FSH effects on hair growth

[Xittenn]

Is there any relation to the increase or decrease of Follicle Stimulating Hormone on hair growth eg. loss of hair on head, increase of body hair............... I know that FSH controls the general production of testosterone by stimulating the testicles. Testosterone is generally accredited with hair growth on men but is FSH also related?

[Mokele]

Not even slightly related. FSH has nothing to do with hair follicles - it stimulates the follicles in the female ovary (growths of endocrine cells that surround the egg) to grow to maturity.

 

Mokele

[codex16]

Not even slightly related. FSH has nothing to do with hair follicles - it stimulates the follicles in the female ovary (growths of endocrine cells that surround the egg) to grow to maturity.

 

Mokele

 

FSH which is your level of estrogen which protects your hair from androgen, FSH DOES have high relation to your hair follicles.

 

Androgen seems seems to be blocked in drugs like propecia. I think there is allot more to FSH that you should look into Mokelee because that is not all FSH does and it is important for men as well for fertility. Having said that estrogen (FSH) deficiency could contribute to hair loss and infertility in men.

 

You can even go on hair loss web sites that will link FSH to a probable cause, but i got my information from a PHD in microbiology. I am currently looking into this because i have hair loss on my body, but I'm not sure if a .8 out of 1.6-8.0 range would be the cause of hair loss but my doctor said it's possible.

 

Although Less hair on the scalp and more hair on the body sounds like results of testosterone and DHT.

Edited January 9, 2009 by codex16

[blike]

but i got my information from a PHD in microbiology

What makes him any more of an expert than you? Microbiologists are not endocrinologists. Get your information from authoritative textbooks or qualified people.

[CharonY]

Especially if the info is wrong. Or at least it is given here in the wrong context.

As you mention Propecia, which acts on male baldness, I have to assume that you are talking about male baldness. FSH only stimulates estrogen production in ovaries. In males FSH acts on Sertoli cells. While it is known that it is involved in second messenger pathways their precise role in spermatogenesis was still unknown (at least when I was an undergrad, things may have changed a lot).

Secondly male pattern baldness cannot be protected against by high estrogen levels. Of the androgens DHT has been identified as to be detrimental for the follicels and Propecia acts by blocking a reductase that converts testosterone to DHT. Not by blocking testosterone or any androgen itself.

The basis for males is therefore (AFAIK) overexpression of the ype II 5alpha-reductase, coupled with a highe sensitivity of the follicles against DHT.

 

 

Again, Mokele was correct, at least with respect to males. In females I recall that baldness might occur due to an imbalance of androgen/estrogen ration. In that case FSH might play some kind of role.

[codex16]

Especially if the info is wrong. Or at least it is given here in the wrong context.

As you mention Propecia, which acts on male baldness, I have to assume that you are talking about male baldness. FSH only stimulates estrogen production in ovaries. In males FSH acts on Sertoli cells. While it is known that it is involved in second messenger pathways their precise role in spermatogenesis was still unknown (at least when I was an undergrad, things may have changed a lot).

Secondly male pattern baldness cannot be protected against by high estrogen levels. Of the androgens DHT has been identified as to be detrimental for the follicels and Propecia acts by blocking a reductase that converts testosterone to DHT. Not by blocking testosterone or any androgen itself.

The basis for males is therefore (AFAIK) overexpression of the ype II 5alpha-reductase, coupled with a highe sensitivity of the follicles against DHT.

 

 

Again, Mokele was correct, at least with respect to males. In females I recall that baldness might occur due to an imbalance of androgen/estrogen ration. In that case FSH might play some kind of role.

 

Ok first of all I am not saying a lack of estrogen in men causes "male baldness pattern", I was saying a complete lack of estrogen in a man could although cause hair loss, does that seem feasible? I am not here to shoot people down but rather learn why would no estrogen in a women create hair loss but not a man. I guess some of the information I have been reading could have been interpreted wrong.

 

So your saying FSH is not your level of estrogen in men but rather contributes to Seroili cells? and Estrogen in men does not play in any role a way to protect hair in a man even if the level is low. Sorry that is put in simplified terms but this is new to me as I am not a professional. May the imbalance of the hormonal system by estrogen can cause hair loss in men? From what you said I am getting FSH is not estrogen in men? so men have no estrogen at all? I'm confused now

 

Sorry if I was rude by posting that to Mokelee but I feel there is allot more to be said here to people who asks these questions, I dont like yes no and I feel the answers you provided were very sufficient or atleast a head to start to learn more. I think maybe the thing I am missing is men could live with little to no estrogen and function normal with normal hair growth?

 

 

It does say Women in the paragraph. I don't have a comprehension problem but maybe the author was not explicit enough.

 

So the information below is subjected to just women?

 

Apart from thyroxin, estrogen and testosterone, there are many other hormones that can cause hair loss. FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) stimulates the production of estrogen and GnRH (Gonadotropin-releasing Hormone) in turn stimulates the production of FSH. In fact, the human body produces about 50 hormones and as their interaction is highly complex, it is difficult to guess right away what in the hormonal imbalance causes hair loss."

 

I got that from http://www.hairlossadvance.com/hormones.html

 

You have to understand it's hard to read between the lines for men and women where some information is presented this way it is and I am very sorry for the wall of text but I feel like very good information is being presented by Charon who can actually explain this to me.Can someone give me better insight to the above?

 

 

I also looked this up if you read at the top they say DHT is an androgen.

 

http://www.hairlossinformation.com/hair-loss-in-men/anti-androgens.shtml

 

Now here is where I think we got confused with the male baldness, not to stray from the topic because I was under the impression the male balding gene or DHT may not be able to be blocked by FSH or estrogen but they both to me looked like an anti-androgen (FSH and Finasteride)

 

 

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Merged post follows:

Consecutive posts merged

What makes him any more of an expert than you? Microbiologists are not endocrinologists. Get your information from authoritative textbooks or qualified people.

 

sorry to get off on the wrong foot but i come from a very specific field myself maybe not medical but I appreciate answers and not one liners or no information like your post. I think that people even without my skill set have the ability to comprehend some things even without degrees and certification.

 

I would appropriately respond to your post but I rather not stray from topic . I apologize and will take a different approach next time.

Edited January 10, 2009 by codex16
Consecutive post/s merged.

[Xittenn]

Wow there is way to much Testosterone in this room. I prescribe you all 20mg of Cyproterone Acetate to be taken daily..................... Umm Codex16 where was it implied anywhere(this post or elsewhere) that FSH is Estrogen or am I misunderstanding your statement. (Quote: From what you said I am getting FSH is not estrogen in men? so men have no estrogen at all? I'm confused now ) I'm actually more interested in the effects of increased FSH on castrated males, so like no testosterone production. I can't find anything suggesting an increase/decrease of either scalp or body hair as a cause of FSH. It is however been presented that a castrated male(I will try not to say this to much as it may make the majority male population of this forum cringe and avoid this post) will have higher FSH levels. Will the higher FSH levels have any kind of effect at all on a man.

[CharonY]

Ok first of all I am not saying a lack of estrogen in men causes "male baldness pattern", I was saying a complete lack of estrogen in a man could although cause hair loss, does that seem feasible? I am not here to shoot people down but rather learn why would no estrogen in a women create hair loss but not a man. I guess some of the information I have been reading could have been interpreted wrong.

 

AFAIK there is little (published) information regarding the influence of estrogen (or lack thereof) on male pattern baldness. The main player was identified to be DHT. In female baldness, however, the ratio between estrogen and androgen may be important.

 

o your saying FSH is not your level of estrogen in men but rather contributes to Seroili cells?

Essentially yes. In males FSH plays a different role. It is involved in spermatogenesis but does not contribute to estrogen levels.

 

I think maybe the thing I am missing is men could live with little to no estrogen and function normal with normal hair growth?

That is a different aspect altogether. It is reasonable to assume that estrogen levels will have an effect on hair growth, but again, this is not the contributing factor to male pattern baldness, nor is FSH connected to it.

 

Again: the reaction in question is that an enzyme, the 5 alpha reductase converts testosteron into the more potent DHT. Finesteride block the reductase and thus inhibits DHT synthesis. That's all.