Can Smoking Cause Baldness ?? Evidence Says ,yes!!

Mandar kumthekar

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/3200111/
Nicotine and cotinine effects on 3 alpha hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in canine prostate. Meikle AW, et al. Life Sci. 1988.
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Abstract We have recently observed that cigarette smoking affects plasma androgen concentrations. The effects of nicotine and cotinine, two products of cigarette smoking, on testosterone metabolism were determined. The activity of delta 4 steroid 5 alpha-reductase, which converts testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) was measured in isolated dog prostate nuclei using testosterone (0-200 nM) as substrate and NADPH as cofactor. Activity of 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD), which converts DHT to 3 alpha-androstanediol (3 alpha-diol) and is a reversible enzyme, was measured in isolated dog prostate microsomes with DHT (0-20 microM) as substrate and NADPH as cofactor. When microsomal fractions were incubated for 1 hour with and without nicotine (0-50 microM) and cotinine (0-100 microM), enzyme activity of HSD was significantly suppressed (p less than 0.001). The Vmax was not affected significantly (p greater than 0.60) and Km increased with increasing concentrations of nicotine and cotinine (p less than 0.05). Both nicotine and cotinine are competitive inhibitors of HSD in dog prostate microsomes with Ki's of 61 and 89 microM, respectively. The apparent 5 alpha-reductase activity was unaffected by nicotine and cotinine. The inhibitors produced a marked effect on activity of HSD when used in concentrations achieved in humans who smoke cigarettes. The results suggest that nicotine and cotinine are competitive inhibitors of the HSD, an important enzyme involved in the metabolism of DHT and produce an accumulation of DHT. These products of cigarette smoking could alter androgen action in tissue such as skin and prostate.


So smoking can increase dht and its accumulation, could this explain why I started balding from front when i started dipping tobbaco and smoking in 2014?
I stopped smoking and dipping in 2017 dec. So if anyone is smoking or naping this study is good reason to quit apart from other benefits. Thanks.
 

Mandar kumthekar

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Tobacco, nicotine, was not used in the antich greece or egipt and in this time also existed common baldness
I wasn't said that HSD inhibition is the only cause ,I gave this article which could be useful to know the the aggravating factors in baldness.I think smoking does not affect T to DHT conversion but it does affect DHT conversion to other steroids . so inhibition of HSD may accumulate dht in balding scalp,I could be possible.
 

Mandar kumthekar

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No, you started balding because of a genetic trait that made your hair follicles miniaturize due to androgenic activity.

You still made the right decision to stop smoking though.
Yeah! But even if you have predisposition one would need a kick starter ,age is that factor but other factor like stress and drug abuse could be involved.
 

br1

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Water was used since ancient times, and ppl went bald then. Is the water making ppl go bald?
 

INT

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1) I commented on the fact that you said:

"smoking does aggrevate the hairloss. I am telling you from my personal experience!"

Nowhere did I say that smoking can play a (minor) role in hair health.

2) The abstract (not full study) you posted is close to being worthless. It only mentions that there was ONE OBSERVATIONAL study that found a relationship between smoking and baldness, not mention of sample size, study design or methods in general. For all we know, it was done on 30 mice.
 
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