TLDR L-threonate may help prevent balding by blocking a key hair loss factor.
The study investigated the effects of L-threonate on dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) expression, a factor in androgen-driven balding. Researchers found that L-threonate significantly attenuated DHT-induced DKK-1 expression in human hair dermal papilla cells (DPCs) through RT-PCR analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Additionally, L-threonate repressed DHT-induced activation of DKK-1 promoter activity and reversed the DHT-inhibited growth of outer root sheath (ORS) keratinocytes in a co-culture system with DPCs. These findings suggested that L-threonate could be an effective treatment for preventing androgen-driven balding by inhibiting DKK-1 expression.
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