Less hair, less healthcare?
Around 25% of men with male pattern baldness notice hair loss by the age of 30, with the number jumping to two-thirds of American men losing hair by 35.
For some, going the way of The Rock, Jason Statham and Stanley Tucci can be tough (thought it shouldn’t be — would you look at them?). But rest assured, rocking a chrome dome means at least one upside for your health.
Analyzing men between the ages of 35 and 76, researchers found that those who had already begun losing their hair by age 30 had a 29% reduced risk of developing prostate cancer.
And those who had started balding even earlier had a 45% reduced risk for both aggressive and less-aggressive forms of the illness.
While the reason for the link between cancer and going bald is unknown, the researchers wrote in Cancer Epidemiology that they suspect a genetic variant in the male hormone receptor gene affects both conditions.
One cause of hair loss is due to excessive dihydrotestosterone, a hormone produced from testosterone that prevents hair follicles from absorbing nutrients, leading to shrinking follicles and, eventually, shedding strands.
Not only do testosterone levels affect male pattern baldness, but they also play a role in prostate cancer, helping cancerous cells to grow.
“We were interested in these conditions since both are common, age-associated, heritable and related to androgens,” study lead Dr. Jonathan Wright said in a press release.
While previous research focused on men over the age of 55 — when about half of men are balding — Wright’s study took into account the long period between when cancerous cells first appear and when a diagnosis is made.
“Early onset baldness may be a more relevant measure considering the long latency of prostate cancer and the presumed related effects of the androgen pathway in these conditions,” Wright said.
Conversely, another study published in 2016 found a link between male pattern hair loss and death caused by prostate cancer. They found that any baldness between the ages of 25 and 44 was associated with a 56% higher risk of fatal prostate cancer, while moderate balding specifically was associated with an 83% higher risk.
However, the current general recommendation to be screened for cancer isn’t until between the ages of 55 and 69. Men who are at an increased risk should start at 40.
The most common form of cancer among men, and the second-leading cause of male cancer deaths, early-stage prostate cancer often has no warning signs as the tumor is small.
One sign that something may be going on is if men have trouble urinating, as this could indicate the prostate has grown to press on the bladder and urethra, blocking the flow of urine.
And when prostate cancer spreads, it typically goes to the bones, which can lead to pain and numbness in the legs and even some neurological problems.
The exact cause of the disease is unknown, but there is a genetic predisposition — just as there is for male pattern baldness.
