Hypothyroidism (Cortisol, Prolactin And Adrenal Hyperactivity) Causes Balding

[haidut]

I wanted to post this as quite a few people have raised points about androgens causing hair loss. The so-called "male pattern baldness" (MPB) exists in women as well and is in fact quite common in older women (as it is in men) since 50%+ of older women have some stage of baldness as well. Unless somebody believes that women have significantly elevated levels of T and DHT, the whole idea of MPB needs to go. It is steroid driven (thyroid, etc) but there is nothing male to it.
The following studies paint a picture of MPB as driven primarily by hypothyroidism and its associated elevations of TSH, cortisol, prolactin, estrogen, and easily aromatizable adrenal androgens such as androstenedione. No study has found increased MPB in men getting T or DHT exogenously.
It's quite simple really. Hypothyroidism causes elevations of estrogen, cortisol, and prolactin with concominant increase of adrenal activity and increased synthesis of aromatizable steroids that get converted into estrogen in peripheral tissues. Hair loss is a systemic condition, just like all others, and addressing the thyroid deficiency should be a primary goal. I guess the use of anti-estrogen, anti-prolactin and anti-serotonin drugs also has its place, especially if they have systemic effects as well.

[Management of androgenetic alopecia in postmenopausal women]. - PubMed - NCBI
"...Female androgenetic alopecia or female-pattern alopecia is one of the most common causes of hair loss, affecting 50 % of women over their lifetime. The appearance of this condition is the cause of significant stress and psychological problems, making appropriate management important."

Hormone studies in females with androgenic hairloss. - PubMed - NCBI
"...Thus, even mild forms of hypothyroidism or hyperprolactinaemia can be detected. The control group for the TRH test consisted of 45 volunteer females without hairloss or any other hormonal or menstrual disturbances. Statistical analysis was performed according to the Wilcoxon two-sample test. The results of the study show no significant elevation of androgens in females with androgenic hairloss, but a more complex condition with involvement of the glandula suprarenalis and the hypophyseal level. Significantly elevated TSH levels prior to and after TRH stimulation in the hairloss group indicate that hypothyroidism may be an important hormonal disturbance in androgenic hairloss. Interactions between hypothyroidism and androgen metabolism are possible at various links."

Hormonal basis of male and female androgenic alopecia: clinical relevance. - PubMed - NCBI
"...Our findings showed a significant elevation of F (cortisol) in both male and female AH patients compared to controls, pointing to the suprarenes as a contributing factor in AH. This is confirmed by the observation of exacerbated AH in periods of increased stress. Concerning specifically male androgens, a significant elevation of androstenedione was noted. The mainly peripheral activity of this hormone and elevated E2 levels in males stress the importance of androgen metabolism especially at the peripheral level. Additional TRH tests in females demonstrated significant hypophyseal hypothyroidism. Multilayered interaction between thyroid hormones and androgens may contribute to the development of AH in hyperthyroid patients. Another significant finding was elevated PRL after TRH stimulation. Thus, the androgen-stimulating effect of PRL may also play a role in female AH. Our findings show multilayered hormonal influences in AH. Broad-range hormone determination demonstrated a differentiated hormonal situation in this disorder."

 

[gilson dantas]

Very good @haidut!

 

[Broken man]

Do you have some tips how my girl can regrow her hair? I think how I can make her estrogen, prolactin and serotonin lower? She is on thyroid medication but she dont look that its effective. Thank you.

 

[Dante]

I wanted to post this as quite a few people have raised points about androgens causing hair loss. The so-called "male pattern baldness" (MPB) exists in women as well and is in fact quite common in older women (as it is in men) since 50%+ of older women have some stage of baldness as well. Unless somebody believes that women have significantly elevated levels of T and DHT, the whole idea of MPB needs to go. It is steroid driven (thyroid, etc) but there is nothing male to it.
The following studies paint a picture of MPB as driven primarily by hypothyroidism and its associated elevations of TSH, cortisol, prolactin, estrogen, and easily aromatizable adrenal androgens such as androstenedione. No study has found increased MPB in men getting T or DHT exogenously.
It's quite simply really. Hypothyroidism causes elevations of estrogen, cortisol, and prolactin with concominant increase of adrenal activity and increased synthesis of aromatizable steroids that get converted into estrogen in peripheral tissues. Hair loss is a systemic condition, just like all others, and addressing the thyroid deficiency should be a primary goal. I guess the use of anti-estrogen, anti-prolactin and anti-serotonin drugs also has its place, especially if they have systemic effects as well.

[Management of androgenetic alopecia in postmenopausal women]. - PubMed - NCBI
"...Female androgenetic alopecia or female-pattern alopecia is one of the most common causes of hair loss, affecting 50 % of women over their lifetime. The appearance of this condition is the cause of significant stress and psychological problems, making appropriate management important."

Hormone studies in females with androgenic hairloss. - PubMed - NCBI
"...Thus, even mild forms of hypothyroidism or hyperprolactinaemia can be detected. The control group for the TRH test consisted of 45 volunteer females without hairloss or any other hormonal or menstrual disturbances. Statistical analysis was performed according to the Wilcoxon two-sample test. The results of the study show no significant elevation of androgens in females with androgenic hairloss, but a more complex condition with involvement of the glandula suprarenalis and the hypophyseal level. Significantly elevated TSH levels prior to and after TRH stimulation in the hairloss group indicate that hypothyroidism may be an important hormonal disturbance in androgenic hairloss. Interactions between hypothyroidism and androgen metabolism are possible at various links."

Hormonal basis of male and female androgenic alopecia: clinical relevance. - PubMed - NCBI
"...Our findings showed a significant elevation of F (cortisol) in both male and female AH patients compared to controls, pointing to the suprarenes as a contributing factor in AH. This is confirmed by the observation of exacerbated AH in periods of increased stress. Concerning specifically male androgens, a significant elevation of androstenedione was noted. The mainly peripheral activity of this hormone and elevated E2 levels in males stress the importance of androgen metabolism especially at the peripheral level. Additional TRH tests in females demonstrated significant hypophyseal hypothyroidism. Multilayered interaction between thyroid hormones and androgens may contribute to the development of AH in hyperthyroid patients. Another significant finding was elevated PRL after TRH stimulation. Thus, the androgen-stimulating effect of PRL may also play a role in female AH. Our findings show multilayered hormonal influences in AH. Broad-range hormone determination demonstrated a differentiated hormonal situation in this disorder."

Female Pattern hair loss from what i have heard doesn't respond well to fin/dut. It's much more complex than MPB.
Testosterone has actually been used for hair growth in women.( though this is a questionnaire study).
Improvement in scalp hair growth in androgen-deficient women treated with testosterone: a questionnaire study
Out of the 285 patients, 76 (27%) reported hair thinning prior to treatment; 48 of these patients (63%) reported hair regrowth on testosterone therapy (responders). Nonresponders (i.e. no reported hair regrowth on therapy) had significantly higher BMIs than responders (P = 0·05).The fact that no subject complained of hair loss as a result of treatment casts doubt on the presumed role of testosterone in driving female scalp hair loss.

In males low SHBG and high free androgens have been noted .
Hormonal Profile in Indian Men with Premature Androgenetic Alopecia

The entire participants of the study were below 30 years of age.
If you look at the table , you can see that mean SHBG is around 3 times lower compared to controls ( P-value of 0.007)
Free Androgen index was also high in alopecia patients compared to control.

When compared with control there was no statistically significant difference found in serum total testosterone, DHEA-S, FSH, LH and Insulin levels.

Now, whether low SHBG means higher androgen bioavailability according to current dogma which states free androgens as the bioavailable
one OR low androgen utilization by tissues/cells if SHBG bound hormones are the bioavailable ones, that i don't know.

 

[redlight]

Why is TRT speeding up my hair loss, what can I do about it?

 

[tobieagle]

Why is TRT speeding up my hair loss, what can I do about it?

Increase metabolism/thyoid function.

If you are hypothyroid, a lot of the testosterone you are injecting will get aromatized.

 

[Peater Piper]

I've had my TSH tested about half a dozen times since the age of 15. It's never been above 1 mIU/L, and at the age of 34, I'm completely bald on top (thinning started by 17 or 18). My T3 and T4 are also in the mid to upper ranges. I've never had any of the other variables tested due to stubborn doctors.

 

[Broken man]

How I can boost my metabolism naturally?

 

[Elephanto]

Writing "there is nothing male to high" is hypocritical with all due respect, you ignore facts only to serve your theory. If there is nothing male to it, then why is there about 100 000 000 bald men in their 20s for 1 bald woman in her 20s ? So because in old age, some women have their hormones turn havoc, suddenly male balding isn't male at all ? Even these women retain a large area of hair follicles even if dense, millions of men completely lose their follicles and at a much younger age yet it hits them harder than the worst worldwide cases of bald women.

We can't find the truth if we ignore facts, you should rework your theory based on the fact that women do not get balding at the same rate or intensity as men, including hypothyroid women. Stress triggers Dhea and DHT much higher in men than in women, the same damage don't have the same repercussions. These protective hormones may participate in the balding process.

Ronaldo, 39, stopped playing soccer from being too hypothyroid. Still has a "perfect hairline".

 

[WestCoaster]

I'll throw this out there so anyone feel free to pick it apart as I'm providing no actual studies to back this up, but more so observations from not only myself but from what others say as well. Testosterone speeds up the aging process and is linked to a higher metabolism. The hotter the furnace so to speak burns (metabolism), the higher your one's Testosterone will be. When body builders or anyone for that matter uses Steroids, their Testosterone levels I've read on a number of occasions get up to the 2500 to 3000, levels which obviously is a lot higher than some of us folk who are stuck between 200-400 and dream of getting into the 600-800 range.

People that use steroids tend to die quicker, like in their 40's, 50's or whatever, so this tells me, that the faster your metabolism burns, the quicker you age, and the quicker you die. Perhaps hair loss is linked to none other than the aging process. People have reported that on TRT, they do in fact start losing hair. People that also tend to get their metabolism burning hot tend to have shortened life spans as well, as identified with those who use steroids. Think of us as a light bulb, the brighter it burns, the quicker it burns out. Keep it dim, or dim it every so often and the light bulb lasts longer.

On the flip side, there were studies done on a diverse cross section of life, that showed when their metabolisms were slowed down, their life expectancy's increased. Hypothyroid is equated to a slower metabolism, so once hypothyroidsm ensues, your entire metabolic rate and aging process slow down, so perhaps this also means hair loss slows down as well. As for the cross section of life study, I'd have to go back to find that, but I believe at this point people get the idea.

When we put this into real world perspective, look at some asian countries who tend to have longer lifespans than of us in the West. If you've ever been there or talked to these people, then do in fact tend to run colder than we do. As identified by the asian gals running around with jackets on in 25+ celcius temperatures complaining it's cold. Many asian men also do the same.

Aside from going off on tangents here, Men generally have much higher levels of testosterone than women, hence this could be why they bald at both a quicker rate and far greater numbers. Women also tend to live longer than men (on average), which again, could possibly be attributed to the whole Testosterone, metabolism, and aging quicker.

 

[Gl;itch.e]

WestCoaster. That's a big negatory good buddy. The rate of living theory is baloney. Higher metabolic rates regenerate and repair more fully and in humans should lead to increased longevity.

 

[milk_lover]

I'll throw this out there so anyone feel free to pick it apart as I'm providing no actual studies to back this up, but more so observations from not only myself but from what others say as well. Testosterone speeds up the aging process and is linked to a higher metabolism. The hotter the furnace so to speak burns (metabolism), the higher your one's Testosterone will be. When body builders or anyone for that matter uses Steroids, their Testosterone levels I've read on a number of occasions get up to the 2500 to 3000, levels which obviously is a lot higher than some of us folk who are stuck between 200-400 and dream of getting into the 600-800 range.

People that use steroids tend to die quicker, like in their 40's, 50's or whatever, so this tells me, that the faster your metabolism burns, the quicker you age, and the quicker you die. Perhaps hair loss is linked to none other than the aging process. People have reported that on TRT, they do in fact start losing hair. People that also tend to get their metabolism burning hot tend to have shortened life spans as well, as identified with those who use steroids. Think of us as a light bulb, the brighter it burns, the quicker it burns out. Keep it dim, or dim it every so often and the light bulb lasts longer.

On the flip side, there were studies done on a diverse cross section of life, that showed when their metabolisms were slowed down, their life expectancy's increased. Hypothyroid is equated to a slower metabolism, so once hypothyroidsm ensues, your entire metabolic rate and aging process slow down, so perhaps this also means hair loss slows down as well. As for the cross section of life study, I'd have to go back to find that, but I believe at this point people get the idea.

When we put this into real world perspective, look at some asian countries who tend to have longer lifespans than of us in the West. If you've ever been there or talked to these people, then do in fact tend to run colder than we do. As identified by the asian gals running around with jackets on in 25+ celcius temperatures complaining it's cold. Many asian men also do the same.

Aside from going off on tangents here, Men generally have much higher levels of testosterone than women, hence this could be why they bald at both a quicker rate and far greater numbers. Women also tend to live longer than men (on average), which again, could possibly be attributed to the whole Testosterone, metabolism, and aging quicker.

In recent years, Weissman’s “wear-and-tear” theory of aging, and Pearl’s “rate of living” theory have been clearly refuted by metabolic studies that are showing that intensified mitochondrial respiration decreases cellular damage, and supports a longer life-span.

Many dog owners are aware that small dogs eat much more food in proportion to their size than big dogs do. And small dogs have a much greater life expectancy than big dogs, in some cases about twice as long (Speakman, 2003).

Organisms as different as yeasts and rodents show a similar association of metabolic intensity and life-span. A variety of hamster with a 20% higher metabolic rate lived 15% longer than hamsters with an average metabolic rate (Oklejewicz and Daan, 2002).

Individuals within a strain of mice were found to vary considerably in their metabolic rate. The 25% of the mice with the highest rate used 30% more energy (per gram of body weight) than the 25% with the lowest metabolic rate, and lived 36% longer (Speakman, et al., 2000).

The mitochondria of these animals are “uncoupled,” that is, their use of oxygen isn’t directly proportional to the production of ATP. This means that they are producing more carbon dioxide without necessarily producing more ATP, and that even at rest they are using a considerable amount of energy.

 

[Tarmander]

That's a big negatory good buddy.

Ha! I haven't heard that saying in awhile, had a good laugh.

 

[haidut]

Writing "there is nothing male to high" is hypocritical with all due respect, you ignore facts only to serve your theory. If there is nothing male to it, then why is there about 100 000 000 bald men in their 20s for 1 bald woman in her 20s ? So because in old age, some women have their hormones turn havoc, suddenly male balding isn't male at all ? Even these women retain a large area of hair follicles even if dense, millions of men completely lose their follicles and at a much younger age yet it hits them harder than the worst worldwide cases of bald women.

We can't find the truth if we ignore facts, you should rework your theory based on the fact that women do not get balding at the same rate or intensity as men, including hypothyroid women. Stress triggers Dhea and DHT much higher in men than in women, the same damage don't have the same repercussions. These protective hormones may participate in the balding process.

Ronaldo, 39, stopped playing soccer from being too hypothyroid. Still has a "perfect hairline".

If 50% of females also get "androgenic" alopecia throughout their lifetimes as the study above says, then yes, there is nothing male to is as that is also the rate for males. If that figure is incorrect please provide the correct stats. Saying 100,000,000 to 1 is a bald figure (pun intended). Do you have anything to back up that assertion? Again, all I am saying is that apparently both (older) males and females seem to have the same incidence of androgenic alopecia, according to the above study. IF, and that is a big IF, that statistic is correct then there is nothing male about it. It is hormonally driven hair-loss. If you can show me even 1 study that showed administration of DHT triggered hair loss then we can start from there. And there are quite a few studies using DHT in males. So, it's not like it has not been tried at least a hundred times.

 

[Dante]

Leaving DHT and estrogen aside, there are several other hormones at play. I have seen several diabetic and hypothyroid people having full tuft of hair. There might not be a single cause of MPB.
Some pubmed hypothesis say skull bone remodeling by DHT as a cause of hair loss.
And there exists a question of potassium channel opener causing hair growth and near infrared wavelengths have been successfully used for growth. If any one can elucidate how these two mechanism work, may be no one might have to take fin/dut.
BTW has any member here ever experienced shedding from keto-dht or dhea ?

 

[blob69]

If 50% of females also get "androgenic" alopecia throughout their lifetimes as the study above says, then yes, there is nothing male to is as that is also the rate for males. If that figure is incorrect please provide the correct stats. Saying 100,000,000 to 1 is a bald figure (pun intended). Do you have anything to back up that assertion? Again, all I am saying is that apparently both (older) males and females seem to have the same incidence of androgenic alopecia, according to the above study. IF, and that is a big IF, that statistic is correct then there is nothing male about it. It is hormonally driven hair-loss. If you can show me even 1 study that showed administration of DHT triggered hair loss then we can start from there. And there are quite a few studies using DHT in males. So, it's not like it has not been tried at least a hundred times.

I think @Elephanto 's point is very valid and has not yet been explained away by anyone on this forum (or elsewhere). I don't need studies to tell me that men get bald much, much more often and earlier in life than women do, and if women have a rate of hypothyroidism that is many times that of the rate in men, then things simply do not add up. The logic that hypothyroidism causes baldness is invalid, period. Perhaps in combination with another factor, but then that factor is important and should be accounted for as well (and must be much more commonly found in men).

 

[Manoko]

I think @Elephanto 's point is very valid and has not yet been explained away by anyone on this forum (or elsewhere). I don't need studies to tell me that men get bald much, much more often and earlier in life than women do, and if women have a rate of hypothyroidism that is many times that of the rate in men, then things simply do not add up. The logic that hypothyroidism causes baldness is invalid, period. Perhaps in combination with another factor, but then that factor is important and should be accounted for as well (and must be much more commonly found in men).

Also, because of their natural hormonal profile (estrogen much more prevalent in women), women tend to have higher incidences of hypothyroidism.
If "MPB" was caused by hypothyroidism alone, you'd see a lot more female losing hair much earlier in life than men.

Yet the opposite happens, and saying women in their 20s get the same incidence of hairloss as men the same age, is just living in a bubble.

Maybe the explanation to this is that women's hair are protected by progesterone ?

 

[haidut]

I think @Elephanto 's point is very valid and has not yet been explained away by anyone on this forum (or elsewhere). I don't need studies to tell me that men get bald much, much more often and earlier in life than women do, and if women have a rate of hypothyroidism that is many times that of the rate in men, then things simply do not add up. The logic that hypothyroidism causes baldness is invalid, period. Perhaps in combination with another factor, but then that factor is important and should be accounted for as well (and must be much more commonly found in men).

Same thing is true about the "DHT is the cause of baldness", period. Blaming a single hormone for baldness when men with MPB are anything but virile, and often have gyno, obesity and other factors that point strongly into the point of some sort of pituitary-adrenal derangement is also not kosher. Androgen antagonists like flutamide do NOT help with hair loss, it's only drugs like finasteride and minoxidil that do. So, most likely these drugs have an unknown mechanism of action that makes them somewhat effective. See this post.
Inflammation-Induced TLR4 Expression And Reactive Oxygen Species Are Attenuated By Dihydrotestostero
Same story with SSRI drugs - decades of lies that serotonin helps with depression when in reality these drugs increase allopregnanolone levels and some of them are even antagonists on the 5-HT2 receptor.
Let's just say that for now neither side really has anything definitive.

 

[haidut]

Also, because of their natural hormonal profile (estrogen much more prevalent in women), women tend to have higher incidences of hypothyroidism.
If "MPB" was caused by hypothyroidism alone, you'd see a lot more female losing hair much earlier in life than men.

Yet the opposite happens, and saying women in their 20s get the same incidence of hairloss as men the same age, is just living in a bubble.

Maybe the explanation to this is that women's hair are protected by progesterone ?

Where did you see anybody saying men and women in their 20s have the same rate of balding?? I said "older" in all of my posts, didn't I? Also, the so-called MPB in women does not look like the males' - unlike the male' MPB the females' is diffuse and non-localized. That does not prevent the studies still calling it MPB because it hormone driven and likely the of the same etiology as males'.

 

[blob69]

Also, because of their natural hormonal profile (estrogen much more prevalent in women), women tend to have higher incidences of hypothyroidism.
If "MPB" was caused by hypothyroidism alone, you'd see a lot more female losing hair much earlier in life than men.

Yet the opposite happens, and saying women in their 20s get the same incidence of hairloss as men the same age, is just living in a bubble.

Maybe the explanation to this is that women's hair are protected by progesterone ?

So you propose the additional factor I mentioned in my post above is progesterone - and this has also been proposed as a reason for why women live longer than men. But if women have higher levels of unopposed estrogen (and autoimmune diseases etc. that are said to be caused by it) than men, then this also doesn't make any sense to me. Unless it's the absolute amounts that are important as well, but Peat never talks about that, at least as far as I know.