Hashimoto’s is a debilitating condition that affects millions of people worldwide. It is an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid gland, leading to a decrease in metabolism and a host of other symptoms. One of the most common symptoms of Hashimoto’s is hair loss, which can be a significant source of distress for those who suffer from it. Hair loss and hair thinning are tricky symptoms that often come along with Hashimoto’s, and the reason for that is that the cause is typically multifactorial in nature.
In this article, we will discuss the three most common reasons for hair loss in Hashimoto’s and provide you with some context and information that you can consider to help and potentially support these different areas.
The other common symptom that many people with thyroid issues deal with is hair loss. So let’s start out today by jumping into our first potential cause, which is autoimmune inflammation associated with our thyroid gland.
If you’ve watched my content before, you’ll know that there’s a difference between having a problem with the quantity of thyroid hormone in the body and the utilization of that hormone in the body. When it comes to Hashimoto’s, we often have an issue with the utilization, and the reason for that is due to the inflammation that is associated with the autoimmune process. That means that even if you’re taking your medication and your labs all look good, you can still have symptoms because the inflammation that comes from the immune system can interrupt or block that hormone from binding and activating our cells. If we have blocking of that last step, then we’re going to have a decrease in metabolism, and that can strongly impact areas like our hair growth.
To improve this part of our physiology, it’s not usually about taking more medication, nor is it about taking things like iodine or tryptophan to try to boost our thyroid activity. Instead, what we want to do is focus on the immune system because that’s the part of our body that isn’t working right and leading to changes in the way that our thyroid gland is working. The best way to do this is by reducing potential inflammatory triggers, which most commonly include things like diet, infections, emotional stress, and environmental toxins. Then from there, we can do things to help support the way our immune system works by looking at anti-inflammatory compounds and potential deficiencies in micronutrients.
Are you struggling with hair loss or changes in hair texture due to Hashimoto’s? You’re not alone. In fact, about 63% of Hashimoto’s patients report having issues with their hair. In this video, we’ll explore the relationship between Hashimoto’s and hair problems and discuss some nutrient deficiencies that may be contributing to your bad hair days.
Section 1: Why Hair Loss and Hashimoto’s Are Related
Hair loss and hair problems are common with Hashimoto’s. When hair loss becomes an issue, it can feel like your internal illness is now external, and people can see that you’re experiencing symptoms of ill health. This can be concerning, as we not only want to feel our best but also look our best. Changes to your hair as a result of Hashimoto’s usually have to do with nutrient deficiencies.
Section 2: How the Thyroid is Related to Hair
Thyroid hormones, such as T3 and T4, stimulate the health of the hair follicle, where the body manufactures the production of keratin, the key ingredient to healthy hair. These hormones are responsible for supporting the healthy production of keratin and prolonging the phase of growth in the life cycle of hair. Thyroid hormones also help to trigger the synthesis of melanin in hair, which gives hair its beautiful color. Depending on what color hair you have, that color is partly responsible for the availability of thyroid hormones.
Section 3: Nutrient Deficiencies and Hair Problems
Nutrient deficiencies can lead to more hair loss, hair texture, hair color problems, and changes related to the dysfunction of the thyroid gland.
Iron
The first nutrient deficiency is iron deficiency. Ferritin, which is the blood protein that contains iron, may be low in both a hypothyroid person and those with hair loss. Ferritin is stored in hair follicles, so when iron stores in the body get low, that ferritin may be called on from hair stores to deliver iron to the other areas of the body that have the greatest need for iron. This leaves the hair without the necessary ferritin and creates a weaker hair follicle overall. Replenishing iron stores through high-quality meat-rich red meat, grass-fed beef, bison, elk, venison, lamb, etc., is one of the best ways to restore those iron levels.
Biotin
The second nutrient is biotin, a B vitamin critical for hair health, as well as skin and nails. Biotin helps improve the body’s use of keratin. Foods that are rich in biotin include organ meats, eggs, fish, meat, seeds, nuts, and certain vegetables (such as sweet potatoes). However, biotin supplementation may interfere with thyroid hormone blood tests, so be careful if your doctor is in the process of trying to adjust or regulate your medication. You have to stop biotin 4-6 days before the lab draw if you are going to test your thyroid hormone levels.
Zinc
The third nutrient is zinc, which is found in red meat, shellfish, certain mushrooms, nuts and seeds, legumes, and spinach. Zinc deficiencies are pretty common and are usually associated with skin, hair, and nail conditions. Low levels of zinc may also be another reason why some women experience premature graying.
Unfortunately, for some people, hair loss is irreversible – I was not able to regrow my eyebrow hair back, so I constantly have to fill in my eyebrows. Even more upsetting is the fact that microblading and other semi-permanent techniques did not work for my skin and eyebrows.
Hair loss and hair problems are common with Hashimoto’s, but nutrient deficiencies may be contributing to your bad hair days. Replenishing iron stores, incorporating biotin-rich foods, and ensuring adequate zinc intake may help restore those beautiful luscious locks.
In regards to supplements, I like to use things like glutathione, curcumin, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D. Still, if you’ve used other compounds like alpha-lipoic acid or CoQ10 or resveratrol, and they seem to work well for you as well, then that’s totally fine. We always want to make sure that we have a thought process behind the selection we’re making and that it’s also fitting well with our body.