Causal Relationship Between Blood Metabolomics and Female Pattern Hair Loss: A Bidirectional Mendelian Randomization Study

This study used bidirectional Mendelian randomization to examine the causal relationship between blood metabolites and female pattern hair loss (FPHL), analyzing data from 453,733 participants for FPHL and 8,299 for blood metabolites. It identified 27 metabolites with strong associations, including 14 as risk factors and 12 as protective factors. Notably, 3-hydroxyhexanoate and indoleacetylglutamine were significant risk factors, while eicosapentaenoate and N6,N6-dimethyllysine were protective. The study highlights the role of fatty acids, amino acid metabolism, and oxidative stress in FPHL, with fructose/mannose metabolism as a significant risk factor. These findings suggest new avenues for early diagnosis and treatment, though further validation is needed, especially beyond European and Canadian populations.