The Importance of Adequate Serum Ferritin Levels During Oral Cyproterone Acetate and Ethinyl Estradiol Treatment of Diffuse Androgen-Dependent Alopecia in Women

    April 1992 in “ Clinical Endocrinology ”
    D. H. Rushton, Ian Ramsay
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    TLDR Having enough iron improves the effectiveness of a specific hair loss treatment in women.
    In the 1992 study involving 40 premenopausal Caucasian women with diffuse androgen-dependent alopecia, it was found that treatment with cyproterone acetate (CPA) and ethinyl oestradiol (EE₂) was more effective in those with serum ferritin levels above 40 µg/l. The treatment group showed a significant increase in total and meaningful hair density after 12 months, but only in those with adequate iron stores. In contrast, the control group experienced a decrease in hair density regardless of ferritin levels. The study highlights the importance of maintaining adequate iron stores, suggesting a serum ferritin level above 70 µg/l may be beneficial, and also recommends monitoring vitamin B12 levels during treatment.
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