Posting this because the summary going around does not say what the paper says, and the difference matters for how people here are using it.
This is telogen effluvium and the trigger is the rate of weight loss rather than the molecule. Rapid loss pushes a large fraction of follicles into the resting phase simultaneously; they shed together two to four months later, which is why the shedding starts long after the loss did and why people misattribute the timing. It is self-limiting, and regrowth follows once the rate slows — the follicles are not damaged.
Where I think it is weakest: the subgroup findings are the part I trust least — with enough subgroups something is always significant, and these were not all pre-registered.
The question I want answered is whether the shedding is the drug or the rate of loss, and when it stops. I have searched first, so if this is covered somewhere point me at it and I will read it.
Figures above are from the primary publication rather than the press summary. If a number here disagrees with one you have, post yours and we will work out which of us is reading a secondary source.
LibrarianMeg said:This is telogen effluvium and the trigger is the rate of weight loss rather than the molecule.
Hair loss update related to hair shedding: I experienced noticeable shedding starting around month 5. My dermatologist confirmed it's telogen effluvium — a stress response to rapid weight loss, NOT the medication directly.
What's helping:
- Biotin 5000mcg daily
- Adequate protein (130g+/day)
- Iron and ferritin levels checked and supplemented
- Collagen peptides 20g daily
- Minoxidil 5% topical (prescribed)
The shedding slowed after 2 months and my hair is now growing back. Temporary but definitely stressful.
LibrarianMeg said:This is telogen effluvium and the trigger is the rate of weight loss rather than the molecule.
This is where I part company with the consensus forming above. Filing an objection on the n=1 problem. Personal experience is genuine evidence about one person and very weak evidence about anybody else, and this thread keeps promoting the first into the second.
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View ResultsShort answer first, then the reasoning. Worth answering the question that was asked rather than the one behind it. The narrow version usually has an answer; the broad version usually does not, and answering the broad one is how a thread stops being useful.
If somebody has the primary source to hand I would rather cite it than paraphrase it.
Dr.ReproEndo said:Hair loss update related to hair shedding: I experienced noticeable shedding starting around month 5.
This is my experience too, for whatever a second data point is worth. The detail I would add is minor and it is already implied above.