Does Protein Powder Cause Hair Loss?

But often, protein powder consumers link whey protein with hair loss. Do these linkages have the truth? Is whey protein that bad for hair? Let’s examine a few aspects of protein powder and hair loss.

Whey protein is a primary protein found in dairy products. It is described as the byproduct of the cheese-making process. The protein type provides a considerable amount of essential amino acids required to perform the functions of proteins.

Whey protein helps with muscle building and retention in older adults. It gets digested quickly and absorbed by the body. Thus, muscles can use it immediately.

Now, the question is whether whey protein results in hair loss.

The critical element between whey protein and hair loss is the testosterone level. Whey protein consists of inorganic growth hormones like DHEA and creatine.

While stimulating mass muscle growth, these inorganic growth hormones promote the growth of high levels of testosterone hormones in the bloodstream. The testosterone further gets converted into chemical DHT that impedes the growth of new hair follicles and results in baldness. Over a period, you lose a significant amount of hair.

High testosterone levels in the blood refer to more of it being converted into the androgen DHT. It affects hair follicles more than usual. Thus, whey protein does not directly result in hair loss. However, it catalyzes hair loss in men with a family history of male pattern baldness or alopecia.

So, what should you do as a whey protein consumer suffering from hair loss? The answer is straightforward. You must consult a dermatologist. It is unlikely to suffer from hair loss due to whey protein if you haven’t had previous hair loss problems. But if you’ve already had it, consuming whey protein can expedite it.

While consulting a dermatologist, another thing to do is to stop using whey protein. You can use other foodstuffs as the primary protein source instead of supplements.

Now, does stopping consuming whey protein help regrow hair? The answer is no. Whey protein doesn’t directly cause hair loss. Hence, it wouldn’t stimulate hair regrowth even if you stopped consuming it. However, you can talk to your dermatologist and seek professional treatment. Depending on the treatment, hair loss may slow down, and you may observe a slight regrowth. But one cannot guarantee that this will happen. Using dermatologist-prescribed medications and treatment can stimulate hair regrowth.

Connect with HairMD if you are suffering from hair loss problems. Our dermatologists will diagnose the cause of hair loss and provide a personalized hair loss treatment. Visit to connect with our experienced dermatologists for specific and effective hair loss and fall treatment.