A Preliminary Study of Steroid Reproductive Hormones in Human Hair
December 1998
in “
The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
”
New to Estradiol? There is a guide in the encyclopedia. Read the guide → Studysummary This study found that steroid hormone levels in human hair correlate significantly with those in serum, suggesting hair may be a viable medium for assessing hormonal status. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
This preliminary study investigated the presence of steroid hormones in human hair as an alternative to blood sampling for hormone assays. The study involved 17 female and 25 other volunteers aged 20-45. It found that steroid hormone levels in hair were not affected by shampoo and were consistent across different hair segments. The menstrual cycle patterns of estradiol and progesterone in hair mirrored those in serum, with significant correlations between hair and serum hormone levels: estradiol (γ=0.395, n=20, p<0.05), progesterone (γ=0.440, n=22, p<0.025), and testosterone (γ=0.395, n=25, p<0.05). The study concluded that human hair could serve as a viable sample source for reproductive hormone analysis.
