Baldness and an enlarged prostate go together, Spanish researchers say

Male-pattern baldness and an enlarged prostate go hand in hand, Spanish researchers reported Monday at a San Francisco meeting of the American Urological Assn.  The findings hint that early hair loss could be sign that men are going to develop prostate disease and that preventive treatment should be begun, they said.

Male pattern baldness, formally known as androgenetic alopecia, is the most common type of hair loss in men. It is associated with higher-than-normal levels of an enzyme known as 5-alpha-reductase, which converts the male hormone testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Baldness results from a genetic defect that renders hair follicles more susceptible to the influence of dihydrotestosterone, causing them to shrink when exposed to it. The enzyme also plays a role in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and researchers have long speculated about a link between the two conditions. In fact, Propecia, a drug that is used to combat hair loss, contains the same ingredient -- finasteride -- as Proscar, which is used to prevent or treat BPH. It inhibits 5-alpha-reductase.

The Spanish researchers studied 30 men with early-onset male pattern baldness and compared them to a group of men with full heads of hair. None of the participants had been diagnosed with BPH or were taking drugs to prevent it. Using ultrasound, the researchers found that the volume of the prostates was 34% larger in the bald men, while their urine flow was 32% lower, indicating that they had an early stage of BPH.

"BPH is a very treatable condition that can significantly impact quality of life if left unchecked," Dr. Kevin T. McVary, a urology association spokesman, said in a statement. "The study suggests that patients with [baldness] should talk with their doctors about any urinary symptoms they may be experiencing so that we can minimize this impact by taking preventative measures."

-- Thomas H. Maugh II

Comments

[Sergio Stagnaro]

I cannot agree with the conclusion of the research: in my 54-year- long day-to-day practice as General Practitioner I have visited an awful number of bland people, not involved by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH: prostatic adenoma). On the contrary, among my patients suffering from BPH a large number show wonderful hair, like me! Interestingly, physicians are now able to bedside recognize, since every man birth, those who are positive for INHERITED real risk of prostate BPH, and Prostate Cancer, really different in nature, treating both paramount potential disorders almost always with success: Cancer Primary Prevention. For instance, See http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471- 2296/6/24/comments#202466 .

[Mark]

So, hair loss really is not genetic; rather, it's hormonally based. I always thought that, somehow, my hair was predestined to fall out because it "was supposed to". This is the first time I've ever read that the proximate cause is hormones (albeit working with a faulty gene).

So, if BPH is a "treatable condition", I wonder why treating baldness still seems elusive. Yes, I hear about Propecia, but frankly, it's nothing exciting, as a few "wisps" of hair are saved, but I don't hear anything really worthwhile.

[Tommy]

Sincere thanks for your input Dr. Stagnaro.

[hair shedding]

Thank you for the post, Hair loss has allot to do with DHT, in both men and women and maintaining a proper Diet, also being overweight can cause hair loss, You might also want to try a herbal remedy and vitamins and mineral supplements especially the B's and vitamin C Vitamin B3 (niacin) - 50 mg 3 times daily, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) -100 mg Three time’s daily, pyridoxine (vitamin B6) -50 mg 3 times daily.Additional Nutrients That will Help Hair Health, coenzyme Q10 - Boosts scalp blood flow. Boosts tissue oxygenation. It is also important regarding cardiovascular health. Take 60 mg every single day.L-Cysteine and L-methionine, 2 amino acids thought to boost excellence, structure, and development regarding hair. They assist hair from receding.A dosage of 500 mg each two times every day, as well as on an empty stomach. Large ingestion of vitamins, in most cases, has triggered rousing hair growth. Males lacking in vitamin B6 often shed their hair. When they're lacking in folic acid, quite a few males became entirely bald! these are just suggestions and should not be taken until talking to your doctor, Hope this helps...

[John]

Even though it's currently marketed as a generally safe hair loss treatment, unfortunately an unknown number of men worldwide are being stricken with persistent sexual, mental and physical side effects, which remain even years after quitting the drug.

This condition is known anecdotally as the Post-5ARI/Post-Finasteride Syndrome, which is typically exemplified by an acquired form of secondary hypogonadism, loss of Testosterone metabolism, and loss of post-drug loss of androgenic action... all of wwhich remain variably resistant to hormonal treatments aimed at restoring Testosterone/DHT's effects in the male body to pre-drug virility levels.

- http://www.propeciahelp.com/awareness -- Awareness of this permanent post-drug adverse reaction, including official reports from the Swedish Medical Agency and UK MHRA.

- http://blog.alanjacobsmd.com/alan-jacobs-mds-blog/2010/04/a-neuroendocrine-approach-to-finasteride-side-effects-in-men.html -- Dr. Alan Jacobs' comments regarding permanent side effects & hypogonadism from Finasteride use.

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Many young men around the world based their decision to take Finasteride in the form of Propecia 1mg or Proscar 5mg for hairloss, based on the assurances by their doctor, the FDA's Propecia clinical trials (2% of men may experience side effects) and the manufacturer's medical literature that states any side effects experienced on the medication should resolve with continued use, or most certainly upon discontinuation.

Unfortunately, this has not been the case for a certain percentage of men worldwide. These men continue to suffer (often in silence) from devastating and thus far irreversible mental, physical and sexual side effects from Finasteride -- contrary to the manufacturer's claims that any side effects experienced on the drug would resolve after quitting.

Most in the medical community are unaware of this possibility, dismiss such claims, or do not care to investigate further as to how or why this irreversible 5AR inhibitor is leaving some men with a post-drug endocrine system crash, loss of androgenic action in the male body, and a common set of hypogonadal symptoms... or why after quitting, those with permanent issues often find their Testosterone, LH & FSH hormone levels drop through the floor (levels typically only seen during male Andropause in old age, amongst other hormonal imbalances), and acquire an extremely difficult to treat form of secondary hypogonadism.

To date there has been no clinical or medical research into this serious adverse post-drug reaction. For those already suffering, what is ultimately required is a clinical, controlled study in the lab comparing us to those who never took the drug, to ascertain the root cause of our condition, why our bodies seem to no longer respond to androgens correctly in many cases, and why we continue to experience hypogonadal symptoms and irreversible side effects... with the ultimate goal of finding a cure to reverse this nightmarish syndrome, once and for all.

5AR, DHT, nitric oxide synthase and neurosteroid production (Allopregnanolone, THDOC) are absolutely critical for the proper mental, physical, sexual and fertility functioning of some men, and there are no guarantess that things will return to normal after taking drugs that disrupt or alter the endocrine system... including those like Finasteride that create a surrogate state of 5AR2 deficiency in men, thereby instilling a hormonal profile that matches that of a genetically 5AR2-deficient pseudohermaphrodite.

[Prostate Formula]

I find this result rather unsurprising, given that treatments for BPH have the side effect of stimulating hair growth. The DHT that causes BPH also binds to hair follicles, slowly killing them. Only worrying thing for me is that I am losing my hair, so I suppose I'll be at an increased risk of developing BPH. Ah well.

[joshua aditya - hair loss treatment solutions]

hi,nice article .. anyway .. i have several tips for your hair loss .. may be it will help you prevent your hair loss and it’s applicable at home ..

1. Rinse apple cider vinegar and sage tea to your hair. This prevents more hair loss.

2. Use catmint or chamomile infusions to get rid of itchiness which is a cause of hair loss. Aloe, nettles, stinging nettle, birch leaves and watercress are excellent blood and skin cleaners.

3. To clean the blood, drink 1 tablespoon of stinging nettle, birch leaves and watercress juice, mixed in a glass of water. Extract of licorice can aid stopping hair loss.

4. Horsetail is a good source of silica. Silica, which comes from horsetail, can keep hair strong and look shiny and sleek. Steep 2 tablespoon of horsetail in 4 oz. hot water, add it to a baby shampoo, then rinse to your hair.

5. To increase blood circulation, disinfect the scalp, and prevent hair loss, massage your scalp with tincture of stinging nettle, horsetail, birch and rosemary. Massage infused oil with arnica, marigold, rosemary, or southernwood into the scalp which can aid curing hair loss.

6. Dry hair could lead into hair loss if you don’t find any solution for it. For dry hair, make a tea of marshmallow and burdock by adding 1 teaspoon of marshmallow and 1 teaspoon of burdock to a cup of hot water