9 Causes Of Hair Loss And Weight Gain In Women

Hair loss and weight gain may go hand in hand. The effects of obesity often include fatigue, breathlessness, and knee pain. However, losing your strands is not caused directly by gaining too much weight. Instead, it may have to do with deficiencies or underlying health conditions associated with obesity.

This article explains the possible connection between weight gain and hair loss if you are experiencing both. Take a look.

Hair Loss And Weight Gain: What Is The Link?

Excess weight gain and high body mass index (BMI) are associated with multiple health issues and metabolic syndromes that may trigger hair loss. Numerous studies have found a connection between weight gain and hair loss:

• A study on Taiwanese men reported that higher BMI could increase the severity of androgenic alopecia (hair loss) (1).
• Metabolic syndromes like waist circumference and hypertension also trigger female pattern hair loss. A study demonstrated that the severity of pattern baldness increased with weight gain (2).
• A study on middle-aged women concluded that insulin resistance could increase the risk of androgenic alopecia (AGA), especially in women with a family history of AGA (3). Obesity is also one of the causes of insulin resistance (4).

Multiple underlying conditions can trigger unexplained weight gain or vice-versa. This complex process can cause an avalanche of issues, including hair loss. In the next section, we take a deeper dive into the possible causes of sudden weight gain and hair loss.

Causes of Hair Loss And Weight Gain In Women

• Thyroid Disorders

The thyroid gland is responsible for regulating multiple metabolic functions in the body. An imbalance in thyroid hormones is linked to hair thinning and alopecia areata.

Christina, a blogger detailing her daily life experiences, opens up about her weight loss journey. Reflecting on the challenges, she shares, “And then, my health took a horrible turn, I had to take some medication temporarily while they tried to get my thyroid back in balance, and I ended up gaining thirty pounds in two months. Seriously discouraging (i).”

Studies found that lack of thyroid hormones and hypothyroidism, especially T3 and T4 hormones, could cause hair fall, lack of hair pigments, and other issues. Thyroid disorders are also associated with dry skin, fatigue, and irregular periods (5), (6), (7), (8).

On the other hand, hyperthyroidism or an overactive thyroid may affect growth and development of hair at the root. Research suggests that hyperthyroidism may cause oxidative stress, which may cause hair shedding, patches of hair loss, or even lead to baldness over time (9). Plus, patients with hyperthyroidism may gain weight due to treatment-induced hypothyroidism (10).

• Reproductive Hormonal Imbalance

The hair cycle in women changes during pregnancy, and diffuse hair loss is common in postpartum women. Although the exact mechanism is not clear, the shifts in the reproductive hormone levels can be one possible reason. It is common to experience hormonal hair loss and weight gain during these situations (11). However, the hair cycle normalizes once the hormone levels stabilize.

Trivia

On average, a woman loses 100-150 hair a day. During postpartum, the numbers can increase to 300 hairs per day, and this condition is known as telogen effluvium.

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Women with PCOS experience abnormalities in androgen and estrogen metabolism.

Excess estrogen is often linked to both weight gain and hair loss. On the other hand, excess androgen levels or hyperandrogenism also cause female pattern baldness.

However, the relationship between excess androgen (such as testosterone) and hair loss in women is not clear (12), (13). It is widely speculated that the androgen derivatives (especially DHT) block the hair follicles, causing hair loss.

A survey conducted with 1006 women who did not seek any special help for hair loss in a dermatology clinic revealed that 19% of them had female pattern hair loss (FPHL). Of the participants, 3% of women were in their 20s, 17% in their 50s, and 23% in their 50s.

• Menopause

Hair loss during menopause is quite common. During this stage of life, the estrogen and progesterone levels decrease in women. Low progesterone levels often lead to increased androgen levels. This shift in hormones during menopause causes hair fall, mood swings, and weight gain (14).

• Stress

Stressful situations, such as surgery, psychological and emotional stress, crash diet, illness, and injuries, can influence the normal hair cycle and cause telogen effluvium (hair loss) (15). Increased cortisol levels cause redistribution of adipose tissue to the abdominal region, increasing your craving for comfort food. This often leads to abdominal obesity. It also affects your metabolism and causes various metabolic syndromes (16).

Trivia

Nashville star Hayden Panettiere opened up in Women’s Health magazine about her struggle with weight gain and hair loss. It was a direct result of the immense stress and anxiety she was under, which had also led her to alcoholism.

• Adrenal Fatigue

Long-term stress activates the adrenal glands and causes adrenal fatigue. These glands regulate adrenaline and cortisol. When they are overworked, they produce more cortisol and cannot keep up with other demands of the body, causing fatigue, sleeplessness, weight gain, low immunity, and hair loss. Animal studies have linked hair loss to increased adrenal activity (17).

The best way to combat this is to take care of your diet and sleeping patterns. Improve your lifestyle through stress management and physical activity to minimize adrenal fatigue.

• Prescription Medications

Prescription medicines like antidepressants, anti-seizure medication, and corticosteroids may cause weight gain and hair loss (18) (19). Hair loss triggered by medications is temporary, and normal hair growth resumes once you stop the medication. Consult a licensed medical practitioner if the hair loss persists.

• Poor Nutrition

Eating unhealthy and processed food and lack of proper nutrition from crash diets can play havoc with your health, leading to weight gain and hair loss. Lack of essential nutrients and trace elements like iron, zinc, fatty acids, vitamins A and E, amino acids, biotin, and protein can cause hair loss (20).

Iron deficiency can increase the risk of developing alopecia or hair loss (21). Plus, iron deficiency can lead to low energy levels in the body due to the body not having enough red blood cells. This may lead to fatigue and weakness. This, in turn, may lead to reduced physical activity and eventually cause weight gain (22)

• Prediabetes

Metabolic diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, heart health, and obesity are all interlinked (23). If you are predisposed to diabetes or any of the conditions, there is a likelihood that you might have an insulin imbalance or high BMI. Insulin resistance can increase your chance of developing androgenic alopecia (3).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can hormones cause weight gain and hair loss?

Yes, hormonal changes related to thyroid hormones and reproductive hormones (like estrogen and progesterone) can cause weight gain and hair loss.

Will taking estrogen help me lose weight?

If your weight gain is caused by decreased estrogen levels, then estrogen supplementation may help in weight loss.

How do I know if my hair loss is serious?

If hair loss persists even after you have undergone treatments and taken medication, it might be a sign of a serious medical condition. If your hair loss is paired with inflammation or pain, or it keeps recurring, you should consult a doctor.

Hormonal imbalances can show up in a myriad of ways, such as sudden hairfall or rapid weight gain. To figure out why these symptoms have you down, and ways to test and ensure good health, click on the video below.

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Dr. Usha KiranFRCOG (UK)

     

Dr. Usha Kiran is a consultant obstetrician and gynecologist with 20 years of experience. She works at the Prime Hospital, Dubai, specializing in level 3 advanced minimal access surgery, high-risk pregnancies, and cosmetic gynecology.

Read full bio of Dr. Usha Kiran

Annie JangamBeauty & Lifestyle Writer

 

Annie Jangam is a researcher-turned-content writer with 11 years of experience. She enjoys dissecting complex clinical studies and shuffling through the scientific jargon to make science interesting and easy to understand.

Read full bio of Annie Jangam

Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor

Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy.

Read full bio of Anjali Sayee

Swathi ESenior Beauty & Lifestyle Writer

Swathi has a postgraduate degree in English literature from The English And Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and over three years of experience in writing on beauty, health, and lifestyle. She also has a diploma in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Kottayam, and is a certified skincare coach.

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