The Ability of Melatonin to Influence Oxidative Stress and Lower the Dose of Prednisolone in Patients with Alopecia Areata
TLDR Melatonin may help reduce the needed dose of prednisolone and improve hair growth in alopecia areata patients.
The study investigated the effects of melatonin, a potent antioxidant, on reducing the required dose of prednisolone, a corticosteroid, in patients with alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune hair loss condition. Prednisolone is effective in stimulating hair growth in AA patients but has significant side effects. The study found that after two months of melatonin treatment, the necessary dose of prednisolone could be reduced from 100mg to 10mg every other day. This reduction also led to an improvement in hair growth rates by mitigating the damaging effects of free radicals on the immune system, which in turn decreased immune complex deposition. The results suggest that melatonin could play a significant role in protecting the immune system and minimizing the dosage and side effects associated with high doses of corticosteroids in AA treatment.
