Male Pattern Baldness Blog

By Matthew Denos, PhD

If you are experiencing hair loss, your diet could be a contributing factor.

Androgenic alopecia—known as male pattern baldness—is the most common type of alopecia in both men and women, also evident in chimpanzees and orangutans. A number of genetic and environmental factors determine the occurrence of hair loss. The female type of alopecia appears to be associated with paternal heredity, while the male type is transferred to men from their mother’s lineage.

What exactly triggers androgenic alopecia is still being studied. What we know is that androgens—hormones that are important for the normal male sexual development—play an important role in this form of hair loss. People with male baldness present a genetic sensitivity to an androgen called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This sex hormone is produced from testosterone in hair follicles through the action of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. DHT interrupts the normal hair cycle, causing hair follicles to shrink when exposed to it. Being the primary contributing factor to male pattern baldness, DHT and 5-alpha-reductase are therapeutic targets for the treatment of hair loss.

Although extensive research has been done on the genetic component of male pattern baldness, genes are not the exclusive determinants of baldness. Recent data indicate that epigenetic factors, such as diet and lifestyle can control the severance of hair loss. Diet, in particular, may determine how soon, or if at all, you will suffer from baldness.

High Fat Diets Are Associated with Baldness

If healthy skin, trimmed waistlines and toned muscles are the result of intelligent food choices, then you wouldn’t be surprised to know that healthy hair requires more than what most vending machines and drive thru’s can offer. Poor eating habits, apart from causing excess weight, can lead to hormonal imbalance.

Research shows that the composition of a meal may influence the serum concentration of testosterone in men. Specifically, the amount and type of dietary fat that we consume has pronounced effects on the concentrations of androgens in our blood. One study examined the effect of different meals on postprandial serum testosterone levels [1]. Subjects that consumed a tofu or lean meat meal—both containing 20% calories from fat—presented a significant decrease in testosterone, compared to subjects who ingested a meat meal with added animal fat or safflower oil—both 54% of energy from fat.

Although research is not yet conclusive, there is strong evidence that high fat diets cause excessive amounts of DHT to be released in the blood stream. The impact of a low fat diet on the levels of DHT was the focus of a study published in the journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2005 [2]. In this study blood samples from 39 middle-aged healthy men (50-60 year old), were analyzed during the course of two different diets.

In the first phase, men consumed their usual high-fat, low-fiber diet (more than 30% calories as fat, less than 20 grams/day fiber). In the second phase the participants switched to an 8-week isocaloric low-fat, high-fiber diet (15% calories as fat, 30 grams/day fiber) The diet modulation resulted in a 12% fall in the levels of most circulating androgens, including DHT.

Cultures and regions of people who are on low fat diets have low androgen levels. South African men, who eat their customary low-fat diets, present lower levels of urinary androgens—indicative of low plasma androgen concentrations—than North American men who are on higher-fat diets. Interestingly, the urinary androgen content increased significantly in South African men when they were fed a Western diet. Similarly, the levels of sex steroids decreased in North American men fed a vegetarian diet [3].

The Glory of Western High Fat Diet Shines On Bald Heads

The importance of diet on hair loss is best exemplified by the anecdotal observation of an increased rate of baldness, following the westernization of the Japanese society—a typical low fat diet culture.

Until World War II, the frequency of baldness among Japanese men was very low. This can be explained on the basis of the soy phytochemicals and tea bioactive components of the Asiatic diet. These have been shown to reduce serum concentration of both testosterone and DHT [4]. Epigallocatechin gallate, a powerful antioxidant catechin contained in tea, inhibits the activity of 5a-reductase, which transforms testosterone to DHT [5].

In the post-World War II era, which introduced the high fat western type foods to the Asian population, the incidence of male hair loss skyrocketed. With more animal food in their diets, men of modern Japan are experiencing an increasingly higher level of baldness. This coincides with the rapid growth in the Japanese hair replacement industry. It is plausible that the current Japanese diet, once low in fat and rich in soy products and phytoestrogens, is no longer protecting the Asiatic race.

Obesity Linked to Baldness

A 2007 Finnish study identified a relationship between the hair status of 4,066 men and certain anthropometric measurements [6]. The analysis showed that balding men had significantly higher body weight, BMI, and waist circumference values as well as higher systemic inflammation compared to men having little to no alopecia.

Although a cause and effect relationship between baldness and obesity has not been established, it is known that obesity is linked to chronic inflammation—a condition that affects the hair follicle causing alopecia. The study suggested, “alopecia … may be an indicator of metabolic syndrome-related disorders such as obesity”.

Dietary Advice
Diet cannot eliminate the predisposition to baldness but it can often diminish it. The following guidelines can help you defend yourself against hair loss by naturally lowering DHT levels.

Adapt a low-fat high-fiber diet. Steer clear from hydrogenated fats, red meat, processed food and margarine. Avoiding the Western high trans-fat diet will help keep your testosterone and DHT levels low. Consume instead essential fatty acids that come from plants, whole grains and fish. Ideally you should follow Dr Andrew Weil’s Wellness Diet, published in TIME magazine.Use Saw Palmetto and Pygeum—the two most potent natural anti-androgens or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.Include soy as well as both black and green tea in your diet. Studies show that soy stops cancer and baldness.

Finally, consider using minoxidil, a clinically studied over the counter drug. Provillus is a hair growth herbal formulation that contains both Saw Palmetto and minoxidil.

Concluding Remarks
The genes we possess determine the sensitivity of our scalp to androgens. However, there is still much we can do with the cards we were given. While even a perfectly balanced diet does not warrant significant improvements in the hair department, when assisted with natural remedies—herbs and proper medication—measurable inhibition of DHT or 5-alpha-reductase can be achieved. This can even cause restoration of a previously receding hairline.

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