Baldness and coronary heart disease

Are bald men more likely to develop coronary heart disease than hairy men?

Yes, says a team of researchers from the University of Tokyo, in an article published in the very serious British Medical Journal* on 3 April 2013.

These researchers have shown that there is a definite link between vertex baldness (baldness at the top of the skull) and the risk of heart disease. No one has ever before pointed so conclusively to baldness as a possible concomitant of a coronary problem.

To support their thesis, the researchers looked at various studies published between 1993 and 2008 on the two diseases, both in the USA and Europe. Almost 40,000 patients were included in a database. They found that the more hair loss at the top of the skull is severe, the greater the risk of one day suffering from a heart problem. See sketch on the left.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THIS PHENOMENON?

While they are sure of the results announced in their article, the researchers admit that they are not quite sure what common thread links a male pattern baldness and coronary heart disease. They do, however, provide some clues: increased sensitivity to androgens, insulin resistance (a precursor to diabetes) or a state of chronic inflammation. These are all possibilities that need to be explored by further studies, with the inflammatory state being the most likely hypothesis in our opinion, Centre Clauderer.

In the meantime, men suffering from severe hair loss (especially if they're young) should keep an eye on their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

* Source: "Male pattern baldness and its association with coronary heart disease" - BMJ open (British Medical Journal) 3 April 2013