You’re brushing your hair, and suddenly it looks like half your head has migrated to your hairbrush. Or you’re finding stray hairs on your pillow like a soft, sad graveyard.
Whether you’re in your twenties or your fifties, thinning hair can hit unexpectedly and feel deeply unsettling.
But instead of panic buying expensive haircare, or resigning to “it’s just genetics”, let’s get to the root of the problem (bad pun, sorry).
Why it matters
Thick hair is instinctually deemed attractive because it’s metabolically expensive.
It’s an evolutionary marker of abundant energy reserves, efficient nutrient absorption and assimilation, strong blood circulation, balanced hormones, a well regulated nervous system and a well developed structural alignment that supports optimal blood flow and lymphatic drainage.
So when your hair starts shedding, it’s your body’s way of waving a little white flag, telling you something’s out of balance. Let’s decode what’s going on (and of course how to remedy it).
1. Your gut is leaky
It sounds strange, but the health of your digestive system directly impacts your hair. Your gut is responsible for absorbing the nutrients your hair needs and regulating inflammation levels throughout your body.
Hair follicles are immune-privileged sites, meaning they’re supposed to be protected from immune attacks. But when your gut is leaky and your bloodstream is loaded with inflammatory compounds, your follicles can become collateral damage. Chronic inflammation pushes hair out of the growth phase (anagen) and into the resting and shedding phases (telogen and catagen).
On top of that, a compromised gut means compromised nutrient absorption. Even if you’re eating all the right foods, a leaky gut might be stopping you from absorbing the iron, zinc, B vitamins, and amino acids that your hair relies on. It’s like planting seeds in nutrient-depleted soil.
Focus on gelatinous, soothing foods that coat and repair the gut lining: bone broths simmered low and slow, slippery elm tea, and homemade jellies from grass-fed gelatine. Incorporate fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, and kefir, these ancient, living foods bring beneficial bacteria that crowd out the pathogenic strains causing inflammation. And for a full guide, check out: You don't need another overpriced probiotic or gut shot
2. You're not eating enough collagen
Our founder, Niall, didn’t realise his hair was naturally curly until he started eating collagen and colostrum. Fast forward a few years of chugging bone broth and eating slow-cooked meats, and his hair not only grew back thicker, but it actually curled for the first time in his life.
Collagen supplies amino acids like glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline, which are crucial for maintaining hair structure and tensile strength. These amino acids are often lacking in modern diets, where collagen rich foods have been replaced by processed proteins and low fat, quick-cook meals.
Honour the animal by using every part of it. Make broths that dance with marrow and slow-cooked meats that melt in your mouth. Or add a spoonful of Organised to your morning coffee or smoothie. Aim for at least one collagen-rich meal per day to feed your follicles from the inside out.
3. Your diet is starving your follicles
Let’s get real, if you’re on a low-calorie, low-protein, or overly restrictive diet, your hair will pay the price. Hair is a luxury for your body. If it senses scarcity, it’ll conserve energy by shedding hair and slowing regrowth.
Hair is made up of keratin, a structural protein, and without adequate protein intake, your follicles simply don’t have the building blocks to grow strong strands.
Iron deficiency is another common culprit. Hair follicle cells are among the fastest-dividing cells in your body, and they require iron to fuel DNA synthesis. Low iron levels essentially slow down hair production, pushing follicles into their resting phase prematurely.
And let’s not forget essential fatty acids. Omega-3s from animal sources (like grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, and pastured eggs) support scalp health and reduce inflammation around the follicles. Without them, your scalp becomes dry and flaky, another red flag for thinning hair.
Protein is the foundation here, but not just any protein, organ meats are the ultimate hair food. Rich in bioavailable iron, B vitamins, zinc, and CoQ10, they provide the raw materials your follicles need to thrive. Liver, in particular, is packed with heme iron and retinol (active vitamin A), both crucial for oxygenating your scalp and regulating oil production. Heart delivers CoQ10 for cellular energy, while kidney and spleen boost your iron stores and fortify hair at the root. And don’t shy away from animal fats, they carry fat-soluble vitamins that your hair needs.
4. Your hormones are in chaos
Thyroid dysfunction
When your thyroid is underactive (hypothyroidism), it slows down everything, from your energy levels to your hair's growth rate. This often leads to brittle, thinning hair, especially around the scalp and even the eyebrows (notably the outer third).
On the flip side, an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can cause rapid hair shedding and a fine, soft texture. Your body is essentially burning through resources too fast to keep your hair in good shape. Both conditions disrupt the hair growth cycle, pushing follicles out of the active growth phase (anagen) prematurely.
Cortisol overload
Stress doesn’t just make you feel frazzled, it fundamentally alters your physiology.
While useful in short bursts, chronic elevation of cortisol essentially tells your body that survival is more important than luxuries like hair growth.
This stress-induced hair loss is called telogen effluvium, and it often shows up a few months after a major life stressor, like illness, trauma, or intense emotional strain. Essentially, stress pushes a significant percentage of your hair follicles into the resting (telogen) phase, where they stay for a while before shedding en masse. This explains why hair loss might appear suddenly even though the stressful event occurred months earlier.
Start with your thyroid: prioritise iodine-rich seafood, selenium from Brazil nuts, and zinc from oysters or beef. Swap inflammatory vegetable oils for saturated fats like butter and coconut oil to support hormone synthesis and stabilise metabolism. In the evenings, dim the lights, listen to grounding music (like binaural beats or ancient hymns), and use magnesium oil on your feet to ease your nervous system into a parasympathetic state.
Now for a two-in-one saviour: fascia release that not only melts tension from your nervous system but also reawakens your follicles back into action. Releasing tension in the suboccipitals and occipital muscles (at the back of your neck and base of your skull) boosts blood flow and lymphatic drainage to your scalp, essential for nourishing hair follicles. It’s also a headache reliever, face-lifter, and stress-melter all in one. You’ll notice looser shoulders, a relaxed upper back, and a sense of spaciousness around your head and neck. Best practiced with a small sports ball.
5. Your scalp is a warzone
Think of your scalp as the soil where your hair grows. If it’s inflamed, congested, or covered in buildup, it’s not going to support robust growth. Scalp conditions like seborrheic dermatitis, folliculitis, or just plain dandruff can suffocate your follicles and hinder growth.
Chronic inflammation around hair follicles causes microcirculation issues, reducing blood flow and oxygen to the roots. And if your scalp microbiome is out of whack (thanks to harsh shampoos or environmental toxins), opportunistic microbes can take over, irritating follicles and triggering shedding.
Treat your scalp like a garden. Brush it daily with a boar bristle brush to stimulate blood flow and exfoliate dead skin. Once a week, massage your scalp with warm oil infused with rosemary and peppermint to invigorate circulation. Rinse your hair with raw apple cider vinegar diluted in warm water to restore pH balance and clear away buildup (some advice we learnt from our amazing community member Ivana). Plus it makes your hair super shiny. Let your hair dry naturally in the sun when possible, allowing sunlight to energise the follicles and promote a healthy microbiome.
6. You're surrounded by toxins
Modern life is a chemical soup. From pollutants in the air and water to chemicals in hair products and even heavy metals in your food, your body is constantly working to detoxify. If your detox pathways are overwhelmed, your body will prioritise keeping vital organs safe over growing thick, lustrous hair.
Heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium can directly interfere with hair follicle function. They damage cellular structures, inhibit enzyme activity, and induce oxidative stress that can push follicles into dormancy.
Endocrine disruptors like BPA and phthalates mimic hormones and can interfere with your body’s natural endocrine system. These synthetic chemicals can bind to hormone receptors, displacing your own hormones and causing metabolic chaos that impacts hair health.
Air pollution, especially particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), can settle on the scalp, creating oxidative stress that damages hair follicles. People living in highly polluted areas often report more hair thinning and scalp irritation.
Switch to toxin-free hair care and household products. Open your windows often to ventilate your space. Filter your shower water to reduce exposure to hard minerals and chlorine. Eat heavy metal detoxifying foods: cilantro, chlorella, and bitter greens Drink dandelion root tea to support liver function and sweat out toxins through regular movement. Reclaim ancient cleansing rituals like sauna bathing or clay masks to draw impurities out from deep within. Give your body a chance to detoxify daily, don’t wait for it to catch up.
If you’re going through postpartum or menopause, know that there are even more factors at play when it comes to hair health. Hormonal upheavals, nutrient depletion, and stress can all conspire to make hair thinning more pronounced. We’re working on separate guides specifically tailored to support you through these life stages (they truly deserve their own in depth roadmaps).
