TLDR Many men with male pattern baldness have abnormal blood fat levels, which may raise their risk of heart disease.
The study conducted at Fauji Foundation Hospital in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from January to June 2015, involved 150 male patients aged 25-65 years with androgenetic alopecia and found that a significant majority had abnormal blood lipid levels. Specifically, 87.3% of the participants had high triglyceride levels, and 69.3% had low HDL cholesterol levels. The research concluded that there is a high frequency of deranged serum lipids among males with androgenetic alopecia, which could indicate an increased risk of early-onset cardiovascular disease, highlighting the need for cardiovascular risk screening in these patients.
2 citations,
December 2016 in “Journal of Pakistan Association of Dermatology” Almost 40% of women aged 20-70 in Isfahan had hair loss, with it being more severe in those with low ferritin levels.
28 citations,
August 2011 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Early hair loss may indicate prostate issues.
110 citations,
July 2010 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Hair loss linked to higher heart disease risk in both men and women.
27 citations,
January 2009 in “Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology” Men with a certain type of hair loss (AGA) have higher bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol levels, making them more likely to get heart disease.
2 citations,
January 2008 in “Journal of Pakistan Association of Dermatology” Finasteride 1mg daily effectively increases hair growth and slows hair loss in men with male pattern baldness over two years.
34 citations,
May 2007 in “PubMed” Balding in men is strongly linked to high blood pressure and family history.
112 citations,
October 2005 in “Mayo Clinic Proceedings” Minoxidil and finasteride can slow hair loss and stimulate regrowth, but won't restore all lost hair or reverse complete baldness.
1 citations,
June 2021 in “Journal of pharmaceutical research international” Balding in men might indicate a higher risk of metabolic health issues.
January 2021 in “Menoufia Medical Journal” People with early-onset androgenetic alopecia may have a higher risk of heart disease due to abnormal blood lipid levels.
October 2018 in “International Journal of Research in Dermatology” People with androgenetic alopecia are more likely to have metabolic syndrome.
6 citations,
May 2016 in “Urolithiasis” Balding and low testosterone increase risk of urinary stones.
Men with male pattern baldness are more likely to have heart disease risk factors, so they should get heart screenings early.