|
Medifast and hair loss
Hi Everybody,
I was digging around and saw somethings about lots of hair loss while using mf. Lot more then normal..... ALOT I just regrew my hair after a bad experience with chromium supplements. Has anyone noticed this side effect, does anyone know if mf contains chromiun? My order comes in Friday and I was so looking forward to ripping it open and getting started now I am having serious second thoughts. I have already dealt with being a women with VERY thin hair and I just can't do that again....I just can't Help!! |
I completly understand ur concern... I am losing way more hair than before... I haven't really been losing more now that i am on Medifast though. My advice to you is to take hair and nail supplements. I bought mine on QVC and i love it. My hair is a lot fuller and stopped falling off so much... Please let me know how that goes for you!
|
I did OmniFast through a doctor. It is the same as MediFast. Just be sure to take a good multi-vitamin and potassium. Potassium is CRITICAL for proper brain function with that program.
I once heard that MSM is good for hair and nails as well. I would also suggest having a couple of days a week where you substitute chicken or lean steak for two of your packet meals. |
Biotin is supposed to be good for hair. I noticed a few people on the official medifast site had mentioned thinning hair, and that biotin helped it.
|
Quote:
I looked at the Nutrition Guide download available on the MyMedifast site (you can download it as well as a ton of other helpful things) & the Medifast meals have 20-30% Average Daily Value of Chromium in them. Centrum contains 125% ADV of Chromium so this does not seem to be excessive at all. When you took Chromium supplements in addition to your regular food you may have been getting quite a high amount of it & perhaps that caused problems for you. Seeing as you do not take a mult-vitamin when on Medifast, perhaps this won't be a problem. You could call Medifast & speak with their Nutrition Support staff for more info & help on this. :) |
Quote:
Many people do take additional supplements like EFAs (fish, flax oil), Biotin, probiotics such as Acidophilus Pearls, etc. I also take cranberry supplements. These types of supplements support the program & add some vital nutrients that are not on plan (yogurt, fruit, etc.) |
Quote:
http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar-re...2/150/202/.png |
My hair was falling out when I was dieting on my own and not taking vitamins but it's stopped since starting MF. I was just talking about it to someone at work. :p
|
I have THICK hair that is almost down to my butt. My husband loves it - I HATE it!! I wish I lost some hair, but nope it's ALL still here.
|
I did Medifast for 2 months and lost a huge amount of hair. It was to the point that I could not wear my long hair up in a ponytail because it had receded a full half inch. I went to my hair dresser and without saying a word to her, she asked me if I had been dieting or on medication.
I also had terrible constipation and my energy level bottomed out after the first 2 weeks. Now, I followed the program to a tee. I did not cheat one single time. I drank my water and followed all of the advice from nutrition support but nothing helped. At the Medifast forums, everyone is so upbeat...you feel almost guilty if you have a complaint...but there's really no support for anyone who has real problems on the program. The LAST thing they will ever tell you to do there is stop using Medifast! They said my hair loss was hormonal...but come on...it didnt start happening until I went on the program. I finally said enough is enough and stopped on my own, even after a ton of people told me "dont give up!!!" IMO, any respectable company that cares about the health of its clients would not keep encouraging a person to stay on a program that is causing severe hair loss and constipation....I took the flax oil they told me to take, even took laxative they suggested, I took Biotin and rubbed rosemary oil onto my scalp twice a day...nothing worked...but "dont give up!!". After being gone for awhile, I went back and searched again...Nutrition Support has come up with a copy and paste answer for hair loss problems..."could be a medical problem", "a fungal infection" etc..."most Medifasters who have severe hair loss were not following the program properly"....makes me mad. Anything to keep you buying their stuff. Different programs work for different people. Medifast was not for me. If it works for you with no programs then thats awesome but it put my body into starvation mode and my hair fell out in huge amounts....not just me but a ton of other women too! Listen to your bodies, ladies! And read the forums there...search for hair loss and read just how many women have had the same problem. I'm not saying, "dont do the program" All i'm saying is that if you see that your hair is starting to fall out, STOP the program and dont let anyone else tell you "dont give up!!" Its been over a year now and I still have not been able to regrow what I lost in those 2 months on Medifast! It was a hard lesson learned for the 13 pounds that I lost. I switched over to low cal after that and lost just as much as I was losing on MF. Talk about regrets! This poll says it all. Out of 270 people polled at their own forums, 150 of them have experience hair loss while on this program. Thats more than HALF of the people polled!!: http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=25971& Other threads with hair loss issues: http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=40938& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=40661& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=42369& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=43049& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=39005& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=40222& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=40223& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=39398& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=35318& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=34082& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=30397& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=32824& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=31510& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=31432& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=29587& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=31433& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=31094& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=27557& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=25965& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=25963& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=25154& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=21321& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=23069& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=21303& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=18517& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=17548& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=13156& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=11343& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=10932& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=9536& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=8880& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=8320& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=7734& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=4107& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=7734& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=4107& http://mfboards.mymedifast.com/showthread.php?t=6751& |
Valley- I remember when I was a teenager- I went on nutrisystem and lost 60lbs and almost all my hair. So I do understand that problem very well. But like you said, valley, different people experience different things. My heart sooo goes out to you for your hair loss and I am glad you are seeing success now.
|
Quote:
I look at it as a good lesson, though. I think its important for Medifasters to know that this is a serious problem for many people on this program. People need to have all the information so they can make the BEST choices for themselves. But if this works for you then thats awesome...and best of luck to you all! :) And I just noticed....none of my earlier links are working now! :?: They all worked fine earlier today when i tried them. Sorry bout that...if anyone wants to see where I got them from, just to go the Medifast forums and type "Hair Loss" into the search field. :) |
Quote:
Beta-carotine will also help with hair growth. As the body demands it, beta-carotine will turn into vitamin A, which is known to help maintain growth and bone development, strength around nerve fibers, and promote healthy skin, nails, and hair. Use Green and yellow vegetables as well as fruits which are known to house beta-carotine. |
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 have just gained some of my hair back after losing quite a bit. I took nettle capsules. Non-toxic, just feeds your body what it needs to grow hair, better skin, and nails. It also helps my eczema. When my nails get brittle, I try to get one SF jello in a day, too. It's allowed as a snack on Medifast. HTH!
|
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.
|
Hair problems and other issues
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! :dizzy:. 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 |
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....
|
Quote:
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. |
Eat More Protein
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! |
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 ;) |
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:
|
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. |
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. |
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. |
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)
|
Biotin has helped me with my hair loss while on mf.
|
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.
|
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... |
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! |
I lost fifty pounds easily and happily three years ago. But my hair started falling out in large amounts, and my periods stopped, and so I went off the diet. I am now trying to figure out what to do since I gained everything back plus five pounds. My periods returned, but my hair has never fully recovered.
|
I mainly use the matthew gardsons method , Basically, you need an understanding of the prevention of hair loss and remedies that increase hair growth.
|
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:59 AM. |
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.