Many people hit the gym regularly to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle. However, among the benefits of exercise, there is a growing concern among fitness lovers about a possible connection between gym workouts and hair loss. Is this just a myth? Or fear that needs to be dispelled. In this blog, I will give you the proper knowledge about the relationship between physical exercise and hair health. I will provide you with accurate knowledge about the factors that cause hair loss and offer you tips for maintaining both fitness and hair loss.
Knowing the Hair Growth Cycle
Before discussing the cause of hair loss, it is essential to know about the basics of the hair growth cycle. Hair follicles go through a continuous cycle of growth, rest, and loss, which consists of three main phases:
- Anagen Phase (Growth Phase): This is an active growth phase that lasts from two to six years. During this time, the hair follicles produce new hair cells, which results in hair growth.
- Catagen Phase (Transition Phase): This phase is considered to be a short phase that lasts about two weeks. During this phase, hair growth slows down, and the hair follicles start reducing.
- Telogen Phase (Resting Phase): This phase lasts about three months. During this phase, the hair follicles become inactive, and the existing hairs may fall out, making way for the new hairs in the Anagen Phase (Growth Phase).
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Factors That Cause Hair Loss While Doing Gym Workouts
Exercise is very beneficial for overall body health. Some aspects contribute to hair loss while doing gym workouts; here are some key factors that I will explain.
1. Physical stress and Telogen Effluvium
If you are doing intense physical activity, such as vigorous workouts at the gym, this can lead to physical stress on the body. This stress can trigger a type of hair fall which is known as telogen effluvium. When hair follicles enter prematurely into the resting phase (telogen) and later fall out, this is also known as telogen effluvium. This is often temporary, and hair growth usually resumes once the underlying stress is addressed.
What is Telogen Effluvium?
Telogen effluvium is a condition that results in the falling of hairs from all over the scalp rather than specific areas and is distinguished by diffuse hair shedding. Many stressors, like physical trauma, surgery, illness, or extreme exercise, can activate it. However, this telogen effluvium is short-term; once the stressors are managed, the hair growth returns to its normal position.
Physical stress from workouts
Vigorous workouts can lead to physical stress on the body, mainly those requiring heavy lifts and tolerance training. This physical stress can cause hair to fall out, as the body needs recovery and repair. But this is not permanent hair loss, and regularly pushing your body to its limit can increase the chance of telogen effluvium without regular rest and recovery intervals.
2. Hormonal Changes
The hormonal level in the body can be affected by intense exercise. For instance, excessive and vigorous exercise can lead to the growth of the stress hormone, that is, cortisol. This increase in cortisol can cause hair loss and can throw into disorder the hair growth cycle. Moreover, intense exercise can affect sex hormones like testosterone and oestrogen, which may impact hair health and growth.
3. Cortisol and hair loss
Cortisol, the stress hormone, is secreted in retaliation to stress. While in the short run, the increase in cortisol is ordinary and important for the body to function properly, the long-term increase in cortisol is harmful to the body and can affect bodily function, inclusive of hair health. The elevated cortisol can propel the hair follicles to the rest phase before the usual time, resulting in hair shedding.
4. Use of anabolic steroids and other supplements to enhance your performance.
To accelerate muscle growth and improve performance in the gym, some people who are crazy about building their muscles can start using anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing supplements. If you use these things, then there are many side effects of these steroids or supplements, and hair loss is one of those side effects. For an individual who is suffering from androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness), these steroids can accelerate the shrinkage in hair follicles, and similarly, the supplements that are high in protein and make changes in hormonal levels can also contribute to hair thinning and loss.
5. Diet and Nutritional Factors
To maintain healthy hair, a balanced diet is essential. People who love to go to the gym mainly focus on a high-protein diet to build muscles, but they forget that the other nutrients are also necessary and are not included in their diet. Due to the deficiency of iron, zinc, and vitamins (especially vitamin D and B-complex vitamins), hair fall can occur in an individual. It is essential to know that you have to take a proper diet, which can help you achieve your fitness goal and maintain your health and hair.
6. Sweat and Hair Health
Sweat is not harmful to our hair, but the salt content that is present in our hair can lead to a dry scalp if you do not wash your hair correctly, and this can cause hair fall. If you do not rinse your hair properly, then sweat and oil will accumulate, which can block your hair follicles and lead to problems like dandruff or folliculitis, which indirectly lead to hair loss.
Prevention from Hair Loss Which Is Caused Due to Exercise
Follow these best practices if you want to minimise the risk of hair loss, which is caused by the gym.
- Balanced Diet: If you want healthy hair, you have to add a rich, nutrient-rich diet that includes proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In foods, you have to add leafy green vegetables, nuts, lean proteins, and seeds; these things can provide the necessary nutrients for your hair.
- Sufficient water intake: If you want to prevent your hair from hair loss, you have to drink plenty of water to keep your body and hair hydrated.
- Intense exercise: You have to avoid overtraining, do a balanced, intense workout, and include rest days to prevent yourself from excessive physical stress.
- Hair care: If you do not do hair care, this can also lead to hair fall. You have to wash your hair correctly to remove oil and sweat from the hair and avoid using harsh shampoos.
- Hairstyles: You have to choose hairstyles that do not pull your hair and scalp, so go for loose hairstyles.
- Natural supplements: If you choose to use supplements, first you have to consult with a healthcare professional, and you have to go for natural supplements.
- Stress management: If you want healthy hair and a healthy life, you have to add relaxation techniques to your daily routine to manage your cortisol level.
Gym Exercises Benefit For Hair Health
If you regularly do physical exercises, including gym exercises, this can have many health benefits, which can positively help to improve your hair health. Here are some points below that I can explain:
- Improves blood circulation: Doing exercise regularly can improve cardiovascular health, which can increase the blood flow in our body. This increased blood circulation means that more oxygen and nutrients are transferred to our scalp and hair follicles, which supports our overall hair health.
- Hormonal Balance: If you exercise on a regular basis, it can regulate your hormones, which is essential to prevent hair loss. If your hormones get imbalanced, especially androgens, this can lead to hair fall.
- Stress Reduction: If you are doing regular physical exercises in the gym, this can release endorphin hormones, which make you feel good and help you manage your stress levels. As we know, stress can lead to hair fall problems, which are known as telogen effluvium. Gym exercises in balance are beneficial for you to reduce stress and also helpful for your hair health.
Conclusion: Can Gym Cause Hair Loss?
Although working out in the gym does not contribute directly to hair loss, some factors may contribute to hair loss if you regularly work out. If you do intense physical activity, it can lead to an increase in testosterone level, which can convert into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is a hormone that is directly connected to hair loss. If you are having excessive sweating while doing a workout and after a workout, you do not take care of your scalp correctly, or you do not wash your hair properly and do not maintain proper hygiene of your scalp, this can clog your hair follicles, which can lead to hair thinning or hair fall. If you use anabolic steroids for muscle building, their side effects also include hair fall because these steroids can imbalance your hormonal level. So, while the gym itself is not to blame, it is essential to be careful about these related factors to ensure your overall well-being, including the health of your hair. For more such articles, visit Indian Bulletins!
