Is hair loss reversible?

0:35:32 Paul Saladino (host)needs contextlow

Patients with telogen effluvium without acrodermatitis enteropathica have significantly lower serum zinc levels than healthy individuals, and their hair loss can be restored with zinc supplementation.

"Patients with telogen effluvium without acrodermatitis enteropathica also connected with zinc deficiency exhibit decreased serum levels of zinc compared with healthy individuals. Telogen effluvium can be restored by supplementation with zinc." (said at 0:35:32)

Case-control studies show that patients with telogen effluvium (TE) have statistically significant lower mean serum zinc levels compared with healthy controls. However, the assertion that telogen effluvium can be restored simply through zinc supplementation is an overgeneralization; telogen effluvium is multifactorial (often triggered by stress, illness, endocrine issues, or medication), and zinc supplementation has only demonstrated restorative benefits in the subgroup of patients with proven underlying zinc deficiency. Available clinical evidence is primarily observational.

supports: Analysis of serum zinc and copper concentrations in hair loss. (Annals of dermatology 2013) · cited 126x in the literature
"In all of the hair loss patients, the mean serum zinc was 84.33±22.88, significantly lower than the control group (97.94±21.05 µg/dl) (p=0.002)... However, the ratio of the patients with serum zinc concentration lower than 70 µg/dl was significantly high in only the AA group (odds ratio, OR 4.02; confidence interval, CI 1.13 to 14.31) and the TE group (OR 1.12; CI 1.12 to 17.68)." (abstract, results)
pubmed full study (doi)
context: A comprehensive investigation of biochemical status in patients with telogen effluvium: An… (Journal of cosmetic dermatology 2024) · cited 11x in the literature
"It was determined that Zn levels were significantly lower in CTE patients than in controls... This study shows us that nutritional deficiencies are not as common as thought in patients diagnosed with TE. Other causes that may cause TE should be investigated by a detailed anamnesis and a good physical examination." (abstract, results and conclusions)
pubmed full study (doi)

0:46:29 Paul Saladino (host)needs contextlow

Megadoses of resveratrol decrease androgen levels in prostate cancer models.

"resveratrol in mega doses is shown to decrease androgens in prostate cancer models." (said at 0:46:29)

Preclinical prostate cancer models and steroidogenesis studies show that high-dose resveratrol can modulate androgen biology, but the effect is primarily on androgen receptor (AR) expression, signaling pathways, and upstream androgen precursor synthesis rather than circulating androgen levels in vivo. In cell models of steroidogenesis, resveratrol inhibits CYP17A1 activity and reduces androgen synthesis. In prostate cancer cell and rodent models, it downregulates androgen receptor expression and AR-mediated transcription. However, in transgenic prostate cancer animal models and human trials administering high doses of resveratrol, circulating testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels remained unchanged, even while circulating androgen precursors (such as DHEA and DHEAS) were reduced.

partial: Resveratrol suppresses prostate cancer progression in transgenic mice. (Carcinogenesis 2007) · cited 160x in the literature
"Serum total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, dihydrotestosterone and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations and Simian Virus-40 large T antigen expression in the prostate were not altered in resveratrol-treated mice." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
supports: Suppression of prostate cancer growth by resveratrol in the transgenic rat for adenocarcin… (Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention : APJCP 2008) · cited 92x in the literature
"Resveratrol suppressed prostate cancer growth and induction of apoptosis through androgen receptor (AR) down-regulation, without any sign of toxicity." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed
supports: Inhibition of CYP17A1 activity by resveratrol, piceatannol, and synthetic resveratrol anal… (The Prostate 2014) · cited 34x in the literature
"Secretion of dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), testosterone, and cortisol were drastically decreased by all test compounds at concentrations that did not affect cell viability... This steroid secretion pattern can be explained by the demonstrated inhibition of CYP17A1 enzyme activity." (abstract, results)
pubmed full study (doi)
context: Resveratrol reduces the levels of circulating androgen precursors but has no effect on, te… (The Prostate 2015) · cited 85x in the literature
"In this population of middle-aged men suffering from MetS, high dose resveratrol (1,000 mg daily) administration for 4 months significantly lowered serum levels of the androgen precursors androstenedione, DHEA and DHEAS, whereas prostate size and circulating levels of PSA, testosterone, free testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone were unaffected." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

Is hair loss reversible?

Needs context

Patients with telogen effluvium without acrodermatitis enteropathica have significantly lower serum zinc levels than healthy individuals, and their hair loss can be restored with zinc supplementation.

Megadoses of resveratrol decrease androgen levels in prostate cancer models.