Q: Dear Dr. Greg,

Help! I'm losing my hair! I'm a competitive track athlete finishing up my last year of college. Lately, I have gobs of hair on my brush or tangled up in the shower drain. Although things are very stressful now with school, family, and track, I love my sport. Could running be causing my hair loss?

Natalie | Track and Field, Class of 2022

A: Dear Natalie,

I'm glad you asked. Don't quit track over your hair loss. It turns out that hair loss is actually quite rare for college-age women from sports. Rather than leaving athletics, I recommend you get a medical evaluation for common causes of hair loss for young women athletes. Here are the most likely causes (in no particular order):

●      Stress - You mentioned that you're under a lot of stress right now. Extreme stress is a known cause of hair loss. The tricky thing is that hair usually starts falling out a few months after the stressful event, so it can be challenging to connect one particular stressful event to your hair. My advice is to make an honest assessment of your stress level and take steps to improve your serenity. You may want to make an appointment with a therapist either in-person or online (telemedicine).

●      Testosterone - It is possible that your testosterone level is high or your estrogen level is low. When your hormones are out of whack, you can lose your hair. Ask a doctor to check your hormones.

●      Inadequate nutrition - Many women athletes don't eat enough. If you're not getting enough protein or total calories, you might struggle with all kinds of problems, including irregular periods, weak bones, and hair loss.

●      Thyroid hormone - As a successful athlete, your thyroid levels are probably normal. However, abnormal thyroid levels are a common cause of hair loss. Ask your doctor to check.

●      Low iron - Many women athletes don't have enough iron in their diet, and low iron is a common cause of hair loss. Ask your doctor for an iron level panel. If you're worried that you're not eating enough iron, try adding some tasty foods from this list.

Dr. Greg