Protein shakes could make hair loss worse in men

If you like having a thick head of hair then we've got some bad news for you.

Anyone going a bit thin on top might just be making it worse with the sports supplements they're taking. Protein shakes could be a culprit in raising blood testosterone levels which are behind hair loss in men, according to the Belgravia Centre. Some recovery protein drinks and powders can contain things like inorganic growth hormone and creatine, which are believed to contribute to the balding process. It's all down to testosterone - the make sex hormone - which is also key in muscle building and fat loss. Heavy weights sessions and high intensity workouts increase testosterone levels anyway. But shakes containing these two muscle mass-promoting additives are said to send T levels soaring even further. It's bad news for anyone predisposed to balding or with a family history of androgenic alopecia. Basically the testosterone is broken down by an enzyme which creates a chemical called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which stops or slows the growth of new hair cells on your scalp. Certain men will start thinning and losing hair in a normal shedding process because the DHT stops new growth. It must be said that protein shakes don't cause hair loss, but the fact that some promote an increase in T levels means that they can help speed up the process of balding. The Belgravia Centre advises that men should cut out supplements containing DHEA or creatine and switch to organic proteins. Sadly hitting the heavy weights and HIIT-type training is a big testosterone booster, which obviously can increase hair loss in men predisposed to the hereditary condition. But they advise that you can do more cardio and aerobic based exercise like running it can keep testosterone levels and therefore slow down hair loss. Although don't do too much long distance running - this study claims it can dent your sex drive and performance in bed.