Exercise and hair loss?

According to British Scientists, they say weightlifting can cause hair loss.

http://gohealthdaily.com/hair-loss/scientists-link-baldness-to-weight-lifting/

So I know all types of exercise, even aerobic exercise raises DHT, so I guess all exercise can be bad for hair, right? But on the other hand, exercise reduces insulin resistance, and I've heard resistance exercise is better at reducing insulin resistance than aerobic. So I was wondering what your opinion is on exercise?

My personal story is somewhat related to this because when I moved away from home for my first full time job I noticed a huge amount of shedding and hair loss all over the top of my head, but especially in the front corners (typical male pattern). While I was living on my own I ate a lot of fast food (especially taco bell) and I was running every other day for about an hour. Also, though I wasn't weightlifting, I was taking whey protein powder once a day which has branch-chain amino acids which I've read increase insulin release by over 200%, so I think I might of became somewhat insulin resistant because of my diet. But I also think the hair loss might of been from running without taking any anti-oxidants. Oh also I did that Candida test this morning and I failed, so I picked up that N-Acytal-Cystine and Niacinamide to try and clear it out. I"M still looking for that other thing from the Horopito plant you mentoined on the page, might have to buy it from the web, some of the links don't work though.

But anyway back to the main question, so is it possible for me to get back into weight lifting lightly as long as I don't take any branch-chain amino acids or any kind of hormone to gain bulk?

I would avoid any hormone supplements if you are interested in keeping your hair.

I love working out in the gym, and though I did get some shedding when I started, it resolved and is in better condition than ever now.

I don't do pure aerobic exercise in the gym as I think sunlight and outside cardio is far better for your hair. The gym is still great for strength, flexibility, general good looks and fitness though. I would focus on fitness rather than strength per se.

I do circuits on the weights, never take breaks, drink plenty of H20 before and just after, I do plenty of inverted moves, and make sure I use a good range of motion and do at least 10 minutes floppy warm down afterwards. Intensity is a staple, but never with physical distortion or agonized face. Good form is half the fun. If you can perform at best form, and do it better than your prior sessions average, you'll feel like a god.

Body insecurity is for dickheads. It certainly doesn't help hair maintenance. You need to avoid the fight/flight response, and focus on pleasure/intrinsic motivation to get the right sort of natural hormone balance.

The effect is a good sense of wellbeing and lean/manly sexy (taller appearance), rather than having the semi feminised tits, hunched shoulders, and idiotic noneck of muscle fanatics. OK, I'm biased, but for your hair, lean fitness and strength is far better. A feeling of good muscle use, healthy circulation plus endorphins, with a reduced risk of injury/stiffness is a good goal. Never overtrain.

Also, exercise is always a good way to apply/circulate nutrients/good foods. I generally take some sorts of vegetable and fruit juice afterwards for about 2 hours before eating, and the endorphin/clean skin effect is bliss.

Health and fitness first, then hair.

Cheers
Lux

I was afraid to weight lift because of that article and other data potentially causing things to get worse. I personally did not notice anything different besides a more toned body. It might be something to test out and see if you are affected. That is why I am a big proponent of maca since it balances your hormones.

Ther had been a lot of conflicting studies on this. A lot say weightlifting can make use of the free DHT in the body, others say it produces...confusing

That makers of that study probably didn't consider that bodybuilders often take androgen producing supplements. An increase in testosterone does not automatically increase DHT.

I would take the studies into balance with the effect of what happens when you go the the gym.

A lot of powerlifting and weight training naturally involves a stressed body. This is obviously the case afterwards. There is also the stress of carrying heavy muscles around all day and the demand on resources. Basically, heavy weight training can put demands on a body that is not designed for that. It may be true that there are some body types that are more capable of coping, but they still tend to lack in the more beneficial aspects of exercise.

Weights can help to relax and lengthen the muscles if done right, and I find moderately weighted shrugs really keeps my shoulders in a supple relaxed state. And moderate weights can really get you blowing hard whilst keeping injury to a minimum. Its a useful low impact method of burning cals plus toning muscles, tendons, and bones.

My gym routine has become much more like a sort of cardio-yoga/pilates. I like the rowing machine also, as it does seem to have a nice all round tone, plus plenty of cardio. Finishing with cardio is a good idea, especially if its low stress, high endorphine. Anyway, I don't feel as heavy as I was when obsessing about developing bulging boobs and biceps the size of bowling balls. Also, if I'm lacking time, I just do some rowing for an all round toneup plus cardo, then do some cardio-benchpresses as it deals with all the major muscle groups.

Superior circulation and an overall effect of wellbeing is just right.

If you are into hair regrowth, I believe its gotta be a lifestyle choice. Its a real nice lifestyle as far as I have experienced:) Moderation and balance are important, and as you probably have guessed, I was born to be mild.

Cheers
Lux

Going to the gym, 3-4 days a week, lifting not-that-heavy weights, would or would not worsen the genetic hair loss?

Well if you believe the theory that insulin resistance is a major cause of hair loss, it would HELP your hair since weightlifting reduces insulin resistance.

Hi Misirlou

Remember there are many cardio exercises that increase muscle tone (looks and shape). Running is one such exercise. In fact, just doing walk-up-the-wall handstands seriously got my shoulders and chest in handsome shape, whilst also being relaxing. Lunges are super, pressups are great, shadow kickboxing (carefully and playfully, not stressfully) are all great to get the shape right.

I would say cardio is King (heart and lungs are essential), but only if you do it to keep a good circulation and keep muscle useful.

I also think 4 times a week in the gym is probably overload. I'd say that any strong exercise you do, you should schedule a healthy slobbing out period of an hour or so afterwards. Rest and relaxation are highly productive (and the goodlife) and help to keep the DHT low.

I keep a pretty bloody good physique on 1 or 2max times a week in the gym (with a strong cardio element) and most of the rest is fast walking (often uphill), plus stretching/toning/mild inversions, and giving myself utterly essential rest periods to allow the body to recover and adapt. And I would never do any intense exercise on consecutive days. I don't have washboard abs and I feel they are a bit too perfectionist for my liking, but I've managed to maintain a pretty respectable Pierce Brosnan 007 level (I was at one time more like David Brent UKoffice).

I see there may be a good argument for taking some sort of DHT blocker before or shortly after exercise. It may be a useful way to keep any DHT worries at bay after exercise.

Cheers
Lux

Perhaps you are right Nidhogge

The principle is definitely avoid overload. Maybe I'm just more of a hedonist than yourgoodself. Certainly I was born to be mild:)

Cheers
Lux

Lux,

I could not agree more. Your points about creating stress in the body are spot on, as well as creating a marriage between the heart and lungs, form over depth. Exercise can be profoundly healing--backbends for instance, just compress the spine. An example, today I left work early under the weather. I had been out for several days nursing a pinched nerve, followed by a cold. Totally counterintuitively, I stepped into yoga; it just so turned out that this year's international assana champion was guest teaching--the girl was a radiant, a testament of health and beauty, fucking ready for the stage, just like i like them. The point is I know the practice heals. The body sculpting and toning are the extras--admittedly I am just as interested in that as the healing. I took a gamble, yet not really because I have experience with the outcome, and sure enough, as always, i walked out a new man with just about every girl beaming at me as I made my way home.

That said, I think we can all agree, exercise done right will only help.

I have been trying to zoom in on the specific elements to my execise that might be behind its benefit to my hair:
My instinct tells me that it is without doubt the cardiovascular, circulatory aspect, and likely the benefit to the kidneys.

Yeh that natural radiant glow is a good sign

I had an acquaintance who did shoulderstands regularly and ended up with bonespurs in his neck that seriously screwed him up (partial temporary paralysis, and some permanent nerve damage to his leg nerves and knee balance). Apparently its a common problem if you do them with neck at rightangles to the backbone. So if you are into shoulderstands, definitely do the ones that keep your neck and back at a very gentle curve (basically the shoulderstand that looks more like bending double upside down and rests on your shoulderblades rather than shoulders per se). I would avoid headstands like the plague for the same reason, plus it bruises the scalp.

But the natural glow thing is common to a lot of physical activity. If I come out of the gym feeling nauseous or looking pale, I know its a bad result. But the rosy glow is just right, feeling slightly high and oxygenated.

Anything that helps lymph, KT cells, immune system regulation in general. I believe if you want to heal the scalp and hair, its the life, mind, and body as a whole you have to focus on.

Cheers
Lux