The baldness and the grey hair increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Thanks, mom

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Published the 05.12.2017 at 12h14

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Baldness does it increase the risk of heart disease ? It is this that seems to suggest more studies, the results of which deserve to be put in perspective.
A first combined analysis of 6 studies and 40,000 men, conducted in the United States and in Europe (meta-analysis), had found this association (BMJ Open) : men who had lost most of their hair had a statistical risk 32% higher than the other to develop coronary heart disease. But the risk exists only if the baldness was predominant on the scalp and not on the temples.
In another study, which included 790 men aged less than 40 years old with coronary heart disease and 1 in 270 men in good health. The researchers found that in young men with coronary artery disease were more likely to have a graying premature hair (50% vs. 30%) and male pattern baldness early (49% vs. 27%) compared to healthy controls. The baldness early and premature gray hair would be predicted by the strongest of coronary artery disease in young men, in front of the obesity.

Genetics of pattern baldness

The risk of male pattern hair loss is primarily linked to genetic factors : 287, this is the number of genetic regions associated with alopecia and baldness in men according to a british study on 52 000 men and published in PLoS Genetics. An impressive number of genes, which greatly expands the field of knowledge and assumptions. Because up to now, the genetic variants in question were poorly known, with the notable exception of the gene RAS, which double the risk of total collapse of hair.
Most of the genetic variations identified are related to the structure of the hair and to their development, the fall itself could be caused by hormonal changes. In fact, the genes are often located on the X chromosome, which men inherit from their mother, and are related to androgen receptors.

Genes shared with other diseases

These are many genes that they should study because they could be shared with the cardiovascular diseases, as with other diseases, such as cancer of the prostate.
Men who have baldness at the top of the forehead and the beginning of tonsure also have an increased risk of 40% of developing an aggressive form of prostate cancer compared to those not suffering from hair loss. This is what emerges from a study of the National Cancer Institute in the United States on 39 070 men.
This is not the first time that it is suggested that the existence of such a link, but this study already provides a first clue to explain this association : cancer of the prostate and hair loss are associated to the levels of androgens and their receptors.

Early-onset cardiovascular disease in practice

The incidence of coronary heart disease rises in young men, and it cannot be completely explained by traditional risk factors. The premature aging and androgenic alopecia (male pattern baldness) are well correlated with age vascular regardless of the chronological age. They are factors of risk that are plausible for coronary artery disease.
However, these two criteria do not all : according to various studies, 30% to 40% of adult men suffer from male pattern baldness, a rate which may reach 80% by the age of 80 years, much higher figures to those of cardiovascular diseases in clinical.
It is therefore clear that the baldness, or gray hair, premature infants are not cardiovascular risk factors major. The classic risk factors such as diabetes, family history of cardiovascular disease, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are responsible for the vast majority of cardiovascular diseases.

The young men when they are bald or have grey hair, should receive more careful monitoring vis-à-vis risk factors for coronary heart disease, as well as advice on lifestyle changes and stress management. It is more important to pay attention to his waist to his hair !