Q: I am a 46-year-old woman who has been experiencing hair loss for five to six years. I am seeing a dermatologist, but I am quite frustrated with no diagnosis. The answer always is “you are within normal range,” although I'm always on the low end of normal. Also, I saw an endocrinologist who put me on Synthroid for an under-active thyroid. Could there be any correlation to hair loss and Synthroid? I have one doctor telling me I'm perimenopausal, another doctor telling me I'm menopausal and yet another telling me, based on my hormone levels, that I'm post-menopausal (which I'm sure is not correct). Hair loss does not run in my family, but my daughter, who is 17, is also experiencing hair loss. Could there be something in my system that may be causing a chemical imbalance and the hair loss?
A:
Hair loss can be caused by many things, including deficiencies in iron, biotin, copper, essential fatty acids, vitamins B5, B6, riboflavin and zinc. In addition, thyroid (either over-active or under-active) can cause changes, which lead to hair breakage or thinning. The hormonal changes associated with menopause and the years preceding menopause (perimenopause) also can lead to hair thinning. Autoimmune diseases, such as Lupus, are associated with hair thinning, and lastly, but most commonly, a family history of thinning in women as they age significantly increases the risk, especially at your age.
Talk to your doctors about checking for anemia and autoimmune diseases if they have not already done so, and have your thyroid levels checked now that you are on Synthroid, to ensure that you are on the appropriate dose. Take a multivitamin/mineral supplement, fish oil supplement and a B complex (B50). I do not recommend hormone-replacement therapy for the hormonal changes causing hair loss associated with menopause.
Q: Have you heard of Goji juice?
A: I have heard of Goji juice. It is from the lyceum barbarum species, which appears to have significant anti-oxidant effects and cytoprotective (cell protection) effects. There have been several studies published in scientific journals about the effects of extracts of this plant either in test tubes or in animals, but none in humans. I could not find any studies on any of the "juice" products, which are available on the market. There are many things like this out there – from Noni, to mangostene, to Goji – all of which tend to be very expensive and need more research in humans.
Q: I was visiting my family in Cleveland last summer when I discovered the wonderful Balanced Living magazine in Northeast Ohio. I recently re-discovered the issue I had brought back to New York with me, so am writing now as the copy was away in storage. In the July-August 2005 edition a question was asked about winter depression lasting from January to May and if there are any natural remedies. You responded "absolutely!" and shared about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and encouraged the reader to look into light therapy, as well as St. John's Wort.
I want to share my experience with you about SAD and offer an additional resource for readers to investigate. The Art of Living Foundation offers courses in breathing that provide a natural way for people to reduce stress through a breathing practice. I have experienced a profound change and benefits since I first took the course in New York City in 2002. I had suffered from low chronic depression since being a teenager and, in addition, experienced the effects of SAD. After the course and applying the practices, I have continually felt a shift for the better, now having a tool to use to counter depression, as well as basic stress and anxiety. The techniques taught by Art of Living are so effective that Amy Weintraub, author of Yoga for Depression, dedicated an entire chapter of her book to the Art of Living's 'sudarshan kriya' technique. While Art of Living teaches courses for people specifically suffering from depression, the basic course it teaches is just as effective for those who suffer from SAD and low-level chronic depression at this time of the year. (Art of Living also offers a course for cancer patients, trauma survivors, etc...as well as courses for educators, law enforcement, corporate professionals and more.
Perhaps you are well aware of what I share, so forgive me if this is redundant. However, I feel compelled to share this amazing resource for you to put in your tool-box to share with your readers. Thanks for the wonderful work you do to support people's health and healing.
A: Thank you so much for sharing your experiences with this technique. There have been several studies on meditation and breath-work, which have been beneficial for patients with depression. We have a long way to go in understanding mechanisms of action that can be understood in the Western medical paradigm, but in the meantime, whichever path one chooses to get to the top of the mountain (i.e. yoga, transcendental meditation, guided imagery, prayer, tai chi, etc.) should be supported by his/her health-care provider.
Tanya Edwards, M.D., M.Ed., is the Medical Director for the Center for Integrative Medicine and is a staff member in the Department of Family Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. As a Family Practice physician, she sees patients at the Cleveland Clinic Independence Family Health Center, and will begin wellness consultations at the new Cleveland Clinic Wellness Center. For the past seven years, she has been teaching complementary and alternative medicine courses at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.
Some questions in the “Ask Dr. Edwards” column appear courtesy of NetWellness.org.
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