Can Taking Probiotics Cause Hair Loss?
Probiotics are great for your gut health. They help balance the bacteria in your digestive system, which helps you feel better and get sick less often. But what about hair loss?
Well, it turns out that probiotics may be able to help with that too.
Many experts have noticed a link between hair loss and imbalanced gut health. And as it turns out, probiotics play a role in restoring this balance. However, certain gut bacteria like Lactobacillus murinus have been linked to autoimmune conditions that may cause Alopecia (hair loss).
This post will talk about how probiotics can affect hair loss and how you can use them to keep your hair healthy.
We will also discuss how probiotic supplements might help with hair loss and what you should look for in a product if you want to try them.
Will probiotics help or hurt your hair?
Prebiotics do not cause hair loss but help to fight it. Studies show that diets with more probiotics show a significant increase in hair counts and thickness after four months in a recent study.
Hair loss can be caused by many factors, including genetic, environmental, and even nutrient deficiencies. Recent studies have also linked hair growth with the health of microorganisms in our stomach.
Our guts contain thousands of diverse microorganisms beneficial to the body’s overall health. However, an imbalance in some gut microorganisms releases toxins into the blood instead, which can cause hair loss.
Treatment that targets “bad” gut microbes usually increase hair growth.
For instance, in a study where patients with Alopecia were treated to reduce Clostridium difficile bacteria in their gut, they also experienced subsequent hair growth. An imbalance between these types of gut microorganisms and probiotics results in high-risk factors of hair loss.
One proven way to restore guts microbe ecosystem balance is to ingest the right probiotics.
Probiotics supplements contain live human gut bacteria and yeast that can restore human gut health. They reduce inflammation, and stress, increase lipid profiles and promote blood circulation.
In patients suffering from Alopecia, probiotics don’t cure hair loss directly.
But they affect hair loss in two primary mechanisms:
- Restoring balance to your gut microbiome
Imbalance in the gut bacteria can lead to immune responses that fight against hair growth. In this case, prebiotics will restore balance so that the good bacteria will be helping instead of hurting your follicles.
- Inhibiting Biotin-eating bacteria
Studies show that certain probiotic strains can inhibit biotin-eating bacteria, which might otherwise cause damage to the hair follicle.
Biotin supplement may not increase hair production significantly. However, prebiotic supplements that restore the balance between biotin-producing bacteria and biotin-eating bacteria alleviate hair loss.
How Can Probiotics fight Hair Loss?
Hair loss can be caused by several factors such as genetics, stress, hormonal imbalance, nutritional deficiencies, illness, and other factors.
Probiotics may not directly cure Alopecia or hair loss. However, it alleviates most of the condition’s risk factors for the disease. A healthy balance of these bacteria can improve digestion, boost immunity and lower your risk for certain diseases, including hair loss.
Here are some of the ways probiotics can help make a difference in fighting hair loss:
Boost Immune system
Alopecia areata (patchy hair loss) is a condition that affects 1% of the population. It’s an autoimmune disease where the immune system attacks hair follicles, causing them to shrink and eventually stop producing hair.
The good news is that probiotics can help fight alopecia areata by boosting your immune system.
T cells—a type of white blood cell—protect against autoimmune diseases like alopecia areata by recognizing and destroying cells infected by viruses or bacteria. Probiotics boost your body’s production of T cells by increasing levels of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, and other nutrients.
Probiotics have been linked to other autoimmune diseases too.
Earlier research has shown that they can also help prevent rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers think this may be because some strains of probiotic bacteria directly impact how our genes express themselves.
Probiotics help keep T cells functioning properly by boosting their numbers in the body and encouraging them to attack invaders rather than healthy tissues.
Reduces stress and anxiety
If you’ve ever had a stressful event happen and noticed that your hair started falling out, you may have thought it was just a coincidence.
But studies have shown that stress can cause you to lose more hair than usual.
While stress is a natural part of life, it can adversely affect our bodies when it becomes too much. It can cause us to lose our hair, and it can also shorten the length of time that it takes for our hair to grow back after being cut.
When we are stressed and anxious, cortisol increases in the body.
Probiotic bacteria work to stop the production of the stress hormone cortisol in the body.
Good bacteria produce a substance called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which inhibit inflammation and stress levels by reducing the production of inflammatory cytokines like interleukin-6 (IL-6).
Maximize digestion and nutrient absorption
Hair loss is a symptom of an underlying cause, such as hormone imbalances. One of the causes of imbalances is poor diet and nutrient deficiencies.
Probiotic supplements contain live cultures of good bacteria that help promote healthy digestion and immune function by balancing out the harmful bacteria in your gut.
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in your gut and help keep you healthy.
They break down substances that might make you sick. The right probiotic supplement can help with Alopecia by boosting digestion. It helps with nutrient absorption to get all the nutrients you need for hair growth (e.g.vitamin B12).
In addition, probiotics can increase essential nutrients needed for healthy hair growth, such as zinc and biotin (vitamin B7). Zinc deficiency is associated with alopecia areata, while both deficiencies have been linked to baldness in men. Biotin is necessary for the production of keratin (hair protein).
Prevent Inflammations
Inflammation is a normal part of life, but it can cause problems in many different parts of your body when it becomes chronic.
One of those areas is your scalp, which is susceptible to hair loss if it’s inflamed.
When inflammation occurs on your scalp, it builds sebum (a natural oil produced by hair follicles) and keratin proteins. These substances can clog up the pores on your scalp, preventing oxygen from reaching them and keeping them from growing new hairs.
Probiotics release hormones that disrupt the pro-inflammatory cycle. It inhibits enzymes called COX-2, which produce inflammatory prostaglandins in your body.
Improve peripheral blood circulation
Oxidative stress is one of the leading causes of hair loss.
The hair follicle is very sensitive and requires the right amount of oxygen at optimal conditions to grow healthy hair. Unfortunately, many factors can lead to oxidative stress and cause hair loss: stress, lack of sleep, pollution, smoking, and poor nutrition.
Probiotics fight hair loss by improving peripheral blood circulation.
The blood flow to the scalp is vital for healthy hair growth. It provides oxygen to the follicles and helps them produce keratin protein for new hair strands.
Keratin protein helps to male new hair strands.
If you don’t have enough oxygen reaching your scalp, it will be harder for your body to make keratin and new strands of healthy hair.
Treat Acne And Breakouts On The Scalp
Acne and breakouts are common problems for people with sensitive skin.
When you’re dealing with a breakout on your skin, you can feel self-conscious about the appearance of your face or body.
However, acne isn’t just a cosmetic problem — it’s also an emotional one. People who suffer from acne are more likely to be depressed, anxious, and less satisfied with life than those who don’t experience outbreaks.
While many prescription treatments are available for acne and breakouts on the scalp, these medications come with side effects that may not be worth the risk. If you want to try an alternative approach, consider probiotics for treating acne on the scalp.
Researchers have found that certain strains of lactic acid bacteria can reduce inflammation in the body by killing off harmful bacteria.
These good bacteria have also been shown to reduce levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. When cortisol levels go down, your immune system functions better. Your body can fight off infection, including acne, more effectively.
Protect against free radical damage to the hair shafts
Free radicals are damaging molecules produced in excess by exercise, pollution, and stress. They can also be produced by UV radiation from the sun or chemical treatments such as perming or dyeing your hair.
Free radicals cause premature aging and damage the outermost layers of skin cells, including cells in your scalp and hair follicles.
Probiotics help protect against these damaging molecules by producing antioxidant enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD). SOD protects cells from becoming damaged by free radicals. Hence, minor damage occurs to skin cells in your scalp and follicles, preventing premature aging of your hair.
Additionally, proteins in our body scavenge these free radicals. Still, they are not always good at it.
They need other nutrients such as vitamins A, C & E, zinc & selenium to work correctly. Probiotics can help the body absorb more of these vitamins and minerals. Hence taking a probiotic supplement can protect against free radical damage to the hair shafts.
Which Prebiotics Should I Take To Stop Hair Loss?
A few sources of probiotics, including vegetables and fibers, promote the growth of good gut bacteria. You can find them in yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi.
You can also take probiotic supplements or eat foods containing probiotic bacteria like bananas, vegetables, and fruits. But the advantage of both sources is that it may take longer before you get the proper load of good gut bacteria in your stomach.
However, suppose you have hair loss problems and need a faster source of probiotics to help alleviate the risk of hair loss. In that case, you may need a more definite pure source like a probiotic supplement.
A quick and effective way to get healthy bacteria into your system is to use a probiotic supplement like Probiology Gut+.
Probiology Gut+ can survive the stomach acid that other probiotic supplements can’t handle.
The probiotic must survive the stomach acid to get to the gut; otherwise, it won’t be able to colonize and help support the immune system. And because it has prebiotic fiber, it’s also a great way to help nourish those good gut bacteria once they’re there.
Other reasons why Probiology Gut+ is ideal for promoting good gut bacteria that can alleviate hair loss risk include:
- Reduced stress level
- Strengthen immunity
- Digest food efficiently and absorb necessary protein
- Promote biotin, folic acids, and vitamin absorption
- It contains gut bacteria that promote hair, scalp skin health
FAQs
Can probiotics cause hair to thin?
Probiotics can cause hair to be thin when a person’s immune system is compromised and their gut bacteria have become imbalanced. When this happens, the good bacteria in the gut cannot produce enough B vitamins, which are crucial for healthy hair growth.
If you’re worried about your hair thinning, you can take action to protect it. Probiotics supplements can help restore the balance, thicken your hair and strengthen your immune system,
Does Lactobacillus cause hair loss?
The human gut contains probiotics or bacteria like the Lactobacillus. Depending on the type of Lactobacillus, different things will happen in your body.
For example, Lactobacillus Plantarum increases antioxidant activities, a necessary component of healthy hair growth.
However, too much Lactobacillus murinus in the gut has been linked with autoimmune-linked Alopecia. A prebiotic supplement can help you restore the balance between these lactic acid bacteria in the gut.
What are the Best Probiotics for hair loss?
There are a number of probiotics that are beneficial for hair loss, including:
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
This probiotic helps to improve gut health, which is important for hair growth. It also helps to improve the absorption of nutrients from food, which is necessary for healthy hair.
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
This probiotic supports healthy digestion and helps to reduce inflammation in the gut. Inflammation can cause hair loss, so reducing inflammation is key in preventing and treating hair loss.
Whichever probiotics supplement you plan on using, make sure that it contains one or more of these strains.
Can probiotics regrow hair?
Probiotics are not a direct cure for hair loss.
However, they are an excellent way to maintain healthy hair while treating the underlying conditions that caused it to fall out in the first place.
Probiotics help maintain the health of your gut and immune system, which are both crucial factors in keeping your hair healthy. They also reduce inflammation and improve your metabolism, which can help prevent or treat other conditions that cause hair loss.
Final Thoughts
So, do probiotics cause hair loss? The answer is a resounding no. Probiotics are actually one of the best ways to prevent and fight hair loss. By keeping your gut healthy, you keep your whole body healthy, including your hair.
If you’re experiencing hair loss, it’s important to see a doctor determine the root cause.
But in most cases, adding probiotics to your diet is an excellent place to start restoring balance and preventing further damage.
Have you tried incorporating probiotics into your routine to help with hair loss? Let us know how they worked for you in the comments below.
