Scientists from Tsinghua University have found that drinking sugary drinks increases the risk of hair loss in men. The results of the research were published in the journal nutrients.
The study included 1,951 men aged 18 to 45 from 31 provinces living in China. They filled out questionnaires to assess their diet and physical and mental health.
Scientists have found a significant association between high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and male pattern hair loss (androgenetic alopecia). Even more so than sugary drinks, post-traumatic stress disorder increased the risk of baldness.
The study’s authors suggested that excessive consumption of sugar may activate metabolic pathways that reduce the amount of glucose available to the epidermis cells of the outer shell of hair follicles. This disrupts the nutrition of the follicle leading to hair loss.
The study had limitations because not all of its participants had a doctor-confirmed diagnosis. The results of this study should be confirmed in long-term studies.