Study finds that certain protein shakes could accelerate hair loss for men

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

Anyone that's going a bit thin on top might be making their barnet worse due to the sports supplements they're taking. Certain protein shakes are a culprit in raising blood testosterone levels which are linked with hair loss in men, according to the Belgravia Centre. Some protein drinks and powders can contain ingredients like inorganic growth hormones and creatine, which are believed to contribute to the balding process. It's all down to testosterone which is also a key hormone in building muscle and fat loss while heavy weights sessions and high intensity workouts increase testosterone levels. It appears though that shakes which contain these two muscle mass-promoting additives can send T levels soaring even further. It's bad news for anyone that's genetically 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 those supplements which contain DHEA or creatine. They also advise switching 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 because it can maintain testosterone levels and therefore slow down hair loss. This article first appeared on JOE.co.uk