Official statistics tell us that marijuana use among Canadian adults is on the rise. In 2013, around 11 percent of the Canadian population - 3.1m people - admitted to having smoked cannabis within the last 12 months. In 2015, that number had risen to 12 percent or 3.6m people.
There are some unhealthy side effects associated with smoking weed. It can disrupt your sleep, limit your cardiovascular capacity, and negatively impact your diet.Of course, for a whole bunch of people, weed can also be a welcome source of pain relief, relaxation, and enjoyment.
But one possible and under-reported consequence of marijuana consumption can be thinning hair. This raises the question: does smoking weed slow hair growth?
The Evidence
The science here isn’t exact. But there is some evidence to suggest that people who smoke large amounts of cannabis suffer from slower hair growth and non-genetic baldness.Indeed, soon to be published results from a research team at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands indicate a direct link between weed smoking and hair loss.
The study looked at men and women between the ages of 18 and 60 who regularly smoked weed and discovered that - among young men in particular - there was an increased tendency towards hair loss.
Metabolism
One explanation for this trend is the fact that marijuana consumption can accelerate your metabolism. This occurs through a complicated internal process.
Smoking weed releases an agent called THC into your system. THC replaces certain cell receptors, some of which manage and control your appetite, in your brain and body, altering our mood or making us feel much hungrier.
This is part of the weed-induced phenomenon widely known as “the munchies.” And when you’re high or intoxicated, you tend to reach for food that is immediately gratifying rather than food that is healthy. The result is a diet too heavily loaded with fatty, starchy, and sugary foods.
“Hair is made up of a protein called Keratin,” the nutritional expert Anne Dunev explains. “You may not be getting the protein your body needs to make new hair. Also, if you cannot digest the protein you are eating, you may not get the benefit. If you feel heavy after a protein meal … start taking digestive enzymes. You should also consider doing a cleanse to get rid of any buildup of undigested protein. A cleanse is always a good boost to hair and skin.”
A higher metabolic rate is also associated with accelerated ageing and in turn will stunt hair growth and reinforce pre-existing patterns of hair loss.
Deeper Science
There’s a deeper science at work here as well.
According to a study by The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, THC deposits at “high levels in the hair shafts of human cannabis consumers.”
The study concluded that THC “inhibits the elongation of hair shafts [and] suppresses the distribution of hair follicle proteins”, which is vital to hair growth.
So apart from the way THC triggers your appetite, encouraging you to make less than fully rational decisions about what to eat, it can also restrict hair growth on a more fundamental, cellular level.
Stress
But perhaps a simpler explanation for the link between hair loss and marijuana is that people who spend lots of time smoking weed - which lowers energy levels and, when used in a joint with tobacco, weakens lung capacity - can experience higher rates of stress.
Stress is a chief cause of hair loss, and one of the main prohibitors of hair growth, in people under 40.
For instance, researchers have discovered that marijuana addiction can have a serious impact on the hormonal development on adolescents, which can carry over into later life, often in the form of stunted physical growth.
Scientists studying this link found that smoking marijuana could increase levels of the so-called “stress hormone” cortisol, which is released from the adrenal glands as part of our natural human ‘fight-or-flight’ mechanism.
The researchers discovered that - for reasons that are not entirely clear - heavy marijuana smokers had much higher levels of cortisol in their bodies than non-smokers and were, as a result, more stressed. This may be why many weed smokers often report becoming more alert and even paranoid after a joint.
A Solution For Your Hair Loss
Fortunately, there are some really great solutions to the problem of marijuana-related hair loss out there!
Dr.Yu’s Pro Hair 1 Formula is specifically designed to maintain hair growth at its natural rate and to ensure that people can avoid accelerated rates of hair loss.
Pro Hair 1 improves the health, strength and vitality of your hair by boosting your immune system, relieving your anxiety, and mitigating any sleeping disorders or nervous conditions that you may be suffering from.
By reducing your stress levels and improving your sleep, this product - which is made from traditional, healthy, replenishing Chinese herbs and root medicines - will help reduce the speed of your hair loss, even if you smoke a lot of weed.
The recommended dosage for the Pro Hair 1 Formula is four capsules twice a day, leaving a few hours between each dose - or before or after taking any other medication or natural health products. The Formula is approved by Health Canada.
So try out Dr.Yu's formula now if you are worried about your cannabis habit damaging your hair growth. And for the best results, combine the Pro Hair 1 Formula with Dr.Yu’s Pro Hair Tincture and Plum Needle, which will complement and reinforce the Formula’s rapid hair regrowth and hair strengthening qualities!