Millions of people with hypothyroidism experience hair loss. This is typically caused by the imbalance in thyroid hormone. Frequently having the person take synthetic or natural thyroid hormone will help to correct the thyroid hormone imbalance, which will usually help with the thyroid hair loss. However, this isn’t always the case, as there can be other causes of hair loss in people with hypothyroidism.
Whatever the cause of the thyroid hair loss in the person with hypothyroidism is, the ideal goal should be to correct the underlying cause of the condition. While some people with hypothyroidism do need to take synthetic or natural thyroid hormone on a permanent basis, others can have their health restored back to normal through a natural treatment protocol. And when this is the case, the thyroid hair loss problem many times is corrected.
Other Potential Causes Of Hair Loss In People With Hypothyroidism
In addition to an imbalance in thyroid hormone resulting in hair loss in people with hypothyroidism, an imbalance in other hormones can result in this as well. I’ve discussed the condition estrogen dominance in other articles, which is an imbalance in the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen dominance can also lead to hair loss in people with hypothyroidism. As a result, just giving a person with this condition thyroid hormone might help with the hypothyroid symptoms, but if estrogen dominance is responsible for the hair loss then one obviously needs to address the cause.
The problem is that many endocrinologists don’t evaluate the estrogen and progesterone levels of their patients. And those that do usually will only perform a one sample test, which might be sufficient for menopausal women, but definitely isn’t adequate for cycling women. For cycling women, their hormones are in a constant state of fluctuation, which is why a one sample test usually isn’t sufficient to determine whether they have estrogen dominance. This is why I recommend a cycling female hormone panel for cycling women, as it tests for estrogen and progesterone (and other hormones) every three days during a woman’s cycle.
When someone with hypothyroidism has hair loss due to estrogen dominance, putting that person on a specific natural treatment protocol can help to correct this condition. Some doctors will recommend bioidentical hormones to address the problem, which very well might help with the hormone imbalance and in turn with the thyroid hair loss. However, giving natural hormones won’t correct the cause of the problem, which is why I try to avoid giving bioidentical hormones if at all possible. And when I do recommend them, it is usually on a temporary basis.
There are other possible causes of hair loss in people with hypothyroidism, such as certain medications (antidepressants and oral contraceptives are examples), as well as nutritional deficiencies. Some people with a zinc deficiency will experience hair loss. Chronic stress can also lead to hair loss, and of course many people deal with chronic stress on a regular basis. So in these cases, correcting the cause of the problem will usually help with the hair loss.
Can Nutritional Supplements Help With Thyroid Hair Loss?
Taking certain nutritional supplements can help some people with hypothyroidism who are experiencing hair loss. Just as is the case with giving medication or natural hormones, one doesn’t just want to give supplements instead of addressing the actual cause. While some supplements can be given on a temporary basis, the ultimate goal should be to find the underlying cause and then correct it if at all possible. Of course some supplements are recommended to help address the cause of the hair loss. In any case, here are some of the supplements which might be able to help with certain hair loss issues in people who have hypothyroidism:
• Evening Primose Oil
• L-lysine and L-arginine
• Vitamin C and Vitamin E
Of course before taking any nutritional supplements, or natural hormones for that matter, it is wise to first consult with a competent holistic doctor to see if they can find the underlying cause of your hair loss problem. This of course is better than just managing the symptoms.
In summary, natural treatment methods can help many people with hypothyroidism who are experiencing hair loss. Just as is the case with many other conditions, the ultimate goal should be to detect the underlying cause of the problem, whether it be the reduction in thyroid hormone, estrogen dominance, or a nutritional deficiency.