Research links male hair loss to heart disease

Balding on the crown could be a sign of a heart condition Losing your hair is no longer just a frustrating sign of aging; it could be the first visible indicator of developing heart disease. New research published in the BMJ Open medical journal suggests men who experience hair loss could be at an increased risk of developing heart problems than those who retain their locks – but only those with thinning hair on top, and not the sides - are affected.
Researchers in Japan reviewed a group of comprehensive studies involving almost 40,000 men and found those affected by male pattern baldness are at a 70 percent heightened risk of coronary heart disease. The younger they were when they lost their hair, meant a greater extent of baldness and therefore a higher risk. Three
of the studies tracked men for at least 11 years and discovered those who had lost most hair were a third more likely to be at risk of heart disease.
Men with receding hair lines can breathe a sigh of relief as evidence shows they are only slightly affected.
Baldness worsens with age, affecting around 30 to 40 percent of adult men overall, but is found to be rising to 80 percent in men by the time they reach the age of 80. It is hereditary and is linked to the male hormone testosterone.
Researchers remain unclear over the link, but suggest that baldness may be a precursor of developing chronic inflammation, diabetes or increased sensitivity to testosterone - which all increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
"(Our) findings suggest that vertex baldness is more closely associated with systemic atherosclerosis than with frontal baldness," researchers concluded.
"Thus, cardiovascular risk factors should be reviewed carefully in men with vertex baldness, especially younger men who should probably be encouraged to improve their cardiovascular risk profile," they added.