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New Research Proves Ability to Reverse Hair Loss in Mice
by April Maguire
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hair loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!
Hair loss is one of the most common problems in the world, and yet scientists are yet to discover a way to reverse it. Sure, there are some options on the market that can help. Rogaine and Propecia have proven to slow hair loss and regrow hair in some patients, but the results are far from reliable. More extreme treatments, such as platelet-rich plasma injections, have shown signs of being more successful, but they're prohibitively expensive for many people and have to be repeated regularly in order to maintain hair growth.
To be sure, the world needs a cure for baldness, and such a cure would undoubtedly be worth billions of dollars. Recently, a new study out of the University of Alabama at Birmingham may offer a glimpse into how a baldness cure could be possible.
Replacing Mitochondrial DNA
You probably don't spend much time thinking about your mitochondrial DNA, but it's crucial to your health. In general, mitochondrial DNA breaks down the energy and nutrients you get from food and processes them into a form that the cells can use. Unfortunately, as we age, our mitochondrial DNA function starts to decrease, leading to a wide range of problems, including diabetes, cancer, cognitive decline and, on the less-severe side, hair loss.
So what would happen if we found a way to replace this lost mitochondrial DNA? This question was at the heart of the University of Alabama study, and surprisingly, the researchers discovered that replenishing mitochondrial DNA in mice actually led to a restoration of lost hair.
For the study, the researchers engineered a group a mice whose mitochondrial DNA could be purposefully depleted. Eight weeks into the study, the team began to deprive the mice of this essential cellular process, resulting in hair loss, premature aging, development of wrinkles and lethargy.
Once these side effects had been well documented, the scientists reversed the process, and incredibly the effects were reversed as well. After reintroducing mitochondrial DNA into their systems, the mice regrew their hair, their wrinkles disappeared, and the animals had more energy. In short, by replenishing the mice's mitochondrial DNA, the scientists were able to reverse major components of the aging process.
These results are promising and could lead to a surefire cure for hair loss, but they also have far broader implications. More research is needed, but this could be the first step in uncovering the role of the loss of mitochondrial DNA in aging, and could be the key to helping with a wide range of conditions.
If you or someone you know would like to learn more about hair loss and how to treat it, please feel free to schedule a consultation or contact one of our representatives today!
Call 866-471-8869 for FREE Consultation
