Study finds drinking energy drinks causes hair loss in men
Hair loss can be difficult, and there are a lot of different reasons for it.
Sometimes it is just genetics, so have a look at your dad and the other men in your family before you start blaming the energy drinks.
There are other factors at play too, such as age, stress, anxiety, and sleep hygiene, and diet to name just a few.
However, this group of boffins have claimed that there is also a link between sugary drinks, including energy drinks, and acceleration of hair loss in men.
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Here’s the reasoning behind the scientists' thinking.
The findings were published in a peer-reviewed journal called Nutrients and detail a study performed by Chinese scientists on 1,000 men.
The experts from Tsinghua University in Beijing found that those who swill down large quantities of energy drinks, as well as fizzy drinks, sports drinks, and even sweetened tea and coffee are at greater risk of suffering from male pattern hair loss.
To make their conclusion, the men that were involved in the study were required to consume between one and three litres of the drinks each week, before they assessed what happened to them.
In the end, they noticed that those who consumed more than one sweetened drink each day were at a 42 percent greater risk of experiencing hair loss, when compared to other men who didn’t drink any of the aforementioned beverages.
The men who admitted that they were experiencing hair loss also said that they consumed on average 12 sweetened drinks per week.
So, is your energy drink the reason that you are losing your hair?
In short, not certainly, but it might not be helping you.
There are definitely a number of reasons for it, and this study isn’t the be-all-and-end-all, particularly the small sample size used and the self-gathered evidence that supports their conclusion.
The experts studied 1,000 Chinese men between the ages of 18 and 45 years old over a period of four months.
The blokes collated their eating and drinking habits in a diary, as well as making entries on their mental health.
In fact, the ones who detailed that they had issues with anxiety were also found to be at higher risk of hair loss, as well as those who ate fast food and didn’t get enough vegetables.
Healthy diet has long been suggested as a possible factor in hair loss.
The Sun quotes dermatologist Dr Sharon Wong as having said: "Hair follicle cells are the second fastest dividing cells in the body and require all the nutrients of a well-balanced healthy diet.
"This includes lean proteins, good carbohydrates and fats, vitamins and minerals, but there is no one superfood for hair.
"As hair is not an essential structure for survival, the body does not prioritise the use of nutrients for hair growth.
"Nutritional deficiencies and crash diets are a common cause of hair thinning and shedding."
Topics: Weird, Science, Food And Drink
Tom Wood