Premature Androgenic Alopecia and Insulin Resistance: Male Equivalent of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome?

The study conducted 17 years ago included 30 men with premature hair loss before the age of 30 and compared their hormonal values with normal reference values from a group of 256 males aged 20-40. The results showed that a subgroup of these men had similar hormonal changes to women with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), specifically subnormal levels of sexual hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), or increased free androgen index (FAI). This subgroup also showed significantly higher insulin resistance. The findings supported the hypothesis that some men with premature androgenic alopecia could be considered a male equivalent of PCOS in women, representing a risk group for the development of impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes mellitus.