protein deficiency/hair loss

Question
I had lap band surgery June of 2008.  I have lost 50 pounds so far.  But now I am having trouble with getting an adequate amount of protein in.  I do not eat much meats.  I hate eggs.  All the protein shakes I have tried I dislike.  I am losing a lot of hair and also the length of my hair has not been growing like it did before. I had to cancel my normal 6 week hair appointments twice now due to my hair didn't really grow and didn't need a cut.  I did let my nutritionist know about the hair loss and her answer was that I am not getting enough protein.  I don't know what to eat.  I am worried because I have been feeling weak and tired and just drained. Also, another question on vitamins.  I have been taking childrens chewable vitamins because the bariatric vitamins are so expensive.  I take two a day of the childrens vitamins.  With what you know about vitamins, is it really worth the money to buy the bariatric vitamins?  Thank you for your time.

Answer
Hi Michelle:

Lots of people lose hair with rapid weight loss... regardless of protein intake.  It normally resolves after a few months on its own.  If, however, you do know that you're not taking in enough protein (through food diaries, for example), there are a couple of things you can try.  

If you don't like the taste of protein shakes, try fortifying milk with nonfat dry milk powder.  That will up the protein content in your milk, without altering the taste.  In fact, many think this makes skim milk taste more like 2% or full-fat.  Try adding 1-2 Tablespoons per glass of milk.

You can also try Carnation Instant Breakfast...as it doesn't have that protein powder aftertaste to most people.  As it's winter, try drinking one of the chocolate flavored ones hot.  See if that helps.

Even if you don't like eggs as a stand-alone dish, have you tried making an egg custard or adding an extra egg white or two to dishes you are making? This, too, will increase your protein content.  There's a good recipe for an egg custard on the Bariatric Eating website.

What about legumes/beans? Could you do a bean soup for lunch or dinner? Do you like any of the fake meats made by Boca, Morningstar Farms, or Quorn?  What about seitan or tofu?  

Do you snack? Do you like cheese sticks or cottage cheese? Both are good sources of protein.  If you don't like plain cottage cheese, you can try mixing in some fruit or jam (preferably all-fruit or sugar free).  Another great source of protein is non-fat Greek yogurt.  

I also highly recommend the South Beach Living line of products as they tend to be high in fiber and protein.  

Try tracking your daily intake on Spark People or a similar website to see just how much protein you're getting in.  It may be as simple as adding a snack or two to bring you up to the 50-60 grams recommended per day.

If you still cannot get in the 50-60 grams of protein you need per day, then the next step would be to consider a small unfill with your Band to see if that helps.  There's no reason why a vegetarian or even a vegan could not get all of the protein they needed with a Band if they make "smart" choices (just as an omnivore needs to as well. :))

As for vitamins, taking two childrens vitamins should be fine... just make sure they have iron (and that you keep them out of reach of any young kids you might have).  I've also heard a lot of bariatric patients swear by Biotin supplements if hair loss is an issue... but to be honest, I've never seen a independent study that confirms it is helpful with hairloss.  Try it, and if it helps... great.

I really wouldn't spend the money on bariatric vitamins unless you find yourself with some deficiencies that need to be addressed.  As a Bandster, this is unlikely.  You might want to add in some calcium citrate and a Vitamin D supplement as well.  Check with your surgeon, or see how your daily values are when you track your food on Spark People or Daily Plate.   Even DS patients do fine taking "regular" vitamins.  The key is the vitamin itself, not whether or not it's labeled bariatric.  Solgar, TwinLab, and even the Mass Merchandise Brands (Target, Wal-Mart, etc.) are all fine.  The ones with the Bariatric labels are the same as any other Brand.  Just make sure that your calcium is calcium citrate not calcium carbonate as calcium citrate is absorbed better.

I hope this helps.

Kind Regards,
Karla

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