New effects of caffeine on corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH)‐induced stress along the intrafollicular classical hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis (CRH‐R1/2, IP3‐R, ACTH, MC‐R2) and the neurogenic non‐HPA axis (substance P, p75NTRand TrkA) inex vivohuman male androgenetic scalp hair follicles
June 2020
in “British Journal of Dermatology”
TLDR Caffeine may help reduce stress-induced hair loss.
The study conducted in 2020 involved 18 men aged between 25 and 44 years with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). It investigated the effects of caffeine on stress-induced pathways in human male androgenetic scalp hair follicles. The research found that corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) significantly upregulated stress-associated parameters, which were significantly downregulated by caffeine. Specifically, caffeine inhibited CRH-induced upregulation of substance P, a neuropeptide associated with stress and hair growth inhibition, and the activation of p75NTR and TrkA, receptors involved in hair growth regulation. Furthermore, caffeine enhanced the expression of MC-R2, a receptor involved in hair growth promotion. The findings suggest that caffeine may have potential therapeutic effects for stress-induced hair loss.
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