Blood Pressure, Heart Disease & Male Pattern Baldness--NYT 12-8-09

• Blood Pressure, Heart Disease & Male Pattern Baldness--NYT 12-8-09 by D.A.L.U.I. on 08 Dec, 2009 12:05
• Seen in today's New York Times--
  The Claim: High Blood Pressure Will Increase People’s Risk of Losing Their Hair
  By ANAHAD O’CONNOR
  Published: December 7, 2009
  
  THE FACTS Hypertension has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and early mortality. But hair loss?
  
  Scientists are not exactly sure why, but a number of studies have suggested a relationship between blood pressure and men’s baldness, particularly the early-onset kind.
  
  In a study published in 2007, for example, researchers looked at 250 men ages 35 to 65. After controlling for age, high cholesterol, smoking and other variables, they found that hypertension was “strongly associated” with male pattern baldness: those with a blood pressure reading above 120 over 80 had twice the risk of the others.
  
  Other studies have suggested a link between baldness and heart disease. For a 2000 study in The Archives of Internal Medicine, for example, researchers analyzed health records for 22,000 male doctors over 11 years, examining many aspects of their health. Men with mild balding of the crown had a 23 percent higher risk for heart disease, and those whose crowns were completely bald had a 36 percent greater risk.
  
  But the relationship is only a correlation. Researchers suspect hair loss could be among many markers of an increased risk of hypertension, caused in part by higher levels of testosterone and other hormones, and more androgen receptors in the scalp.
  
  THE BOTTOM LINE
  
  Studies suggest that hair loss may indicate an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
  
  ANAHAD O’CONNOR scitimes@nytimes.com
• #1 by jamesh75 on 08 Dec, 2009 14:51
• Very interesting.  I have high blood pressure and MPB.  I never would have linked the two together.
  
  Thanks for the info Saint.
• #2 by FR8TRAIN on 08 Dec, 2009 15:18
• Well, that explains it. I've had HBP for several years and it was after I was diagnosed that I did notice my hair getting thinner and thinner.
  
  
• #3 by Hook'Em on 08 Dec, 2009 15:25
• No matter how many times i cut them my finger nails keep growing. I'm sure there's gonna be a study somewhere that will indicate that will give me cancer or a heart condition. 
• #4 by Mikekoz13 on 08 Dec, 2009 17:01
• I had MPB (yes had...I'm SLY so it's gone) and I've never had high blood pressure.
  My brother, who still has a pretty good heaad of hair, has had high blood presssure for years.
• #5 by buddha on 08 Dec, 2009 20:40
• My personal stats:
  Resting heart rate: Low 50s
  Walking around: 60-65
  Normal BP: 110/65-70
  Height: 6'-05"
  Weight: 220
  MPB: Yes, indeed! Only for the last 30 years.
  Smoker: Yes.
  Eat Red Meat: Ohhhhhhh, Yeah Baby! Every chance I get.
  Family history of Heart Disease: All over the place.
  In short, I do not believe a word of the $h!t that these a$$h*les say. Especially if it has anything to do with FDA or any other gummint agency brought into existence to protect me from the ravages of myself.
  But that's just my opinion.....I could be wrong.