Hormonal Profile of Men with Premature Balding

The 2004 study "Hormonal Profile of Men with Premature Balding" examined 37 men who experienced hair loss before the age of 30. The researchers measured the plasma concentrations of various hormones, including testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, epitestosterone, androstenedione, cortisol, 17-OH-progesterone (17OHP), estradiol, LH, FSH, prolactin, SHBG, TSH, and free thyroxine. The study found that the frequency of subnormal values in SHBG, FSH, testosterone, and epitestosterone was significant in the balding men. There was also a borderline significant trend recorded with respect to increased levels in 17OH-P and prolactin. The study concluded that the hormonal pattern of a substantial number of men with premature balding resembles in some respects the hormonal pattern of women with polycystic ovary syndrome.