Sugary drinks increase risk of hair loss — Scientists

New research shows that people who regularly consume sodas and fizzy drinks could dramatically raise their risk of hair loss.

The international team of researchers compiled evidence from 17 studies, encompassing more than 61,000 individuals, to investigate the impact of diet on hair loss.

Hair loss is a globally common and distressing condition affecting millions of people across all ages, races/ethnicities, and genders.

It’s estimated that around a quarter of men in their 20s now show signs of balding—by the age of 50, that figure rises to 85 per cent of men.

The review, published in the journal Nutrition and Health, suggested that while men who take more than three and a half litres of sugary drinks a week were much more likely to go bald, drinking alcohol was also tied to thinning and greying hair.

The research found strong links between low levels of vitamin D, the nutrient our bodies make from sunlight, and more severe baldness.

While not statistically significant, higher soy product consumption showed a trend towards less hair loss.

Experts said the findings show that diet plays a “critical role” in hair health and warned that poor nutrition could be fueling alopecia, an autoimmune disease that attacks the body’s follicles, causing patchy hair loss or even total baldness.

Current scientific evidence suggests that ensuring adequate levels of key nutrients, particularly vitamin D and iron supplementation, is a beneficial strategy for preventing and managing alopecia (hair loss). At the same time, limiting the intake of alcohol and sugary drinks may help protect against hair loss.

Evidence also points to potential benefits from protein sufficiency, soy and cruciferous vegetable intake, and certain multi-nutrient supplements, though further research is needed to confirm these associations.

While a growing body of evidence highlights the roles of genetics and hormones in alopecia and general hair follicle health, emerging evidence suggests the profound influence of diet and nutrition in optimal hair (and by extension, psychological) outcomes.

The scientists, however, cautioned that the findings did not prove sodas and fizzy soft drinks cause hair loss, saying further studies are needed to determine exactly what may trigger the effect.

Severe nutrient deficiencies are now proven to trigger hair loss, but the role of more subtle dietary factors and specific nutrients in the generalisable human population remains unclear.

Previous reviews investigating these topics often focused on alopecia, leaving a gap in scientific understanding of relationships between diet and broader measures of hair health (e.g., quality, density, and growth).

Understanding these relationships would not only allow consumers and nutritionists to make more informed choices about their dietary plans but would also enable public health agencies and psychologists to potentially mitigate today’s growing mental health crisis.

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