US Patent 6136860
Applicant: Bio-Scientific Ltd., London, UK

     An English biotech company was recently issued a US patent for the use of L-Lysine in the treatment of various types of hair loss, including androgenic alopecia. Following are excerpts from the patent itself.
     “Studies involving the administration according to the present invention of L-lysine to those suffering from increased hair shedding show a remarkable increase in scalp hair growth.”
     “Typically, the L-lysine is administered in a daily dose of from 200 to 2000 mg, and more usually in a daily dose of 500 to 1500 mg, e.g. in the form of a 500 mg dose administered orally once, twice or three times a day. L-lysine may conveniently be administered orally, for example as tablets, capsules.”
     “We have also discovered that administration of lysine to patients results in a dramatic increase in the efficacy of known treatments for genetic hair loss (which term covers a number of conditions variously referred to as androgen-dependent alopecia, androgenic alopecia, androgenetic alopecia, common baldness, female baldness, diffuse hair loss and male pattern baldness).”
     “Thus, in a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit including a plurality of separate containers, each containing at least one active agent useful in a combination therapy for the treatment of genetic hair loss, wherein said kit includes L-lysine and at least one further active agent selected from minoxidil, anti-androgens, 5.alpha.-reductase inhibitors, aromatase inhibitors.”
     “The co-administration of L-lysine with known treatments for genetic hair loss such as minoxidil and anti-androgens results in a significant improvement in the efficacy of the treatment.”