Cayenne Pepper may be much more than a health promoting circulation enhancer and analgesic. Published studies strongly imply that it likely counteracts hair loss due to its effects on the endocannabinoid system.

      The endocannabinoid system refers to a group of neuromodulators (Kreitzer and Regehr, 2001; Maejima et al, 2001) and their receptors that are involved in a variety of physiological processes including appetite, pain-sensation, mood, memory and evidently hair loss. It is named for endocannabinoids, the endogenous lipids that bind cannabinoid receptors (the same receptors that mediate the psychoactive effects of cannibis). Broadly speaking, the endocannabinoid system refers to:

• The cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2, 2 G-protein coupled receptors primarily located in the central nervous system and periphery.

      It has been found that endocannabinoids inhibit hair growth, especially during periods of stress, via the CB1 receptor. The following study identifies that specific mechanism:

Inhibition of human hair follicle growth by endo- and exocannabinoids

Andrea Telek, Tamás Bíró, Enik Bodó, Balázs I. Tóth, István Borbíró, George Kunos and Ralf Paus

      Recent studies strongly suggest that the cannabinoid system is a key player in cell growth control. Since the organ-culture of human hair follicles (HF) offers an excellent, clinically relevant model for complex tissue interaction systems, we have asked whether the cannabinoid system plays a role in hair growth control. Here, we show that human scalp HF, intriguingly, are both targets and sources of endocannabinoids. Namely, the endocannabinoid N-arachidonoylethanolamide (anandamide, AEA) as well as the exocannabinnoid (9) -tetrahydrocannabinol dose-dependently inhibited hair shaft elongation and the proliferation of hair matrix keratinocytes, and induced intraepithelial apoptosis and premature HF regression (catagen).These effects were inhibited by a selective antagonist of cannabinoid receptor-1 (CB1). In contrast to CB2, CB1 was expressed in a hair cycle-dependent manner in the human HF epithelium. Since we successfully identified the presence of endocannabinoids in human HF, our data strongly suggest that human HF exploit a CB1-mediated endocannabinoid signaling system for negatively regulating their own growth. Clinically, CB1 agonists may therefore help to manage unwanted hair growth,while CB1 antagonists might counteract hair loss. Finally, human HF organ culture offers an instructive, physiologically relevant new research tool for dissecting “nonclassical” effects of endocannabinoids and their receptor-mediated signaling in general.—Telek, A., Bíró, T., Bodó, E., Tóth, B. I., Borbíró, I.Cayenne Pepper is the only natural CB1 blocker known and this mechanism may account for its apparent hair growth stimulation effects, especially when orally consumed with Soy Isoflavone extracts. Cayenne pepper has profoundly beneficial effects for certain types of heart disease and is considered curative for certain types of cancer.

Editor’s Comment: Cayenne would be indicated not only for androgenetic hair loss treatment in general, but particularly useful during periods of stress, due to the heightened activation of these receptors. The patented combination of Resveratrol /Curcumin also directly targets this type of stress induced, (termed neurogenic) hair loss.

      Cayenne Pepper is available in any supermarket or health food store. 4/5 of a teaspoon, or 4 grams, orally consumed, would yield an equivalent amount used in the following Soy/Cayenne study.