The Cause Of Baldness

[CLASH]

Hey everyone,
I have been working to figure out the cause of baldness. I think it is a systemic issue. @haidut and @Travis posts have helped me immensely as well as Danny Roddy's work. Here is an email I sent to Danny this morning. It is a fluid hypothesis. Let me know what you think.

Hey Danny,
I contacted you on youtube. I continued to work out the pieces of the baldness theory I was describing and I wanted to lay them out for you here. Your work has helped me a ton and you have a global understanding of the phenomena so I thought it best to share with you.

1) TLR4 activation leads to fibrosis in the body. It is activated by endotoxin, indicating dysbiosis with gram negative bacteria: Endotoxin, TLR4 signaling and vascular inflammation: potential therapeutic targets in cardiovascular disease. - PubMed - NCBI
Endothelial cell Toll-like receptor 4 regulates fibrosis associated angiogenesis in liver
Inhibiting toll-like receptor 4 signaling ameliorates pulmonary fibrosis during acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide: an experimental study

2) Gut dysbiosis leads to up regulation of hpta axis thus cortisol, DHEA, aldosterone:
The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems

3) Dhea is preferentially converted to DHT in the body: DHEA Is Preferentially Converted Into DHT In Humans

4) In baldness the scalp is fibrosed (i.e. the galea)

4) the baldness field follows the galea aponeurotic almost perfectly.

5) the bald scalp has decreased blood flow:
Transcutaneous PO2 of the scalp in male pattern baldness: a new piece to the puzzle. - PubMed - NCBI
Subcutaneous blood flow in early male pattern baldness. - PubMed - NCBI
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2365903

6) The pattern of hair loss follows the mechanical "tight spots" of the galea aponeurotic. Meaning fibrosis and tightening of the galea enhances baldness by increasing hypoxia.

7) in hypoxia DHT is up regulated in the scalp:
http://www.hairlosshelp.com/forums/messageview.cfm?catid=10&threadid=105159


With all of this I propose that baldness is caused by gut dysregulation leading to adrenal up regulation and fibrosis/ inflammation throughout the body. The fibrosis effects the galea leading to decreased blood supply and drainage causing hypoxia. This up regulates 5-AR in the scalp leading to increased DHT. the adrenal up regulation provides the DHEA that is preferentially converted to DHT leading to the high concentrations in skin throughout the body (i.e. the chest hair and body hair seen often with baldness). The cortisol and aldosterone also have negative impacts on hair: https://raypeatforum.com/community/...caused-by-immune-imbalance.19983/#post-281775. T-regs dependent upon the gut flora, also participate in hair regrowth.

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additions for ray peat forum:
treatments:
1) ketotifen maybe?? (a tlr4 antagonist)
2) raw kefir + raw milk + phages to adjust micro biome
3) vit c to help with adjusting collagen
4) scalp massage
5) red light
6) inversion to increase blood flow

the connection to prostate cancer and heart disease is discussed in this post as well as studies below:
https://raypeatforum.com/community/...ncer-and-may-even-treat-it.20341/#post-282021

also note these studies
TLR4 and heart disease connection:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17100625

chronic prostatatis/ prostate cancer and gut dysbiosis:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28217695
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep27051



all of this also goes hand in hand with peats work and shows the connection between high prolactin and MPB: https://raypeatforum.com/community/...etric-for-serotonin-and-estrogen-levels.3594/
gut dysbiosis= high serotonin/ estrogen= elevated prolactin

also shows the low vitamin D status in male pattern baldness:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4176535/
immune function= increased vit d usage= vit D depletion= effected immune regulation= dysbiosis= the cycle continues.

 

[Tarmander]

Why kefir over say yogurt? Is there something in the yeast aspect of kefir that you like over yogurt?

Great posts CLASH, really enjoying your contribution

 

[CLASH]

@Tarmander
yogurt is often heated and industrial cultures are added that don't colonize the body well.
Kefir is an ecosystem of bacteria and yeast with numerous strains, all bound in a polysaccharide matrix that strongly inhibits negative bacteria such as klebsiella, pseudomonas etc. Kefir is like sending an army with all the materials and supplies need to wage war and establish a colony, while yogurt is like sending some college students with some clothes. Industrial probiotics is like sending college students naked and starving. The goal is to create an ecosystem of beneficial bacteria. Just killing negative bacteria with antibiotics or sending singular strains most likely won't accomplish this goal. By using raw milk and raw kefir this goal can be achieved i.e. the kefir is the ecosystem, colony members and antibiotic materials, and the milk is also the antibiotic but also provides the food and materials to set up shop. Create a terrain inhospitable to toxic bacteria and you don't have to worry about endotoxin too much hence why you see all these youtube personalities and celebrities eat PUFA, garbage and starch without issues. If we can't be sterile, we might as well have the least offensive bacteria that, some evidence shows, have co-evolved to exist with us.

 

[Tarmander]

@Tarmander
yogurt is often heated and industrial cultures are added that don't colonize the body well.
Kefir is an ecosystem of bacteria and yeast with numerous strains, all bound in a polysaccharide matrix that strongly inhibits negative bacteria such as klebsiella, pseudomonas etc. Kefir is like sending an army with all the materials and supplies need to wage war and establish a colony, while yogurt is like sending some college students with some clothes. Industrial probiotics is like sending college students naked and starving. The goal is to create an ecosystem of beneficial bacteria. Just killing negative bacteria with antibiotics or sending singular strains most likely won't accomplish this goal. By using raw milk and raw kefir this goal can be achieved i.e. the kefir is the ecosystem, colony members and antibiotic materials, and the milk is also the antibiotic but also provides the food and materials to set up shop. Create a terrain inhospitable to toxic bacteria and you don't have to worry about endotoxin too much hence why you see all these youtube personalities and celebrities eat PUFA, garbage and starch without issues. If we can't be sterile, we might as well have the least offensive bacteria that, some evidence shows, have co-evolved to exist with us.

But you can make your own yogurt right? You don't have to use the industrial crap?

I used to make my own kefir out of raw cow's milk...it was okay. I did not see huge benefits but this was back when I was eating huge amounts of veggies and meat, so it might be different today. Do you make your own?

 

[Amazoniac]

If we can't be sterile

Yeah, burtlan is far from it..

 

[CLASH]

Yes I am sure you can. I was thinking of regular storebought yogurt.

I think of using milk and kefir in a breastfeeding type of way. From what I understand 2 years of breastfeeding is ideal. Perhaps recreating this with raw milk and kefir almost exclusively (animal foods can be eaten as they often dont ferment in the colon) for an extended period of time can recreate this scenario. Perhaps some phages can be used as well to help tip the balance.

I have grains but I also buy from an amish farm (convenience haha). I think grains are ideal btw. The industrial kefir starters I dont think work as well (in case thats what you werw using).

 

[Tarmander]

Yes I am sure you can. I was thinking of regular storebought yogurt.

I think of using milk and kefir in a breastfeeding type of way. From what I understand 2 years of breastfeeding is ideal. Perhaps recreating this with raw milk and kefir almost exclusively (animal foods can be eaten as they often dont ferment in the colon) for an extended period of time can recreate this scenario. Perhaps some phages can be used as well to help tip the balance.

I have grains but I also buy from an amish farm (convenience haha). I think grains are ideal btw. The industrial kefir starters I dont think work as well (in case thats what you werw using).

I used some grains some hippy gave me, pretty sure they were legit. I think you can also order them from Amazon surprisingly, and they turn out alright.

 

[Thoushant]

Thank you @CLASH,

My hairline matured following gut issues, and then diffuse thinning started, 3 years after I was diagnosed with early Ulcerative collitis.

I'm intrigued by the DIY kefir, Anything specific when ordering grains?

I'm guessing this takes some time, do you think probiotics with the same makeup as kefir, with the kefir could speed it up?

or maybe having aggressive days of cycling Activated charcoal, kefir, AC, kefir, AC to rinse & replace, and hopefully reaching further down.

 

[charlie]

@haidut has reported a connection between "lactobacillus" and auto-immune conditions. Lactobacillus strains are part of kefir.

"Natural" Gut Flora May Cause Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

 

[Amazoniac]

Riboflavin As The Next Generation Prebiotic Supplement
Charcoal probably disrupts their communication and affects availability of unabsorbed nutrients, which can be good.

 

[CLASH]

@charlie
Natural intestinal flora involved in the emergence of multiple sclerosis
"Precisely which bacteria are involved in the emergence of multiple sclerosis remains unclear. Possible candidates are clostridiums, which can have direct contact with the intestinal wall. They are also a natural component of healthy intestinal flora but could possibly activate the T cells in persons with a genetic predisposition. The scientists would now like to analyse the entire microbial genome of patients with multiple sclerosis and thereby identify the differences in the intestinal flora of healthy people and multiple sclerosis patients."
This is the quote from the article haidut posted.

Nothing about lactic acid bacteria. The bacteria in the colon definetly play a part in autoimmunity and the development of the immune system and thus inflammation. The article referenced costridia which are the butyrate producers which in other posts I have mentioned are questionable as to thier overall position.

As for the HadZa theyre immune systems may have developed around those bacteria thus adjusting the effect. The hadza gut also changes drastically throughout the season based on food availability. They have similar bacteria to the west during the season when meat is most available.

 

[Tarmander]

Thank you @CLASH,

My hairline matured following gut issues, and then diffuse thinning started, 3 years after I was diagnosed with early Ulcerative collitis.

I'm intrigued by the DIY kefir, Anything specific when ordering grains?

I'm guessing this takes some time, do you think probiotics with the same makeup as kefir, with the kefir could speed it up?

or maybe having aggressive days of cycling Activated charcoal, kefir, AC, kefir, AC to rinse & replace, and hopefully reaching further down.

The problem you run into actually is you have to keep feeding the kefir grains, and they make quite a bit of kefir from the milk. I stopped partly because I could not drink all the kefir I was making. Gallons a week. There are lots of kefir tutorials on the net, it does not take that long, only the starting part. Once you are up on production...well..hope you have friends who like kefir!

 

[CLASH]

@Amazoniac
Cooling Inflammation: Dr. Oz, Vitamins, Biofilms

Vitamins are quorum sensing and biofilm regulators it seems.

Definetly relates

 

[CLASH]

@Thoushant
my storyline is similar to yours interestingly enough, except I stopped myself just at the beginning of UC. This was very recently. Also, stopped my shedding almost entirely and have some small growth in between vellus hairs and terminal hairs currently. I will post pics if I can make a full recovery (I took pre-pics luckily, I also have labs and stool test results).
Nothing specific about the grains, just make sure your getting the real deal. I would do a little research as to what they look like, the temps to cultivate them, how long to cultivate etc.
I wouldn't do anything too drastic or aggressive to be honest. It has only hurt me in the long run haha. I am going to go through another stool test and see the difference between my pre-kefir/ raw milk stool and my current (2 month time period). Depending on that I might use phages and have considered kefir enemas (still considering, I'm not in favor of putting things in from behind hahah). Currently all my gut issues have gone away besides a singular swollen lymph node (about the size of half a pea) in my LLQ I think associated with the ulcer I developed in my distal colon after antibiotics that is in the process of healing (The lymph node and associated sensation in the area are diminishing slowly over time).

 

[Thoushant]

@CLASH
I see, I'll look into it. Sounds pretty motivating. It would be cool to see the changes in cultures of the stool.
I've read emodin, Olerupein and other natural compunds can change the microbiota environment, might be beneficial to find something low key to skew it further.
enema is one thing RPF haven't fully convinced me of :p It didn't take me long to stick my junk in coffee though.. I did feel like the whole gut floor was "lit" ,... Dr Wilson says it's equivalent for lymph flow in the area.

Btw, in the "repairing accutane damage" on acne.org, there were pages talking about a certain bacteria species needing manganese to make an antibacterial fatty acid against "bad" bacteria. I THINK it was lactobillus, I will see if I can find it.

@Tarmander Sounds manageable to start. In case of excess, I might start a kefir open house party, VIP for baldies goes without saying :p

 

[ddjd]

Interesting about ketotifen. Anyone found a source

 

[Scenes]

Wondering what @Daniel11 thinks about fixing the gut with this compared to his lemon drink?

Also a few people in the DeFibron thread claimed it was fixing their gut microbiome.

 

[Mossy]

6) inversion to increase blood flow

CLASH, did you find anything research-wise on inversion for hair loss? My guess is that this technique goes quite far back in the history of men fighting baldness. My dad practiced yoga as far back as I can remember, and I do remember he stood on his head everyday (for decades), for the purpose of combating hair loss. As your theory describes, there's a lot more to hair loss than just this, but I can share that he is quite bald . I just thought this was a real-life application worth sharing. As is obvious, this one technique in and of itself is not the cure to hair loss, but as a part of an overall regimen I think there is value to it. Several weeks back I've started to incorporate it into mine. I've purchased inversion boots as well--though, I don't use them consistently yet, due to my concern over a weak heart. Something that may help others, I've noticed that after standing on my head, while supplementing with white willow bark or lecithin (from liposomal vitamin C), I get what seems to be a bunch of small broken capillaries on my face, that take several days to go away. This issue was the worst from the lecithin. I was taking K2 with the white willow bark, so that is probably why the effects were less.

 

[CLASH]

@Mossy
I suggested inversion for the increase in blood flow as it seems hypoxia at the scalp is causing an increase in DHT and a miniturization of the follicle. My basis was theoretical, not based on any studies I read unfortunately, atleast for inversion. I wanted to break the cycle with massage and inversion to increase blood flow and decrease fibrosis of the galea while decreasing the fibrosing aspect of TLR4 by changing the microbiome. Changing the microbiome also shuts down the adrenal upregulation by taking the foot off of the metabolic brake of serotoning, which I hypothesize is the main culprit for most people with hairloss (i.e. Gut issues). The down regulation of adrenals allows DHEA production to relax and decrease scalp and systemic tissues DHT at the skin as it seems that DHEA is preferentially converted to DHT at the skin. It also allows thyroid also to increase once the brakes are off recharging the hair cycle as described by Danny Roddy. Its a slow process I think as it takes time to get to the point of hairloss to begin. The topical caffeine is to help protect the follicles from DHT in the meantime. The oral vit C to help with the crosslinking if new collagen with the fibrosis reversal.

Your body adapts over time to being inverted, atleast in my experience but keep in mind Im 22. I practiced handbalancing for 3 years in college and when I First started I would get the broken capillaries to. They go away after some time, just take it easy to begin. Inversion also may have some added benefit for the discs in the spine. I like the inversion table better than the boots, you can slowly adjust the angle of inversion, may be easier on the body.

 

[Mossy]

@Mossy
I suggested inversion for the increase in blood flow as it seems hypoxia at the scalp is causing an increase in DHT and a miniturization of the follicle. My basis was theoretical, not based on any studies I read unfortunately, atleast for inversion. I wanted to break the cycle with massage and inversion to increase blood flow and decrease fibrosis of the galea while decreasing the fibrosing aspect of TLR4 by changing the microbiome. Changing the microbiome also shuts down the adrenal upregulation by taking the foot off of the metabolic brake of serotoning, which I hypothesize is the main culprit for most people with hairloss (i.e. Gut issues). The down regulation of adrenals allows DHEA production to relax and decrease scalp and systemic tissues DHT at the skin as it seems that DHEA is preferentially converted to DHT at the skin. It also allows thyroid also to increase once the brakes are off recharging the hair cycle as described by Danny Roddy. Its a slow process I think as it takes time to get to the point of hairloss to begin. The topical caffeine is to help protect the follicles from DHT in the meantime. The oral vit C to help with the crosslinking if new collagen with the fibrosis reversal.

Your body adapts over time to being inverted, atleast in my experience but keep in mind Im 22. I practiced handbalancing for 3 years in college and when I First started I would get the broken capillaries to. They go away after some time, just take it easy to begin. Inversion also may have some added benefit for the discs in the spine. I like the inversion table better than the boots, you can slowly adjust the angle of inversion, may be easier on the body.

Hmm, ok, so, if DHEA is converted to the DHT (preferentially) at the skin, what do you think of topical DHEA, which I've added to my topical caffeine/niacinamide/aspirin mixture -- is it contradictory to caffeine, which you say is protecting the follicles from DHT? I can't find the reference, but I read recently that topical DHEA for hair loss was pro-Peat.

As for supplementing with C, do you have any thoughts on using liposomal C, which consists of lecithin (I use sunflower), besides the obvious PUFA from the lecithin? My body seems to do better with it; taking straight C (crystals) dehydrates and stops me up. Or, would the vitamin C in orange juice be enough?

No doubt, going slow will be best with the inversion. Prior to my major health issues the last 7 years, I was pretty athletic and limber, and standing on my head or hanging like a fool with my inversion boots would've been a non-issue. Throughout the years I've done yoga and Pilates, along with working out and sports, so I would like to think I can adapt to it. I know what you mean about the advantage of the table, but the boots were so much cheaper. So, my work around for this, is to keep myself at a sub 90 degree angle while hanging with the boots by supporting myself with a sports band hung from the opposite top cross bar. It works pretty well, the few times I've done it. It's just a little convoluted of a set up.

I'm a gen x-er, so I may have an experience advantage, but your scientific/technical perspectives on health and Peating are well formulated and interesting. I'm not as scientifically minded, in the technical sense, but I am analytically minded, which is why I ask so many questions.