June 26, 2025

Why Intermittent Fasting May Be Killing Your Hair - AI Podcast

8 minutes

Story at-a-glance

Research shows intermittent fasting triggers hair loss by flooding follicles with toxic free fatty acids when your body shifts from glucose to fat as fuel
Hair follicle stem cells prefer glucose for energy and begin dying when forced to metabolize fat during fasting periods, causing them to remain in a dormant state
Clinical trials confirmed fasting slows hair regrowth in humans regardless of calorie intake or timing, with the damage occurring from the fast-feed cycle itself
The stress response starts in adrenal glands, which release hormones that prompt dermal fat cells to release fatty acids that damage follicle stem cells
To reverse fasting-related hair loss, eat nutrient-dense meals regularly with approximately 250 grams of digestible carbohydrates daily to stabilize energy supply

...more

By Dr. Mercola

4.6

14541,454 ratings

June 26, 2025

8 minutes

Story at-a-glance

Research shows intermittent fasting triggers hair loss by flooding follicles with toxic free fatty acids when your body shifts from glucose to fat as fuel
Hair follicle stem cells prefer glucose for energy and begin dying when forced to metabolize fat during fasting periods, causing them to remain in a dormant state
Clinical trials confirmed fasting slows hair regrowth in humans regardless of calorie intake or timing, with the damage occurring from the fast-feed cycle itself
The stress response starts in adrenal glands, which release hormones that prompt dermal fat cells to release fatty acids that damage follicle stem cells
To reverse fasting-related hair loss, eat nutrient-dense meals regularly with approximately 250 grams of digestible carbohydrates daily to stabilize energy supply

...more