Hair Loss Supplements

Black Cohosh

Black Cohosh (the most popular non-synthetic treatment in women for menopause in the world) has also been patented by the Germans as a baldness treatment. Its mechanism of action is not fully understood but it is known to cause estrogen/progesterone receptors to bias in favour of estrogen, thus increasing the amounts present in the male user. Estrogen has a limited effect as an anti-androgen, but it is also responsible for the production of a soft layer of fat and thus a softening of the scalp. This may counteract the tightening effect of DHT thus allowing blood and nutrients to flow to the hair follicles more easily.[citation needed]

[edit] Green Tea

Green Tea has been shown to reduce DHT levels by up to 50% as either a capsules or a beverage. Information about the amount of active ingredient in tea bags relative to capsules is hard to find but 3-5 cups a day is estimated to be the equivalent of 100% RDA of the capsules.[citation needed]

[edit] Caffeine

Main article: Caffeine

Caffeine has been identified as a stimulator of human hair growth in vitro, and reduced testosterone-induced follicle growth suppression.[8] It has been demonstrated that the addition of caffeine to a shampoo-formulation is effective in administering caffeine to the hair follicles in the scalp.[9] Further research must be done to evaluate the efficacy and adequate dosage of caffeine in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia.

A spray made with coffee beans is claimed to prevent age-related hair loss in women. [16]

[edit] Copper peptides

Copper peptides are applied topically to the scalp, and shorten the resting phase of hairs, resulting in more hair follicles on the scalp being in the growing phase (as opposed to the resting or falling out phase) at one time.[dubious – discuss] Copper peptides generally have superoxide dismutation activity.[10]

SOD’s likely work by destroying superoxide, the antagonist to Nitric oxide (NO), the natural form of minoxidil. Superoxide has an “agonist-antagonist” relationship with Nitric oxide or “Endothelium-derived Relaxing Factor”.[11]

[edit] Spin labels

In animal models, the nitroxide spin labels TEMPO and TEMPOL enhance hair regrowth following radiation. National Cancer Institute-sponsored clinical trials report TEMPOL is similarly effective in humans. Also see United States Patent 5,714,482 “Topical spin labels and method”[17].

[edit] Diet and lifestyle

There are a number of genetic factors which determine a person’s susceptibility to androgenic alopecia including androgen receptor polymorphisms, 5-alpha-reductase levels in the scalp, androgen receptor density and distribution in the scalp, and other factors some of which may not have been discovered.

Daily, vigorous aerobic exercise (as opposed to short workout periods designed to raise androgen levels and build muscle, or more sporadic exercise) and a diet which is adequate yet more moderate in terms of fat and total calorie intake have been shown to reduce baseline insulin levels as well as baseline total and free testosterone,[12].

Lower insulin levels and reduced stress both result in raised levels of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG). SHBG binds to testosterone, and prevents it from circulating free in the blood. Only free testosterone is converted to DHT. It is the level of free androgens and not total androgens which is relevant to the levels of DHT in the scalp and the progression of MPB. In short, aerobic exercise is capable of significantly lowering DHT. [13] [14] Reducing baseline Testosterone also limits the amount available to convert to DHT, but a balance has to be struck if one wishes to preserve Testosterone by concentrating on manipulation of the destructive form, DHT directly.[citation needed] However, exercise has not been shown to prevent male-pattern baldness. There is little doubt however, that overall fitness contributes to healthy hair growth, except where Testosterone increasing exercises are in excess of the threshold for DHT antagonism of the hair folicles.[citation needed]

Androgenic alopecia has been shown to correlate with metabolic syndrome. Medically increasing androgen levels does not worsen this condition, demonstrating that androgens do not cause metabolic syndrome. Instead, high insulin levels (and possibly chronic inflammation[15]) seem the likely link in the demonstrated correlation between baldness and metabolic syndrome. This reinforces the notion that behaviors which help to keep insulin levels low and reduce chronic inflammation might also help to preserve hair.[16][17]