Researchers have discovered a molecular mechanism why a diet high in high-fat foods can lead to hair loss. In a new study, they found that stem cells in hair follicles behaved differently in a high-fat diet than on a standard diet. Furthermore, inflammation in stem cells led to these differences, which eventually due to hair loss. These fascinating data shed light on the complex relationship between obesity and organ dysfunction.

How high-fat foods can cause inflammation in hair follicles

So far, there is enough scientific evidence that obesity can lead to the development of many diseases. Such would be, for example, diabetes and heart disease, which are common in people who are overweight. However, it is not entirely clear how chronic obesity specifically damages body parts and causes them to lose their functionality. Therefore, one research group used mouse models to study how high-fat foods or genetic obesity might affect hair loss. The study authors found that being overweight may lead to a reduction of stem cells in hair follicles by inducing certain inflammatory signals. Accordingly, it blocks the regeneration of hair follicles and eventually causes their loss. They usually renew themselves, which stops the aging process. This causes the hair follicles to shrink and thus the hair becomes thin. Although obese people have a higher risk of androgenetic alopecia, it was unclear whether obesity accelerates hair thinning. That’s why the research team focused on it.

The results of the study show that a high-fat diet also accelerates the process of thinning hair by breaking them. The scientists compared gene expression in the hairs in both types of diet and tracked the fate of the hair follicles after their activation. The examined laboratory rats showed rapid hair loss and smaller hair follicles, along with exhaustion of the regeneration process. In the case of a high fat content, activation of inflammatory signaling by cytokines was also shown. The researchers confirmed that this fatigue could be overcome by activating the signaling pathway in this process. It can prevent hair loss caused by high-fat foods. this study provides interesting new insights into the specific cellular changes in fate and tissue disease that can occur following a high-fat diet or genetic obesity. This could open the door to understanding obesity as well as prevention and treatment of hair loss in the future.