CLAIM: 

A popular social media post claims that coffee consumption leads to hair loss

FACT: 

There's little evidence to firmly link excessive caffeine intake to hair loss in people

A Redditt user going by the name ArachWitch claims that he is convinced of the hair-thinning effects of consuming coffee.

“I’m convinced caffeine consumption increases hair shedding and causes hair loss,” the post reads.

The claim has resonated with many users,  garnering 71 upvotes and 108 comments.

So is your morning cup of joe taking a toll on your hairline?

Coffee, a beverage made from roasted beans of the coffee plant, continues to be the most popular drink worldwide with two billion cups consumed every day.  With such a devoted following, and more jumping on to the “morning cuppa” bandwagon, coffee is frequently celebrated for its many benefits, including  boosting of metabolism  and psychoactive properties.

While there’s dearth of research on direct correlation between coffee and hair loss, researchers have found that increased caffeine intake raises the amount of cortisol, a steroid hormone that's produced by the adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys. One of its side effects is the loss of hair.

We spoke to an endocrinologist to help us unpack this better, who agreed that excessive coffee consumption may not be a healthy choice, and hair loss may be one of the side effects.

“Excessive consumption of coffee could lead to an anxious health state, a condition that the body tries to normalize by secreting cortisol, the stress neutralising hormone. Excess secretion of cortisol results in hair loss,” Dr Anusha Nadig, Consultant Endocrinologist, Fortis hospital in Bangalore told Firstcheck.

“Another possible reason for hair loss due to excess coffee consumption could be the fact that excess caffeine prevents micronutrients, such as magnesium, zinc, and iron, from being absorbed by the body resulting in micronutrient deficiency, which manifests as hair loss,” she added.

However, Dr Nadig also highlighted the role of coffee in stimulating hair growth. “Applying coffee on the scalp stimulates the hair follicle, while also gently exfoliating the scalp skin, thereby promoting new hair growth,” Dr Nadiq said. “Thus, topical application of coffee is able to neutralize hair loss, a condition termed as androgenic alopecia.“

Also read: Fact-check: Bulletproof coffee no magic bullet to weight loss - First Check