Can Energy Drinks Cause Hair Loss?

You notice yourself struggling to push through the day because you have no energy left. You yawn repeatedly, wishing you were back in bed. You think about what you can do to regain a little bit of energy to get your day done. You think about splashing some water on your face or maybe doing a little dance in your room to get the blood pumping.

Nothing seems to be working.

You notice yourself struggling to push through the day because you have no energy left. You yawn repeatedly, wishing you were back in bed. You think about what you can do to regain a little bit of energy to get your day done. You think about splashing some water on your face or maybe doing a little dance in your room to get the blood pumping.

Nothing seems to be working.

That’s when you turn to consumables. So, what’s a quick way to get energy – without putting in that much work? The answers lie behind the aluminum walls of a 16oz can of caffeine.

However, before you crack open a can of any energy drink, make sure to do a little research. A recent study suggests that energy drinks have been linked to an increase in hair loss in men. Can this be? Well, let’s take a deeper look into the study and see what they find.

A quick and cheap form of accruing energy when you need it most. Almost every gas station or supermarket has them in stock. Their abundance and price make them popular among young people.

What isn't so popular with young people is male-pattern hair loss.

This condition is unfortunately common among men and can be physiologically damaging to young men. For many young people, looks are everything. In a world dominated by social media, young people are bombarded with what they think they should look like. Hair is a big part of what makes you look like you in the eyes of young people.

The study reached out to potential volunteers. They reached out to men ranging from 18-45 years of age within different regions of China. According to the researchers, all data was collected anonymously. Nearly 2000 men responded to the survey and agreed to help in the study.

However, to make sure that no other variable influenced the results of the experiment, the researchers filtered out individuals with scalp infections, gave unreasonable answers, or answered the application a little too quickly. In the end, roughly 1000 men were invited fully to the study.

436 participants were considered by the study as “normal,” or viewed as a control group. Where 592 individuals were participants with male-pattern hair loss.

The researchers would ask the participants about their consumption habits when it comes to what they drink. This is what the researchers found.

Almost half of the participants who had male-pattern hair loss drank sugary energy drinks.

Most participants with male-pattern baldness who drank sugary energy drinks typically drank more compared to participants who were “normal.”

From the study, the researchers saw that young men in China who have reported drinking a significant amount of sugary energy drinks have a higher risk of male-pattern hair loss. Not just sugary energy drinks, but most sugary drinks showed a similar pattern. Drinks like sugary tea, soft drinks, and artificially sweetened coffee, milk, and teas have also been shown to pose a significant risk of male-pattern hair loss.

So, if sugary drinks are so bad for you, then why do young men, and young people in general drink them so often? It could be for a variety of reasons, but a lack of information or research into the products before consumption is a key player. Many young people do not know the negative effects of sugary drinks, and happily upgrade their soft drinks from medium to large at fast food restaurants.

One could argue that many companies pay to hide the truth behind sugary drinks and actively suppress the general public – including young men – from knowing the harm that comes from excessive sugar.

This study also considered the participants' mental health. Stress and anxiety play a big part in male-pattern hair loss. The study found that individuals experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have shown more significant signs of male-pattern hair loss than sugary drinks.

The researchers posed a potential solution to young people drinking excess sugary drinks. Rather than focus on the negative health effects, instead, show how too much sugar can change your appearance – something that young people care about.

Check out the study here

Image/Video Credits: Video by Timur Weber: https://www.pexels.com/video/extreme-close-up-of-soda-water-in-a-glass-8676954/

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