Sugary drinks and hair loss
January/17/2023 The researchers recruited 1028 college students and teachers with an average age of 27.8 years from 31 provinces in China.
Participants received a survey in which they filled information about their:
basic socio-demographic information
hair status
dietary intake
lifestyle
psychological status
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption was determined from responses to the 15-item Beverage Intake Questionnaire, which examined their consumption of beverages in the last month. Sugar-sweetened beverages included:
sweetened juice beverages
soft drinks
energy and sports drinks
sweetened milk
sweetened tea and coffee
Overall, 57.6% of participants reported MPHL, whereas the rest did not.
The researchers found that individuals with MPHL were more likely to:
be older
be current or former smokers
have a lower education level
engage in less physical activity
have a shorter sleep duration
have experienced severe anxiety or PTSD
have a positive family history of MPHL
have MPHL-related conditions
dyed, permed, bleached, or relaxed hair
They further found that those with MPHL consumed more deep-fried food, sugar and honey, sweets and ice cream, and fewer vegetables than those without the condition.
People with MPHL also consumed an average of 4.3 liters of sugar-sweetened beverages per week compared to just 2.5 liters among those without the condition.
They further found that disease history influenced the link between SSB intake and MPHL. They also noted a link between the frequency of SSB intake and anxiety disorder, and anxiety disorder and MPHL.
The researchers noted that the association between SSB consumption and MPHL remained even after adjusting for possible confounders including sociodemographic factors, dietary intake, and psychological status.
How sugar intake affects hair
When asked how SSB consumption may influence MPHL, Dr.. Ai Zhao, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Vanke School of Public Health at Tsinghua University, one of the study’s authors, told MNT that higher sugar consumption increases blood sugar concentration, which triggers polyol pathways, which convert glucose to other sugars.
She noted that in vitro and vivo studies show that this process reduces the amount of glucose in the outer parts of hair follicles, which may lead to MPHL. She added that sugar intake is often accompanied by excessive lipid intake, which is also linked to MPHL.
Dr. Zhao mentioned that previous studies have shown that high sugar intake is linked to mental health problems. One meta-analysis, for example, found that those who drank the equivalent of three cans of cola per day have a 25%Trusted Source higher risk of depression than those who don’t consume sugary beverages.
