Biochemical roles of testosterone and epitestosterone to 5α-reductase as indicators of male-pattern baldness

Abstract

In establishing a theory to predict male-pattern baldness, we investigated the correlation of testosterone, epitestosterone, and dihydrotestosterone with 5αreductase in hair using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. One hundred milligram hair samples were obtained from a group of balding subjects and their sons, as well as from a corresponding aged-matched, nonbalding group. The ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone was significantly greater (mean 46.41, p <0.001; mean 35.83, p <0.001, respectively) in the hair of balding fathers (n= 19, age 28-50y) and their sons (n= 16, age 8-16y) than in the hair of the nonbalding control subjects (mean 9.17 and 10.47, respectively). These findings demonstrate that analysis of terminal hair may not only provide a basis for predicting baldness when the subject is still young, but also for preventing and treating male-pattern baldness by controlling the steroid hormone balance.