CORTISOL, IMMUNOSTIMULATION, AND MPB

     It has been established that cortisol, the “stress” hormone and estrogen are  significantly elevated in individuals with androgenetic alopecia, which is immunosuppressive.

     It is also known that balding is essentially an interplay between hormones (notably DHT, Androstendione, Estrogen) and immunologically mediated inflammation, essentially causing the body to treat hair follicles like organs being rejected.  Dr. Proctor and Dr. Rushton of Bioscientic Ltd., among others, contend that this immunological rejection and the inflammation associated with it is much more significant and primary to balding than the androgens, which simply play a role in initiating the process.  That is why antiandrogens are fairly effective at preventing further loss, but initiate little to no regrowth, except for very recently lost hair.  Several prominent researchers have been issued multiple patents for immunostimulation based, hair loss treatments aimed at neutralizing existing follicular inflammation.  Their research and recommendations will be integrated into our treatment protocol to provide an even more comprehensive treatment approach, in addition to enhancing the overall health of the individual.  The recommended compounds for hair growth via immunostimulation are:

1.     Growth Hormone (GH) Releasers – Growth Hormone has been reliably shown to increase muscle mass, thicken skin, reduce body fat index and grow scalp hair.  Injections are quite expensive, but coming down in price.

2.     Arginine/Lysine at 4 grams each stimulate thymic functioning, and GH release, Dr. Rushton, of Bio Scientific Ltd. Has a patent on L-Lysine as a hair growth treatment.

3.     Anti-aromatases (in males) or estrogen antiagonists.  Soy extract, acts as a “phytoestrogen” which competes with estrogen at the receptor site, neutralizing estrogenic stimulation of androgen mediated processes.  Daidzen, a soy isoflavone, also appears to regenerate thymus in males.  Dr. Sheffield has been issued patents on anti-aromatases as hair-loss agents.  One mention here: anti-aromatases in females cause hairloss, whereas in men they appear to have the opposite effect.  They also have a negative effect on thymic functioning in females, and a positive effect in males.

4.     Androgen antagonists/DHT inhibitors.

5.     Zinc

6.     Vit A/Beta Carotene

7.     Magnesium Aspartate

8.     Gaba – sublingually (may also interrupt stress axis which is detrimental to thymic functioning.  Gaba transminase levels decrease with age.

     At the root of this phenomena of age related immune system decline is a process known as “thymic involution” (deterioration of the thymus gland functioning), which is genetically predetermined, and responsible for an age related cascade of events and inflammatory autoimmune process including arthritis and balding.