Tea Is Better Than Coffee For Your Hair

[Serpico]

There is older research that points out that black tea is a 5a-reductase inhibitor, so decreases DHT but increases testosterone (think of DHT as the highway exit, 5a-reductase as the construction that closes the exit, and testosterone as the cars that back up onto the interstate)

But that is old news.

Studies also pointed out that green tea increased testosterone, but no one knew how this related to its impact on DHT.

I came across this study recently:

Epigallocatechin Gallate-Mediated Alteration of the MicroRNA Expression Profile in 5α-Dihydrotestosterone-Treated Human Dermal Papilla Cells.

CONCLUSION:
Overall, our results suggest that EGCG ameliorates the negative effects of DHT by altering the miRNA expression profile in human DPCs.

DPC stands for dermal papilla cell, which is where the stem cell that the hair follicle grows from originates. It seems when looking not just at serum levels of the hormone, but actual RNA expression, that green tea seems to mitigate the effects of DHT.

Also seems to reduce rates of prostate cancer, which can be an issue for those on finasteride/dutasteride long term, though this is older research.

Dihydrotestosterone sensitises LNCaP (prostate cancer cell line) cells to death induced by epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG) or an IGF-I receptor inhibitor.

This is in the setting of the probable negative effects that caffeine intake alone seems to have on the androgenic environment for hair loss:

Chronic caffeine intake increases androgenic stimuli, epithelial cell proliferation and hyperplasia in rat ventral prostate.

Our results suggest that chronic caffeine intake from puberty increases androgenic signalling and cell proliferation in the rat prostate gland and can be related to the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

This study is very limited in that they fed the rats caffeine water, and though green tea and coffee obviously have caffeine, they are far more complex. And of course the prostate is not the dermal papilla, so take with a heavy dose of salt.

Bottom line: As the long term data on dutasteride is fairly limited (ie. as far as I know, we don't have data on whether if the effect reduces over time or if androgen receptors upregulate), it would be wise to inhibit 5a-reductase activity from more than one angle.

So, as per the most recent and well designed research, probably a good idea to drink both green and black tea. If you want be extra careful, just take EGCG in supplement form to avoid the caffeine. It's not going to give you the hairline of Ted Danson in your 50s, but might keep you closer to Jeff Bridges if you play your cards right.

In general, things that are good for your hairline tend to be good for your overall health, though with a few notable exceptions.

*Caveats: The former study is in vitro and the latter studies are in vivo but in animals. But we are holding up a very tiny candle light in the midst of a massive cave. Here be dragons, tread with caution. Or, as a wise poster here once said, 'I'll believe it when I can run my hand through it.' Still, drink for thought.

 

[bridgeburn]

I've read conflicting information on green tea, not sure what to believe. Most studies on green tea are talking about the ECGC specifically inhibiting 5ar but what about green tea as a whole? and with caffeine.

From a study done on mice, green tea alone increased DHT:
"Mice treated with black tea tended to have a greater serum testosterone concentration (34.4%, P = 0.50) and had a 72% lower DHT concentration than controls (P < 0.05), suggesting that black tea may contain components that inhibit the activity of 5α-reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to the more bioactive DHT. Green tea tended to increase serum testosterone and DHT levels by 73.8% (P = 0.14) and 194% (P = 0.076), respectively. The combination of SPC and green tea reduced serum levels of DHT (P < 0.05)."

but again, mice. : /

 

[Serpico]

I've read conflicting information on green tea, not sure what to believe. Most studies on green tea are talking about the ECGC specifically inhibiting 5ar but what about green tea as a whole? and with caffeine.

From a study done on mice, green tea alone increased DHT:
"Mice treated with black tea tended to have a greater serum testosterone concentration (34.4%, P = 0.50) and had a 72% lower DHT concentration than controls (P < 0.05), suggesting that black tea may contain components that inhibit the activity of 5α-reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to the more bioactive DHT. Green tea tended to increase serum testosterone and DHT levels by 73.8% (P = 0.14) and 194% (P = 0.076), respectively. The combination of SPC and green tea reduced serum levels of DHT (P < 0.05)."

but again, mice. : /

Well, a point to remember here is that the serum levels of DHT don't necessarily correspond to its level in the microenvironment of the dermal papilla (which would be reflected by microRNA expression). And of course, the more recent study is in vitro, while the older study on serum levels is in mice, as you pointed out.

That being said, it is altogether possibly that (taking the two studies in context) systemic levels of DHT may be inversely related to those in the dermal papillae microenvironment. Perhaps one compensates for the other? Intuitively, I would place more importance on the microenvironment than systemic but that logic is, at this point, inductive at best.

 

[bridgeburn]

Well, a point to remember here is that the serum levels of DHT don't necessarily correspond to its level in the microenvironment of the dermal papilla (which would be reflected by microRNA expression). And of course, the more recent study is in vitro, while the older study on serum levels is in mice, as you pointed out.

That being said, it is altogether possibly that (taking the two studies in context) systemic levels of DHT may be inversely related to those in the dermal papillae microenvironment. Perhaps one compensates for the other? Intuitively, I would place more importance on the microenvironment than systemic but that logic is, at this point, inductive at best.

Lol, I posted that months ago.
I wouldn't risk it. a fraction of the increased serumn dht can make its way to the scalp.

 

[DHTpolice]

I am an avid tea drinker. I've been drinking black tea (at least 3-5 cups a day) since my early childhood. It's a most popular drink in my country and that didn't prevent me or other men from hair loss.

 

[hollow11]

I am an avid tea drinker. I've been drinking black tea (at least 3-5 cups a day) since my early childhood. It's a most popular drink in my country and that didn't prevent me or other men from hair loss.

same, i only drink coffee in the nights when I have to stay up late for my studies
been drinking a lot of tea though.. the turks drink so much tea and their hair loss % is lower than us caucasians

 

[Serpico]

Lol, I posted that months ago.
I wouldn't risk it. a fraction of the increased serumn dht can make its way to the scalp.

The key study to do here would be to look at microRNA expression of DHT at the dermal papilla with black tea consumption or finasteride/dutasteride usage. In particular the latter. If those go down with finasteride/dutasteride, then it suggests local expression is a more accurate marker of DHT activity than serum levels.

 

[countjulian]

I'm drinking 4-5 cups a day at the moment since I have a cold, but I am skeptical. How much of this stuff would you need to drink a day to have any effect?

 

[InCider]

I am an avid tea drinker. I've been drinking black tea (at least 3-5 cups a day) since my early childhood. It's a most popular drink in my country and that didn't prevent me or other men from hair loss.

I'm also an avid tea drinker and concur that black tea doesn't do anything to prevent hair loss - quite the opposite in fact.

You've only got to look at a country like the UK where hair loss is rampant despite having a high consumption of black tea.

 

[bridgeburn]

black tea doesn't do anything to prevent hair loss - quite the opposite in fact.

you think it worsens hairloss?

 

[InCider]

you think it worsens hairloss?

I can't say for sure it increases hair loss, but it certainly contributes to itchyness in the scalp and will leave your hair looking more dull and greasy.

I did have a spell where I limited the tea consumption to two per day and the itchyness and hair condition markedly improved.

If I didn't like tea so much I would eliminate it from my diet. The bottom line is that black tea is not a health food/supplement for your hair.

 

[bridgeburn]

I can't say for sure it increases hair loss, but it certainly contributes to itchyness in the scalp and will leave your hair looking more dull and greasy.

I did have a spell where I limited the tea consumption to two per day and the itchyness and hair condition markedly improved.

If I didn't like tea so much I would eliminate it from my diet. The bottom line is that black tea is not a health food/supplement for your hair.

It's possible that those guys in the UK would have gone bald regardless of whether they drank the tea or not. Even if Black tea does inhibit 5ar, then it probably doesn't inhibit it as much as finasteride would! and many guys still lose ground while taking finasteride, so of course tea even if was slightly beneficial would not be strong enough. maybe it slowed down hairloss compared to if we never drank it but we would never know it!
However, its all just speculation because the studies are in f*****g mice like always!!
and I honestly think the caffeine is what could be the problem. caffeine is in tea too. and multiple studies in Humans show that consuming caffeine before exercise potently increases exercise- induced Testosterone levels! there is inconsistent information on what caffeine does to androgen levels without combining exercise though.