Hair loss is very common in hyperparathyroidism. It is almost always on the front of the scalp. The longer the hyperparathyroidism the more hair that is lost. The good news is that the hair can restore entirely when the hyperparathyroidism is corrected. It typically takes 9-12 months.
Introduction
The hair loss industry would like people to think that hair loss is genetic and the only solution is a life-long dependance on expensive medications that are ineffective and toxic. It’s quite the business model, but considerably unethical when there is a mountain of physiological-based evidence showing what causes hair loss and how to correct it.
The truth is, hair loss isn’t caused by genetics as much as it is by stress. There isn’t one cause of the hair loss; it is a systemic problem and a sign that the body is unhealthy in one; or oftentimes, many times. The problem is, few endocrinologist and even fewer doctors know about hair loss. Even most “hair loss experts” know little about what causes hair loss and the physiology of hair growth.
Hyperparathyroidism & Hair Loss
If you’re struggling with hair loss and have been told there’s nothing you can do about it, there is. But in order to solve the problem, it is important to understand what is causing the problem. In regards to hair loss, many things are usually going wrong in the body at once. But there is one major imbalance that is known to cause hair loss; if not thee major imbalance, and that is thyroid dysfunction.
The thyroid hormone has been referred to as “mitochondrial hair medicine” by biologist and researcher Vidali, summarizing the great importance of proper thyroid function for hair health. When the thyroid is impaired, the hair suffers. The basic way that hypothyroidism causes hair loss is by creating an energy deficiency. You see, the hair follicles are like other parts of the body, in that they are made up of cells, and those cells needs ATP (energy). However, hypothyroidism causes an energy deficit by impairing mitochondrial respiration, which decreases the production of ATP (energy). That means the cells in the scalp are not able to produce the energy they need to grow and therefore become weak, fall out and grow back sparsely, if at all. 1
However, hair loss is not just a common symptom of hypothyroidism, but also hyperparathyroidism – two conditions which are commonly interconnected. A vitamin D deficiency, a lack of dietary calcium (not consuming dairy or leafy greens), stress and hypothyroidism all increase the activity of the parathyroid hormones.
During these states of stress, the parathyroid glands (four glands that sit on the back of the thyroid) produce hormones to substitute for the lack of thyroid hormone. Although this is helpful during stress survival, the parathyroid hormone also stimulates the production of a stress hormone known as prolactin.
Prolactin is considered the “molting hormone” in birds because as it elevates during stress it can causes sudden feather loss. It has a similar effect in humans, causing rapid hair shedding that can lead to diffuse thinning, and if not regulated quickly can cause baldness. In fact, endocrinologists have observed that the longer someone has hyperparathyroidism, the more hair they lose.
Something else, androgenic alopecia tends to be accompanied by hypertension, a strong risk factor for coronary artery disease. Hypertension is caused by elevated aldosterone (stress hormone) and arterial stiffness; all symptoms of impaired thyroid function, stress, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and vitamin D deficiency. These stressors are known to impair glucose metabolism and the production of carbon dioxide, which decreases the body’s ability to utilize oxygen (hypoxia). The oxygen-deprived state caused by low Co2 causes arterial stiffness by deranging calcium metabolism, which hardens the arteries and soft tissues through calcification. 2
What You Can Do
If you’re losing your hair, the chances of a thyroid disease (hypothyroidism or hyperparathyroidism) are high. Considering the fact that hyperparathyroidism is mostly driven by hypothyroidism, we suggest having your both. your thyroid and parathyroid measured. However, keep in mind that the TSH test; the so-called “gold standard” for thyroid testing, is very inaccurate and unintelligent. The numbers that represent the “normal range” are skewed, and actually changed every 10 years to normalize hypothyroidism. This is why so many people with hypothyroidism are misdiagnosed and therefore not treated.
If you have hair loss and have seen your doctor have your thyroid checked but have been told you are fine, it’s probable that the test is inaccurate and your thyroid needs help. For more reliable ways of measuring thyroid function, you want to look at carbon dioxide levels, cholesterol, t3, rt3 and your calcium to phosphorus ratio. If you’re dealing with hair loss and suspect hyperparathyroidism or hypothyroidism, which often go hand-in-hand, be sure to enroll in our Perfect Thyroid course.
For those of you interested in specific hair loss/regrowth help, our Forever Healthy Hair course is a good option.
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