Reader Says DHT is Overrated — Focus Should Be on IGF-1
Hi Dr. Rassman
I always hear of people searching for unwarranted ways to lower DHT to combat MPB. Whether it be herbs, soy, or saw palmetto, there’s much focus on DHT levels as a marker for MPB. In fact, low DHT diets are all the rage on most balding forums. Perhaps rightly so, however we know the scalp’s sensitivity to DHT is a significantly more accurate marker of MPB and to my knowledge there’s no sure-fire way of calculating this. I say DHT is overrated, and a new focus should be pinpointed on IGF-1 / IGFBP-3 plasma levels.
Some quick definitions…
IGF-1: Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which was once called somatomedin C, is a polypeptide protein hormone similar in molecular structure to insulin. It plays an important role in childhood growth and continues to have anabolic effects in adults.
IGFBP-3: This gene is a member of the insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP) family and encodes a protein with an IGFBP domain and a thyroglobulin type-I domain. The protein forms a ternary complex insulin-like growth factor (IGF) I or II. In this form, it circulates in the plasma, prolonging the half-life of IGFs and altering their interaction with cell surface receptors.
The study below took 431 men (128 whom had vertex balding) and tested IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in all of them.
-Those with vertex balding had high IGF-1 levels and low circulating levels of IGFBP-3.
-Those without vertex balding had significantly lower IGF-1 levels
(Low IGF-1 levels generally mean a high amount of circulating IGFBP-3 as they show a trend of being inversely significant in a number of other studies)PubMed – J Am Acad Dermatol. 2000 Jun;42(6):1003-7.
Interestingly enough, in this study Finasteride signficantly increased IGFBP-3: PubMed – Cancer Res. 1998 Jan 15;58(2):215-8.
Perhaps IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels can be a highly accurate marker of vertex balding and finding ways to increase IGFBP-3 could serve as a powerful combatant.
I’d like to add that a low-glycemic diet and a diet low in saturated fat have all shown to increase circulating levels of IGFBP-3 as well as increase IGF-1.
Thanks for sending this. It’s beyond me, but I wanted to post it for those that had interest. Let the research begin!
“I’d like to add that a low-glycemic diet and a diet low in saturated fat have all shown to increase circulating levels of IGFBP-3 as well as increase IGF-1”
do you mean “decrease” IGF-1?
low glycemic diets = very low in calories.. whenever you reduce calories, you will reduce circulating insulin levels naturally.. when you stop losing weight, everything returns back to square one. the problem with low glycemic diets is what do you eat in place of high caloric foods??.. replacing carbs with lots of protein and stuff also increases igf-1,, protein is filled with hormones, vegetables dont provide any energy…. some of these low glycemic and health fanatics are the baldest..drs mercola, weil, cordain, they’re bald/balding too! if someone can prove it works, show us..
Yes, Jack. I meant decreases IGF-1. I found studies on low-glycemic diets have been mixed. However, all studies I\’ve read correlate diets high in saturated fat to be positively related to circulating IGF-1 levels.
I\’ve also found that the tomato has been consistently, inversely-proportional to circulating IGF-1 levels in several prostate cancer trials. Interestingly, when patients were supplemented with lycopene, results were mixed, some showing no correlation. It appears you need the real, natural thing (i.e. cooked tomatoes).
I\’d love to see a study on vegans and circulating IGF-1/IGFBP-3 levels and percentage of vertex balding.
Being a vegan doesn’t mean they eat a diet high in vegetables, per se (or that they’re healthy). The individual may just eat a lot of processed foods and refined carbs. Eating junk food, candy and drinking soda all day long qualifies you as a vegan. So long as you dont eat any animal products.
Reader is smart but, DHT increases IGF. People with hair loss tend to have HIGH DHT, hence HIGH IGF as a result.
Studies show that lowering dht with drugs cause a drop in igf production.
So it’s actually the other way around and we should not focuse on igf at all.