Can probiotics help with hair loss?

A lot of attention is paid to baldness in men but thinning hair and hair loss is more common in women, especially older women, than we might think.

While there isn’t a cure, new research suggests that probiotics – the gut-friendly bacteria found in fermented foods, such as yoghurt, keﬁr, sauerkraut and kimchi – may be able to slow the process and even stop it from progressing.

The research found a direct correlation between your immune system and gut health. While hair loss tends to be genetic, hair health is also inﬂuenced by diet and lifestyle. According to the research, hair follicles that are subjected to poor diet and environmental pollutants cannot sustain hair-growth activity and, as a result, die off.

The study found that probiotics, together with a healthy diet, can trigger a positive immune and metabolic reaction. In other words, as your immune system becomes stronger, so should your hair follicles. Speak to your health-care professional about the type of probiotic that may be of beneﬁt to you.