Balding Issues in Short Men Could Also Indicate Cancer Risk

Gone are the days when we though that we will need to worry about balding once we reach old age. Blame it on our lifestyle habits, but premature balding is a dreadful reality, and with every passing year, it is affecting more and more younger adults. Men, in particular, face premature balding even as early as 25 years. It is not without reasons that health experts consistently advise us to keep a check on our eating habits as well as leading a healthy lifestyle. All these have consequences which show effect as we start to grow older. While men may resort to all sorts of hair growing products and what not to grow back hair, the truth is that fit is not an easy task. Now adding more to the misery, a recent study has found that short men with balding issues could even be at risk of getting cancer.The study has discovered genetic links in premature balding that could be associated with multiple physical characteristics and serious illnesses like cancer. It stated that premature hair loss in men of short height and lighter skin colour is linked to a range physical characteristics and ailments. For the study that appeared in journal Nature Communications, the researchers of the University of Bonn studied genetic material of about 20,000 men further stated that the fat and immune cells in the scalp have an obvious connection in hair loss, along with the cells of the hair follicle.

Lead study author Dr. Stefanie Heilmann-Heimbach, "We were thus able to identify 63 alterations in the human genome that increase the risk of premature hair loss,".

Heimbach added saying, "Some of these alterations were also found in connection with other characteristics and illnesses, such as reduced body size, earlier occurrence of puberty and various cancers"

Investigating genetic data from around 11,000 men with premature baldness and around 12,000 men with no signs hair loss from seven different countries, the scientists also concluded the link of heightened risk of severe diseases.

The study is especially alarming, because the question of men with premature hair loss being at a somewhat increased risk of heart diseases and prostate cancer has long been known. This study confirms suspicions of further connections between hair loss and prostrate cancer and heart disease. The links become complicated with when it comes to heart diseases as the genes that reduce the risk were found along with genes that increase the risk.

Investigating genetic findings from around 11,000 men with premature baldness and around 12,000 men with no signs hair loss from seven different countries, the scientist concluded the link of heightened risks.

The researchers also found links to light skin and increased bone density indicating that men with hair loss are able synthesize vitamin D from sunlight in a better way.

Prof. Markus Nothen said,"These could indicate that men with hair loss are better able to use sunlight to synthesize vitamin D. They could also explain why white men in particular lose their hair prematurely."