Scientists have discovered that sugar naturally found in the human body could be a cure for baldness.
The study found that this sweet solution succeeded in stimulating hair growth in mice. It turned out that sugar is effective in regrowing hair, as are existing medications used to treat hair loss.
This "promising" discovery offers hope in the search for a cure for male pattern baldness, also known as androgenic alopecia, which affects up to half of all men worldwide.
A team from the University of Sheffield, working with colleagues in Pakistan, discovered that applying a small dose of a natural sugar, called 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR), stimulates hair regrowth in mice. Sugar plays a "fundamental" role in many biological processes in both animals and humans, according to the research team.
For the past eight years, scientists from Sheffield and Pakistan have been studying how this sugar can help wounds heal by promoting the formation of new blood vessels.
During their research, they noticed accelerated hair growth around the healing wounds compared to the untreated areas, which led them to believe that this sugar had a direct effect on the diseased hair follicles.
To test their theory, the scientists created a model of testosterone-induced hair loss in mice, similar to the cause of androgenetic alopecia. They found that applying a small dose of natural sugar helped create new blood vessels, leading to hair regrowth.
A groundbreaking study published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology has revealed that simple sugar can be as effective at regrowth as minoxidil, a medication commonly used to combat hair loss.
Overall, 2dDR treatment was 80-90% as effective as minoxidil, and there were no significant gains in the combination of 2dDR and minoxidil, suggesting that the sugar compound has great potential as a safe and affordable alternative to existing treatments.
2dDR treatment slightly increased the number of blood vessels, increased hair follicle length and density, and increased the amount of hair in the growth phase, which is vital for maintaining hair density.
The team behind the research believes this could pave the way for a new natural way to promote hair growth.
Commenting on the prevalence of male pattern baldness and the limited FDA-approved treatments, Professor Sheila McNeill from the University of Sheffield said: “Androgenetic alopecia is a common condition, affecting men worldwide, but currently there are only two FDA-approved drugs to treat it.” She suggests that the solution to hair loss could be as simple as using the naturally occurring sugar 2dDR to boost blood flow to hair follicles to encourage hair growth.
She also noted the preliminary nature of their findings but remained optimistic about the potential benefits, adding: “The research we have done is at a very early stage, but the results are promising and warrant further investigation. This could provide another approach to treating this condition that can affect men’s self-image and self-confidence.”
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