Evidence for Increased 5α-Reductase Activity During Early Childhood in Daughters of Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

    March 2016 in “ The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism ”
    Laura Torchen, Jan Idkowiak, Naomi R. Fogel, Donna M. O’Neil, Cedric Shackleton, Wiebke Arlt, Andrea Dunaif
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    TLDR Young girls whose mothers have PCOS may have higher activity of a specific enzyme that could lead to developing PCOS later.
    The study from May 1, 2016, examined 21 daughters of women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS-d) and 36 control girls, all aged 1-3 years, to determine if there was evidence of increased 5α-reductase activity, which could predispose them to developing PCOS. The researchers measured urinary steroid metabolites and found that the PCOS-d group had significantly higher 5α-tetrahydrocortisol:tetrahydrocortisol ratios, indicating increased global 5α-reductase activity, but no differences in 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity. The study concluded that increased 5α-reductase activity is present in early childhood in daughters of women with PCOS, which may contribute to the future development of the condition.
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      community Sugar and Hair loss connections

      in Research/Science  41 upvotes 2 weeks ago
      High sugar diets may worsen hair loss by increasing 5α-reductase activity and androgen levels, especially in women with PCOS. A low sugar diet might reduce scalp DHT levels, similar to finasteride, but genetics also significantly influence hair loss.
      FCE 28260: A Forgotten 5α-Reductase Inhibitor

      community FCE 28260: A Forgotten 5α-Reductase Inhibitor

      in Research  330 upvotes 9 months ago
      FCE 28260 (PNU 156765), an under-explored 5α-reductase inhibitor, showcases promising results in research by Giudici et al., outperforming well-known treatments like Finasteride in reducing the conversion of testosterone to DHT. Its superior efficacy, demonstrated through lower IC50 values in both natural and human recombinant enzyme studies, suggests it could offer more effective management of DHT-related conditions. Additionally, its lower molecular weight hints at better potential for topical application, potentially offering advantages in treating conditions such as androgenic alopecia. Despite its potential, it has not advanced in development, possibly due to financial limitations, leaving its therapeutic prospects and side effect profile largely unexplored.

      community NW5 at 19. How many grafts do I need?

      in Transplants  140 upvotes 1 year ago
      A 19-year-old with rapid hair loss since 16 is considering a hair transplant but refuses to take finasteride or any 5α-Reductase inhibitors. They are currently using minoxidil, tretinoin, and microneedling with a Derminator 2, and only want hair until age 27.

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