Adult life is stressful and hectic, to say the least. You might find yourself drinking caffeinated beverages to keep your energy up through long days. However, like many adults, you might also notice or worry about losing your hair.
If you’ve been having one cup of coffee too many lately, you might wonder: do caffeine and hair loss go hand in hand?
Does Caffeine Cause Hair Loss?
By itself, the answer is no, caffeine does not cause hair loss. However, there are a few things to consider when consuming high amounts of caffeine. Caffeinated beverages include things like coffee, soda, energy drinks, or tea.
Caffeinated drinks can include a mixture of different ingredients. Some are bound to help your hair health, whereas others might have negative effects
Having a poor diet can affect hair loss negatively.
Stress can affect hair loss, particularly during stressful moments in life. This could include things like relationship issues, the death of a loved one, or financial problems.
The consumption of caffeine can amplify stress levels. If you’re stressed out, you may also not be getting enough sleep, which causes you to drink more coffee to stay alert throughout the day. Then, you become more stressed, and the cycle continues.
Continued stress raises cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone that regulates hair growth, among other bodily functions. When cortisol levels get too high, it can lead to hair loss.
Caffeine, Coffee, and Its Effect on Your Hair and Health
So, what are the effects of caffeine on the hair growth cycle?
Caffeine consists of many different compounds. Two of these compounds include dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). The relationship between these hormones and hair loss is not straightforward.
DHEA plays a role in the production of androgens and estrogens. High levels are sometimes associated with hair thinning, especially in women.
These hormones can potentially trigger hair loss. However, they’re also hormones your body makes naturally. You have these inside you whether you consume caffeine or not. Caffeine’s impact on these hormone levels is generally mild and insufficient to trigger significant hair loss.
Caffeine can also be a vasoconstrictor and diuretic, both of which, are factors that can contribute to a receding hairline. Vasoconstriction could, in theory, reduce blood flow to the hair if you consume a high amount of caffeine. However, this is unlikely in moderate amounts.
As a diuretic, large amounts of caffeine could lead to dehydration. Hydration is essential for maintaining healthy hair, as dehydration can make it more brittle and prone to breakage. So if you’re having coffee, remember to drink some water too.
However, some scientific evidence does show that coffee and caffeine can actually stimulate hair growth.
Can Caffeine Make Your Hair Grow?
Coffee and hair loss don’t have to go hand-in-hand. In fact, there has been scientific research that tested caffeine for hair growth and showed it to be potentially effective. Researchers compared the hair to standard hair growth treatments that included minoxidil and finasteride.
Some people use coffee on their hair for health benefits, including promoting hair growth. Many claim caffeine works as a hair loss treatment by stimulating hair growth. Laboratory study has shown this happens in both men and women. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases blood circulation, which can prevent hair follicle damage.
Some swear by caffeine-infused hair care products on their hair and scalp such as caffeine shampoo. There are also caffeine conditioners and hair serums out there that claim to help with hair growth.
Closing Out: Go Ahead And Drink Your Coffee
Caffeine itself will not affect your hair loss. There’s no evidence that consuming coffee or other caffeinated drinks negatively affects hair growth. But, if you drink too much, or consume too much sugar, it can lead to other causes of hair loss like poor diet, and stress.
Caffeine may or may not be an effective hair loss treatment, however, hair transplants are permanent.
If you have questions about hair loss, or are interested in getting a hair transplant, the doctors at Natural Transplants are here to help. Our hair transplant clinic will provide an honest assessment of your hair loss and recommended next steps. We have clinics in Fort Lauderdale, FL and Bethesda, MD.
