was not calorically restricted but, if you are severely underweight and not gaining, you are, by definition under-eating (barring a tapeworm or other nasty condition). Even if you are taking in the RDA for various nutrients, you can still be malnourished. Those are just averages and estimates at best. You need to start a thread entitled "Eat More Food."

I was underweight, but not severely. I ate up to 3700 cals. The reason I did not gain was probably an absorption problem, caused by damage done to my intestinal tract. I suspect I might have had a low grade, undetected gluten issue. However, I am able to gain now, and I have gained.
Why would I need to start a thread with that title? The problem seems to be either a too fast metabolism or calorie absorption. I find the title would be misleading.

[Paleobird]

That is merely an indicator of a point of time. After I ditched the carbs I replaced them with fat to the point where it was too much. It does not change my statement. I don't wish to be part of the carb wars here on the forum. I simply describe my experiences.

Fair enough. Those who wish to scare off people investigating low carb eating often misuse statement such as yours. And, yes, the carb wars are silly.

I was underweight, but not severely. I ate up to 3700 cals. The reason I did not gain was probably an absorption problem, caused by damage done to my intestinal tract. I suspect I might have had a low grade, undetected gluten issue. However, I am able to gain now, and I have gained.
Why would I need to start a thread with that title? The problem seems to be either a too fast metabolism or calorie absorption. I find the title would be misleading.

I'm glad to hear that you are getting the problem sorted out. The absorption issue due to a damaged gut plus a gluten intolerance would do it. That's the sort of thing I was talking about when I said, "barring having a tapeworm or some other condition." So, no, "Eat More Food" would not be the title of your thread. It would be more like "Absorb more of what you eat".