Hoppi
Senior Member
- Reaction score
- 61
I know this first post is long, feel free to just scan read whatever bits you like, if you do manage to get through it all though then thank you! 
I have also added an important edit at the end so please read that...
Ok now first off the bat, I would like to say that this thread is aimed 95% at people who do also believe that these things affect hair loss in males (as well as women, but that's for another thread), and who want to discuss this. If you do NOT believe that these things affect male hair loss, then please refrain from being unreasonably critical or dismissive, please don't post unless you have a true desire to learn, embrace science and logic, and be constructive. I really don't want to be fighting with anyone.
Ok, now I personally believe (and again, this is just MY view, I am entitled to it and it is the result of a LOT of research recently and soulsearching) that all three of these factors have a very measurable effect on hairloss. Indeed, I personally believe that for many people out there, it may well be the main or a deeply contributive factor. Yes, I also understand the impact of genes and accept that for many people hair loss is simply written into their genetic code, but this thread is not to discuss that.
First off, I would like to tackle the factor of diet. Now my diet recently has been sloppy and too high in key, negative components. I have been eating too much sugar, and far too much carbohydrate. Both of these raise my insulin levels, which lower the Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin in my blood, which means it cannot mop up my free testosterone. So this then becomes DHT which accumulates on my hair follicles. I do also believe that my hair follicles susceptibility to this (their overall tendency to accumulate DHT) is largely or possibly entirely genetic. I also believe that my natural hormone levels are partly influenced by my genes, and so depending what my normal levels of different hormones are, this can also affect my likelihood of losing hair.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness_t ... _lifestyle
I am reconsidering my diet from the ground up. I will eat less meat, less dairy, less raw carbohydrate (pasta, bread etc, which I have been consuming in large amounts up until recently), less fat and less sugar. I will work more foods into my diet that stabilize or reduce my insulin and testosterone (such as generally "healthy" and light foods such as fruit and vegetables, and soya milk), just as an aid in lowering my DHT levels. I am going to completely rework my diet to balance my hormones and generally improve the health of my body. I have started taking multivitamin and omega 3 tablets, just to help things along
Now, lifestyle. I barely exercise. This is very good at unbalancing my hormones, and increasing my levels of mental tension. I would also imagine it hinders my blood flow. From now on, I will exercise preferably daily but certainly a few times a week, doing something I enjoy such as swimming or basketball
"Regular aerobic exercise can help keep androgen levels (particularly free testosterone levels) naturally lower while maintaining overall health, lowering stress and increasing SHBG.
SHBG has been found to be significantly lowered in men with hair loss before the age of 30." (from here )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness_t ... _lifestyle
Last on my list is the mind, it's general health and approach to day to day life. Stress (particularly long term) for example can cause the brain to trigger hormones that can influence the body's entire balance, such as Cortisol and Adrenaline. Depression can also probably trigger similar hormonal changes and what we would consider "imbalances" but as my problem really is anxiety, I haven't yet done any research into the effects of depression. My stress levels were probably throwing my whole body off, playing with my hormones and reducing my production of SHBG (which would again lead to an increase in free testosterone and therefore DHT). There are probably other factors also, I am unsure for example if it would have impacted the blood flow to my scalp. Cortisol for example has profound effects on much of the body and on other hormones. Managing my levels of mental tension is therefore a big goal for me and I am making basically life-changing decisions to better understand what will make me happy and stress-free.
I may also take a herbal supplement such as Rhodiala Rosea, Ashwaghanda or a bland of adaptogens to take the edge off my Cortisol levels.
In Baldness Folklore - " "Baldness can be caused by emotional stress, sexual frustration etc."
Emotional stress has been shown to accelerate baldness in genetically susceptible individuals.[28]
Stress due to sleep deprivation in military recruits lowered testosterone levels, but is not noted to have affected SHBG.[29]
Thus, stress due to sleep deprivation in fit males is unlikely to elevate DHT, which causes male pattern baldness. Whether it can cause hair loss by some other mechanism is not clear."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness#Baldness_folklore
(of course just folklore, but folklore represents many, many years of combined experience and wisdom)
I do believe that as a guy I am obviously more prone to DHT-induced hair loss, however I don't think my genetic background explains sufficiently to me what is going on here. Obviously I am aware it is probably relatively few genes and I could have inherited them, but my gut instinct is telling me that if I temporarily try to restore the small patches of recently lost hair and weak follicles, and lower my DHT for the time being with either natural remedies (natural 5-alpha reductase or DHT inhibitors most likely) or synthetic remedies such as mild Finasteride or Ketaconazole, I can keep the follicles happy while I work on balancing out my hormones once again
Now of course some people will agree, some will disagree with this, but like I said I would ideally like to keep this thread for constructive, scientifically-backed discussion, and preferably for those who DO believe that non-genetic factors such as these affect a man's chance of losing hair due to DHT in the scalp.
Thanks everyone, and I am feeling very, very confident right now that this is the best way to go
By the way thank you so much misterE, I may not agree with everything you say, and I do suspect you may be a LITTLE too keen to promote flat-out veganism ( !) but I also think that by and large you are on to something, not for all men, but for certainly a very significant number.
I can't wait to give my body the treatment it deserves and also to take better care of my follicles including keeping an eye on my DHT levels. I'm sure it will treat me better in return
A very happy and rejuvenated Hoppi!
lil EDIT -- If you do decide to attempt to combat hair loss using changes and rethinking of these factors, I would also recommend doing more direct things also to cap your DHT levels, such as taking Saw Palmetto extract (or Finasteride or whatever), using Ketaconazole shampoo topically etc etc It's a BIG problem, but it's fixable!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saw_palmet ... e_medicine
and to those who don't like Wikipedia, I say
! Wikipedia is a great source of comprehensive, thorough and balanced info! Just take it all with a pinch of salt and back it up with other sources, that's all
EDIT -- Ok I believe there is one thing I may have overlooked that I have since learnt about in this thread. I was not aware of the concept of the genes representing a single or multiple hair follicle's DHT sensitivity, or readiness of making DHT, being "activated" at a certain point. The possibility is then raised that (possibly simply premature) activation could be triggered by poor diet, lifestyle or for example stress levels or depression, and the possibility of improving these later actually FIXING the problem (as opposed to just being an aid to more specific hormone regulation) is therefore more debatable. This is of course if the theory about gene activation is true (which does seem to sit well with what is observed in many people) and if it is impossible to then DE-activate it. There are many questions that medical science still cannot answer for certain.
I have also added an important edit at the end so please read that...Ok now first off the bat, I would like to say that this thread is aimed 95% at people who do also believe that these things affect hair loss in males (as well as women, but that's for another thread), and who want to discuss this. If you do NOT believe that these things affect male hair loss, then please refrain from being unreasonably critical or dismissive, please don't post unless you have a true desire to learn, embrace science and logic, and be constructive. I really don't want to be fighting with anyone.
Ok, now I personally believe (and again, this is just MY view, I am entitled to it and it is the result of a LOT of research recently and soulsearching) that all three of these factors have a very measurable effect on hairloss. Indeed, I personally believe that for many people out there, it may well be the main or a deeply contributive factor. Yes, I also understand the impact of genes and accept that for many people hair loss is simply written into their genetic code, but this thread is not to discuss that.
First off, I would like to tackle the factor of diet. Now my diet recently has been sloppy and too high in key, negative components. I have been eating too much sugar, and far too much carbohydrate. Both of these raise my insulin levels, which lower the Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin in my blood, which means it cannot mop up my free testosterone. So this then becomes DHT which accumulates on my hair follicles. I do also believe that my hair follicles susceptibility to this (their overall tendency to accumulate DHT) is largely or possibly entirely genetic. I also believe that my natural hormone levels are partly influenced by my genes, and so depending what my normal levels of different hormones are, this can also affect my likelihood of losing hair.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness_t ... _lifestyle
I am reconsidering my diet from the ground up. I will eat less meat, less dairy, less raw carbohydrate (pasta, bread etc, which I have been consuming in large amounts up until recently), less fat and less sugar. I will work more foods into my diet that stabilize or reduce my insulin and testosterone (such as generally "healthy" and light foods such as fruit and vegetables, and soya milk), just as an aid in lowering my DHT levels. I am going to completely rework my diet to balance my hormones and generally improve the health of my body. I have started taking multivitamin and omega 3 tablets, just to help things along
Now, lifestyle. I barely exercise. This is very good at unbalancing my hormones, and increasing my levels of mental tension. I would also imagine it hinders my blood flow. From now on, I will exercise preferably daily but certainly a few times a week, doing something I enjoy such as swimming or basketball
"Regular aerobic exercise can help keep androgen levels (particularly free testosterone levels) naturally lower while maintaining overall health, lowering stress and increasing SHBG.
SHBG has been found to be significantly lowered in men with hair loss before the age of 30." (from here )
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness_t ... _lifestyle
Last on my list is the mind, it's general health and approach to day to day life. Stress (particularly long term) for example can cause the brain to trigger hormones that can influence the body's entire balance, such as Cortisol and Adrenaline. Depression can also probably trigger similar hormonal changes and what we would consider "imbalances" but as my problem really is anxiety, I haven't yet done any research into the effects of depression. My stress levels were probably throwing my whole body off, playing with my hormones and reducing my production of SHBG (which would again lead to an increase in free testosterone and therefore DHT). There are probably other factors also, I am unsure for example if it would have impacted the blood flow to my scalp. Cortisol for example has profound effects on much of the body and on other hormones. Managing my levels of mental tension is therefore a big goal for me and I am making basically life-changing decisions to better understand what will make me happy and stress-free.
I may also take a herbal supplement such as Rhodiala Rosea, Ashwaghanda or a bland of adaptogens to take the edge off my Cortisol levels.
In Baldness Folklore - " "Baldness can be caused by emotional stress, sexual frustration etc."
Emotional stress has been shown to accelerate baldness in genetically susceptible individuals.[28]
Stress due to sleep deprivation in military recruits lowered testosterone levels, but is not noted to have affected SHBG.[29]
Thus, stress due to sleep deprivation in fit males is unlikely to elevate DHT, which causes male pattern baldness. Whether it can cause hair loss by some other mechanism is not clear."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness#Baldness_folklore
(of course just folklore, but folklore represents many, many years of combined experience and wisdom)
I do believe that as a guy I am obviously more prone to DHT-induced hair loss, however I don't think my genetic background explains sufficiently to me what is going on here. Obviously I am aware it is probably relatively few genes and I could have inherited them, but my gut instinct is telling me that if I temporarily try to restore the small patches of recently lost hair and weak follicles, and lower my DHT for the time being with either natural remedies (natural 5-alpha reductase or DHT inhibitors most likely) or synthetic remedies such as mild Finasteride or Ketaconazole, I can keep the follicles happy while I work on balancing out my hormones once again
Now of course some people will agree, some will disagree with this, but like I said I would ideally like to keep this thread for constructive, scientifically-backed discussion, and preferably for those who DO believe that non-genetic factors such as these affect a man's chance of losing hair due to DHT in the scalp.
Thanks everyone, and I am feeling very, very confident right now that this is the best way to go
By the way thank you so much misterE, I may not agree with everything you say, and I do suspect you may be a LITTLE too keen to promote flat-out veganism (
!) but I also think that by and large you are on to something, not for all men, but for certainly a very significant number.I can't wait to give my body the treatment it deserves and also to take better care of my follicles including keeping an eye on my DHT levels. I'm sure it will treat me better in return
A very happy and rejuvenated Hoppi!
lil EDIT -- If you do decide to attempt to combat hair loss using changes and rethinking of these factors, I would also recommend doing more direct things also to cap your DHT levels, such as taking Saw Palmetto extract (or Finasteride or whatever), using Ketaconazole shampoo topically etc etc
It's a BIG problem, but it's fixable! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saw_palmet ... e_medicine
and to those who don't like Wikipedia, I say
EDIT -- Ok I believe there is one thing I may have overlooked that I have since learnt about in this thread. I was not aware of the concept of the genes representing a single or multiple hair follicle's DHT sensitivity, or readiness of making DHT, being "activated" at a certain point. The possibility is then raised that (possibly simply premature) activation could be triggered by poor diet, lifestyle or for example stress levels or depression, and the possibility of improving these later actually FIXING the problem (as opposed to just being an aid to more specific hormone regulation) is therefore more debatable. This is of course if the theory about gene activation is true (which does seem to sit well with what is observed in many people) and if it is impossible to then DE-activate it. There are many questions that medical science still cannot answer for certain.
