Avoiding baldness
Male pattern baldness appears to be influenced by dietary and lifestyle choices. Here I will list some factors that might make a difference. My opinions about the etiology of the disease are pretty similar to this article, so you can read that for more biological details. I’m also working on an explication here: Why do many men go bald?
This is not medical advice. I am not a doctor. Medical disclaimer
The basic idea is that hair might be extremely sensitive to blood sugar due to the presence of various feedback loops involving reactive oxygen species, sebum, inflammatory pathways, microbes, and male sex hormones. It’s possible that even a “healthy” diet can contain enough carbs and simple sugars to induce hair loss depending on genetic and epigenetic factors.
Here are some ideas:
- Low-carb / low-glycemic index diet. This is the most important by far, because I think the root cause of hair loss may be poor glucose control.
- Decreases reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. ROS damage follicles
- may decrease sebum production, resulting in less microbial growth & less inflammation
- diets recommended for managing type 2 diabetes are good prototypes
- High cholesterol may also cause hair loss, but the evidence is less clear.
- Washing hair with shampoo decreases sebum and microbial growth (good). Certain shampoos containing antimicrobial or antifungal ingredients like ketoconazole or pyrithione zinc may also be helpful.
- Adding conditioner or other oils to hair may have the opposite effect and cause hair loss.
- Food with antioxidants like blueberries, cruciferous vegetables, sunflower seeds (vitamin E) can also decrease ROS and follicular damage.
- Magnesium may alleviate scalp tension, which might be one source of inflammation.
- Omega-3 fatty acids from fish may decrease inflammation by alterating the behavior of certain inflammatory pathways.
- UV rays damage follicles, so wearing a hat in direct sunlight may be beneficial.