Can Balding Cause More Heartache Than We Thought?

5th April 2013

Yesterday’s papers all picked up on the same piece of research from Japan – the rather alarming statistic that men who suffer from male pattern baldness are 32 per cent more likely to suffer from heart disease than those blessed with a full head of hair.  However, only those balding from the crown of the head have cause for concern.

This is an interesting statistic, though it is not the first time that such a link has been made. Researchers established that there may be a connection between male pattern baldness and cardiac disease about 10 years ago.

At this stage, it’s important to remember that this link could be purely incidental. We must also consider too, that it may be a part of complex hormonal pathways, which we do not yet understand.

It’s important not to get too carried away with these ‘findings’. Hair loss may be an indicator that a gentleman could be prone to heart disease, but it is of course not the cause. Consequently, treating hair loss by means of a transplant or otherwise will not reduce the risk of heart disease.

If we are to believe that there is a definite link between male pattern baldness and heart problems, the message should be that, if you are young and losing hair from the crown, then you should take this as a warning. However, what men need to pay attention to are the factors that are known to cause heart disease, such as smoking or being overweight.

Even if hair loss from the crown does indicate that heart disease is a risk, it is simply an indicator. Rather than panic, men should simply try and be as healthy as possible.