Medifast and hair loss

voluptuous6 · 02-26-2009, 02:02 AM

Just thought I'd tack on, the hair loss was NOT connected to Medifast; I hadn't been on it yet. Just years of sleep deprivation and extreme stress.

Dariann · 11-21-2009, 03:07 PM

I was on Medifast 100 % and now I am on a modified low carb program of my own, using medifast foods and other low carb products. I was on Medifast for 2 1/2 months completely, only medifast foods and the lean and green of course and I was losing my hair like crazy and I had issues with brain functions when I didnt eat on time. I was losing weight but could not think!

. My blood sugar got too low when I was not able to eat on time. This was a problem at work for me. People at work thought something was wrong with me. This is not happening to me now when I dont eat on time. I use some medifast and some Zone and some cookies (love the cookies) and one to two low carb meals a day depending. I have to keep the meals low in carbs/fat so I dont go over too much and try to stay near 85 or so carbs a day. Not sure how many I am getting in but they are higher now as I am not counting but watching for sure, but nothing like what I was eating when I was not on a diet, I was a carb addict.

I am maintaining right now more than losing weight but I have lost since doing my own thing, about 8 more lbs. I want to keep losing so I need to get serious again. I was disappointed that my hair was coming out at a much faster rate when on Medifast alone. My mental capacity is better now even when I am late eating. So the low blood issue is not as bad. I know I am menopausal and hormonal but the hair loss has slowed down allot. Thankfully. I have been on other low cal/carb programs when I was younger and didnt lose hair but I only had 12 lbs to lose at that time.

Another issue, I also noticed my skin on my arms and legs are super loose. I dont exercise much but will do more now. I am in my early 50's so it is the age to see waving arms. LOL I walk and do my Wii fit a few times a week. Will start with light weights soon.
I love doing meal replacements for many reasons and hope that the hair issue gets completely fixed before I need a wig. I take supplements and all the omegas and other supplements and eat allot of greens and salads not peas. LOL
Any advise?
Thanks

dvillalobos · 12-03-2009, 02:17 PM

I have lost about 75 lbs in 5 months on medifast, after losing the first 50 my hair started falling out in drastic amounts. Initailly chalking it up to stress I didn't do anything until I noticed BALD patches on my head. After having a bunch of blood tests run by my doctor (and medifast health coach) I was told that the hair loss was a stress response to rapid weight loss and that I should take prenatal vitamins to help curb any further alopecia. When the prenatal vitamins didn't do much I was instructed to increase my protein intake as well. The increased protein and prenatal vitamins seemed to have stopped me from losing more hair but I was also told not to expect my hair to grow back until I had reached maintainance. With about 40 lbs to go before goal I am begining to wonder if being thin is worth being bald as well....

Dariann · 12-04-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zay

People, hair loss is due to rapid weight loss NOT Medifast. Some people are more prone to have this as a side effect of rapid weight loss, some not. Hair loss happens on other diets too. There are some supplements proven to help reduce it. Also, there is no danger in losing hair...its dead anyway.
Medifast is a great program and has helped so many when other plans haven't.

I do not mean any disrespect but have to disagree with that statement. No one could possibly know if MF diet didnt cause the issue. One would have to study each case and I am only talking about me, please understand. I am losing weight and not completely on MF now for a few months and the hair lose has slowed way down. I was getting in all the protein, I think we eat too much personally.
The hair lose is back to the same amount as it was before MF which is guessing normal for me and it is nothing like it was on MF.
Another problem was brain fog when I eating my meals late I dont get brain fog doing my own similar diet so I have come to the conclusion it was the MF diet. I am actually getting in less supplements now too. Dont understand what caused the hair issues but happy it has slowed way down and I dont have memory issues and shakes like I did when I am late eating now. Does anyone know what could cause these issues and not just guess at it.

Jehna · 12-04-2009, 03:30 PM

Ladies, my daughter had bypass surgery a few years ago and was told she had to eat 80 grams of protein a day or her hair would fall out. She didn't, and it did. She amped up her protein and it grew back in. Now the 80 grams was for someone who no longer has much of her smaller intestine, so she needs to eat more to absorb more.

My counsellor told me that not eating enough protein is one of the biggest issues for Medifasters. The suggested portion sizes are AFTER your protein has been cooked. And, if you are eating non-medifast foods make sure what you are eating has equivalent amounts of protein. Good luck!

BerkshireGrl · 12-29-2009, 01:27 AM

WebMD has down for daily protein:
Men: about 56 grams a day
Women: about 46 grams a day

For further info:
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/nu...bels-9/protein

6 Medifast 55 Shakes provide 66 grams of protein a day, so I would guess it is the unusually low calories of the MF plan causing a shock to the hair follicles.

I did notice my hair falling out more when I was on MF before, but if it helps me lose 100+ pounds in an otherwise healthy way, heck, I'll buy a wig while my hair regenerates

joelietz · 02-25-2010, 06:49 PM

I'm sorry to hear about your long-term sleep deprivation and stress! That must have been horrible for you! I didn't know that sleep deprivation could cause hair loss like that. I knew that stress could be a factor but I didn't know about the sleep thing. I hope you're feeling better now and I hope your hair is getting better as well!

Quote:

Originally Posted by voluptuous6

Just thought I'd tack on, the hair loss was NOT connected to Medifast; I hadn't been on it yet. Just years of sleep deprivation and extreme stress.

Thighs Be Gone · 02-25-2010, 07:29 PM

Not doing medifast here--just a C counter...after about 50-60 pounds down I started noticing large amounts coming out--almost like I experienced after giving birth, eventually it slowed down as my weight loss slowed down...

Lori259 has had lots of success with the supplement Biotin..she mentioned Walmart having it for about 3 bucks..

When you lose large amounts of weight hairloss is quite common as so many others have pointed out here. Luckily for most of us, it isn't long-term.

Thighs Be Gone · 02-25-2010, 07:29 PM

Not doing medifast here--just a C counter...after about 50-60 pounds down I started noticing large amounts coming out--almost like I experienced after giving birth, eventually it slowed down as my weight loss slowed down...

Lori259 has had lots of success with the supplement Biotin..she mentioned Walmart having it for about 3 bucks..

When you lose large amounts of weight hairloss is quite common as so many others have pointed out here. Luckily for most of us, it isn't long-term.

Amarantha · 02-25-2010, 08:04 PM

I have had a major hair loss with no apparent cause other than sleep deprivation and stress. For me, it wasn't linked to nutrition but good nutrition is certainly a part of my hair growing back, which it now is.

The causes are different for different individuals, good luck in resolving your issue with this.

PaulaM · 03-12-2010, 08:12 PM

Just been to the dermatologist and she said biotin will help with hair loss and it also helps your nails (not on Medifast but lost a lot of hair due to taking anti-inflammatories for my back)

mykki35 · 05-05-2010, 09:10 AM

Biotin has helped me with my hair loss while on mf.

iwilllose · 06-06-2010, 06:49 PM

Hair loss is a potential side effect of the diet and I spoke to one person who lost her hair permanently. For me. I lost hair , actually it just appeared very thin. I cut it real short and it grew back thick and healthy. I believe the hair loss is secondary to no fat in the diet along with stress. I am trying hair vitamins this time, bought at Sally - Follicure.

Halibut · 11-05-2010, 07:45 AM

I have lost 58 pounds and have had some hair loss.. I had an increase in hair loss while I was on Medifast despite taking vitamin B complex and omega 3 vitamins
the Matthew Gardson's method is a good remedy. It has only been a few weeks but my hair seems to be improving. Also seems to be growing faster so my hairdresser will be seeing more of me!. Hope this helps...

txflea · 11-06-2010, 11:32 PM

I have very thin hair NOW... I use to have fairly thick hair when I was a teenager until my thyroid quit working. Then I started losing LOTS of hair. I was feeling like a nuclear fall out victim, I was developing a sever bald spot right behind where my bangs would be, and in the part on the top of my head until I went to the Dr and we found the problem, but along with the thyroid problem came the weight gain... and man did it gain.
Fast forward 15 years of slow weight gain and I decided enough was enough, 250 lbs was the point for me to do something so I lost 65 lbs on LA Weight Loss but that was a rip off to my pocketbook and I wont go into it now...but I managed to maintain the 65 lb loss for a year then it started creeping back on, and then some!! Now I am over what I originally lost and starting over and yep on Medifast.
I am going to go buy me some of the Bioten tomorrow and some more fish oil and a few others I have seen as supplements.
I will admit and I do rather fudge on the protein, I eat more but not too much more. And I do make the veggie side a little bigger too.
I hope my hair does not start falling out.... lets hope!