Hair loss is an issue that an estimated 50% of men and women will experience at some point in their lifetime. And as there are many different types of hair loss, there are also many various drivers of hair loss. These drivers of hair loss range from everything including autoimmune issues, hormonal imbalances, poor gut health, insulin resistance, environmental toxicity, and more. In this episode, Dr. Hyman sits down with Dr. Elizabeth Boham to discuss the Functional Medicine approach to treating hair loss, and how it differs from the typical conventional medicine approach. They also share details about specific patient cases in which they have treated hair loss.
Elizabeth Boham is a physician and nutritionist who practices functional medicine at The UltraWellness Center in Lenox, MA. Through her practice and lecturing she has helped thousands of people achieve their goals of optimum health and wellness. She witnesses the power of nutrition every day in her practice and is committed to training other physicians to utilize nutrition in healing. Dr. Boham has contributed to many articles and wrote the latest chapter on Obesity for the Rankel Textbook of Family Medicine. She is part of the faculty of the Institute for Functional Medicine and has been featured on the Dr. Oz show and in a variety of publications and media including Huffington Post, The Chalkboard Magazine, and Experience Life. Her DVD Breast Wellness: Tools to Prevent and Heal from Breast Cancer explores the functional medicine approach to keeping your breasts and whole body well.
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Sometimes hair loss can a sign of something more serious going on in the body, such as health condition. Such as hypothyroidism, this is where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones
nice interview hoever you really meant DHT not DHEA??
DHEA is an androgen, so that probably wasn’t an error
DHEA is a protohormone. It is very relevant. DHT is very relevant to hair loss as well.
You might have been thinking about DHA which is an omega 3 fat?
My struggle for the last 5 months! I waited too long to get bloodwork done. Turns out my ferritin levels were severely low, hypothyroidism, and gut issues. My doctor told me my thyroid issues are secondary and my main concern should be my gut.
What are you doing to help your hair?
Very informative Doc could u have a talk on melasma one day soon
PCOS also has a genetic element too…that drives the disease. So people with PCOS (me) have to be more aware of diet exercise and lifestyle change. It is not that we are all just slugging down a load of carbs!
What do you eat over the course of a week on high good fats Mark, please share?
That information is everywhere. Look up Sten Eckberg on you tube.
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Lower your Insulin by Removing all OILS/FAT~!
Insulin resistance is treated with cutting off carbs, not fat.
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@Hélia Alves That is the Old School~!!!
How come all intelligent people doing these shows are not socially distancing or putting cloths over their mouths.
They seem to be about 2 meters apart.
Because they’re NOT idiots who believe in this false plandemic.
But just wait till next year and see all the people who die from the vaccines.
If you thought 2020 was bad just wait till next year. AGENDA 21 WILL BE HERE !!!!
They do. But anyway, even if they didn’t it is probably because masks don’t work. WHO tested air 10cm from the face of COVID patients and found no COVID in the air – 10 CMS from the face!
@Tk totally!!!
So happy to see this topic being addressed by the functional medicine community finally. Hair loss is a complex phenomenon and can be very hard to troubleshoot. Could you please share more information on the amino acid supplements you mentioned in your discussion?
It’s not only the thyroid. My numbers came back fine and you should see my part. My EEG techs recently noticed how thin it is
I lost a lot of my hair and outer corners of my eyebrows. Doctors just told me it can not be my tyroid, that tyroid does not cause hair loss. They suspect it is fibrosing frontal alopecia, apparently autoimune disorder of which I never heard before. I researched the topic and hope it is not that. Anyone has experience with FFA? Any natural cures?
Hi Dr. Hyman, I just listened to your interview with Dr. Elizabeth Boham and she had describe my symptoms of polycystic ovarian. I Took of sugar, carbs, and I been fasting for about eight months. I lost so far about 25 pounds, my a1c now is 5.2 my last blood test was normal for thyroid and hormones. I notice in my CBC test that lymphocytes was 45.2% and my Anion Gap was 4 mola/L,Few months ago my hair in my head starter to fall and the hair in my chine and sides started to grow, what can I do to fixed? Thank you I really enjoy this information
Hi Dr Hyman I wonder how to get an appointment with you and what it cost.
OMG, this video. I’m going yes to SO many symptoms. To find they have a cause is so major in my life. Thank you!
As a thyroid patient who had hair loss issues the things that helped me most were:
1)natural desiccated thyroid at an optimal dose, it’s difficult to find a good one these days but it is possible.
2) zinc, selenium and iodine supplementation. Zinc especially for hair loss.
3) B supplements in the methylated form.
4) castor oil treatment on your scalp nightly.
I had no eyebrows and I had thin patches on my head and was generally a hot mess. I have fully recovered and feel great and have a full head of hair and eyebrows once again. Cheers!