Can certain foods trigger alopecia areata?

Question

Hello again Hairloss Experts. Is there certain foods to avoid when it comes to alopecia areata? Can certain foods trigger it or make it worse? Thank you as always

Matt Tahsini, MD · Answer

Hello and thank you for your question. To be honest, there aren't many studies on this subject, but to my knowledge foods do not trigger Alopecia Areata. That being said, it's always good to have a well-balanced diet, get proper rest, and exercise.

Dr. T

Dr. T

Steven C. Chang, MD · Answer

Thank you for the excellent question. This is an often asked question, a question with many hypotheses and even more "research-seems-to-show" answers yet a distinct lack of solid unbiased research-based answer. The truth of the matter is that it is unknown. There are some thoughts and even less solid research suggesting that diets low in processed foods, low in polyunsaturated fats, low in artificial sweeteners, and low in gluten as well as diets high in anti-inflammatory foods (such as the Mediterranean diet) can be helpful since the condition is auto-immune mediated. However, actual case studies and research are slim. There was a 2020 case study following a 8 year old boy with alopecia areata who reportedly achieved complete remission after following a diet composed of whole, unrefined foods and supplementing with vitamin D, zinc, and other micronutrients for 5 months. However, the author of the case study received consultancy fees and stock options from the company that manufactured the supplement used to treat the patient.

Jeff Donovan, MD, PhD · Answer

The role of food is not entirely clear. For children who have a formal diagnosis of celiac disease, there is evidence that gluten containing foods (barley, rye, wheat) may worsen or exacerbate the disease and removal of gluten may help improve hair growth. This does not seem to help children who do not have celiac disease.  Much of thr advice online about foods is without any evidence. It’s usually in the form of avoiding sugary and fat foods. While that sure sounds good, it’s somewhat made up and without well conducted study. Many case studies that show improvement with diet are poorly conducted and given that 80-90 % of patients would have regrown hair on their own with enough time, these studies have limited value in our world. All in all, a well balanced diet is what we should be aiming for. But to claim that diet impacts most people in a huge way is unfounded. For some, there may be a role. But the exact role is still unclear.

Kulakarn Amonpattana, MD · Answer

Hello I'm Dr. Wipawan Vathananai, a co-worker of Dr. Kulakarn Amonpattana, from BHI Clinic, Bangkok, Thailand. As far as I know, I've never heard that a certain food is able to trigger AA in a patient. However, if you have food poisoning or infective diarrhea, this may trigger AA.

Can certain foods trigger alopecia areata?

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