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Permalink Reply by Epo on September 22, 2013 at 9:53pm

I don't think the actual working out would be the cause, unless you've upped your workout a few months prior to the hair loss beginning.

I can only share my story and maybe it might help you if any of it is similar to your story? I've also always been a gym rat, about 1.5 hours every other day. Then, in August 2012, I really wanted to tone quickly and lose my stubborn 8 pounds, so I started to worked out 2-3 hours most every day, while keeping my calorie intake pretty low (my doctors said that it was too low, and I was starving myself, even though the actual amount would not be considered undereating..but since I was burning so much energy, I was supposed to eat way more than the 1200 calories I was eating).

In January 2013, I found my first quarter size spot on the side of my head, and now I have about a 60-70 percent loss of hair on my scalp, with a thankfully regrowing eyebrow and lashes, and some sporadic patches of regrowth on my scalp. I began to eat more again, with an emphasis on protein, and I cut down my working out back to an hour 3-4 days a week. The hair loss is still rampant so I have no idea if being an intense gym rat was the real culprit, but it definitely made me make some poor choices nutritionally, which probably caused my alopecia areata to start.

Hope some of this helps you, if you are in the same boat as I am! Be well.

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Permalink Reply by Rakan on September 23, 2013 at 3:08am

I actually did up my workouts by going oong really heavy on the weights a month before I noticed my first patch. For about 8 months i kept up that workout routine but now over the last month I have cutback on going really heavy and as intense. I dont know if that will help with my alopecia though.

Do you take any supplements? I've been off for the last month but I took whey protein and n.o. explode?

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Permalink Reply by Epo on September 23, 2013 at 10:22pm

Obviously I can't definitively say that upping to really heavy workouts caused our alopecia, or helped jump start the alopecia, I can say that it could potentially be a factor (it was in my case, so that's as far as I can go with that, since I don't want to tell you anything that may not be true for you.)

My dermatologist and trichologist both said that hair loss/things that cause hair loss begin a few months before we actually notice it, and so in my case, both my dermatologist and trichologist looked at my scalp and hair and said "did anything change in August 2012?" and that was shocking because yes! Something did change in August 2012. They both independently believed that what I'd done August 2012 to January 2013 jump started my alopecia areata, and that it will take at least than much time for some regrowth or change to happen (which they were also right about, as I have some regrowths).

I took a multi vitamin (centrum), calcium chew (viactiv) and a hair/nail supplement (phyto) before the alopecia started. After the alopecia, my combination is a multi vitamin (centrum), calcium chew (viactiv), biotin (5000mg), and a B-complex vitamin. Sometimes, during my period, I take an iron supplement with vitamin c.

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Permalink Reply by Rakan on September 24, 2013 at 12:34pm

I don't think in my case it has anything to do with me working out. Thanks for the helpful information though. I take biotin as well. Also take a hair nail supplement. Ive had slight regrowth on my scalp.

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Permalink Reply by Epo on September 24, 2013 at 8:05pm

No problem. Any regrowth is a plus, so says my doctors... at the very least, it means your body is figuring itself out.

Do you still have loss though? I have decent regrowth, but my earliest two patches, and my very newest ones are still pretty bare, while I have considerable loss even with the regrowth. I don't know if that is just me, or maybe something other alopecia patients have in conjunction with their regrowth.

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