The cure for male pattern baldness may already be in the human body.
The disease, which causes gradual hair loss, affects up to 50% of men worldwide.
Researchers at the University of Sheffield in the UK say the solution could lie in a sugar naturally present in the human body.
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The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, revealed that this sugar, known as 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR), is involved in several biological processes in animals and humans and can stimulate hair growth in mice.
Scientists at the University of Sheffield in the UK and COMSATS in Pakistan have been studying sugar for the past eight years, focusing on its ability to help heal wounds by promoting the formation of new blood vessels.
Male pattern baldness affects up to 50% of men worldwide, according to the University of Sheffield. (iStock)
The researchers observed that hair around the wounds also appeared to grow more quickly compared to untreated wounds.
The scientists then tested this on testosterone-induced hair loss in mice, which is similar to the cause of male pattern baldness, according to a university news release.
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When they applied only a small dose of sugar, new blood vessels formed, which caused hair growth.
The findings suggest that deoxyribose sugar could be as effective as hair-growth drugs, the university said.
Researchers reported that a small dose of deoxyribose sugar triggered hair regrowth in mice. (iStock)
Sheila MacNeil, PhD, emeritus professor of tissue engineering at the University of Sheffield, said male pattern baldness could benefit from further research.
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“Our UK-Pakistan collaboration unexpectedly revealed a small natural sugar that stimulates the formation of new blood vessels, and we were delighted to discover that it not only stimulates wound healing, but [also] stimulates hair growth in an animal model.”
Sugar is “natural, inexpensive and stable,” MacNeill noted, and can be administered in an “easy-to-apply gel,” which the researchers plan to explore in future research.
The sugar could be produced as hair gel, the study's researcher (not pictured) suggested. (iStock)
“The efficacy of this natural sugar indicates significant potential for the development of new hair loss treatments,” said Whyte, who was not involved in the research.
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Current therapies “have been around for a long time, have limited efficacy and can have side effects,” the doctor said.
Since this research is still in its early stages, further research and clinical trials will be needed to determine whether sugar can be “safely and effectively developed as a viable cure for male pattern baldness,” Whyte added.
“The public should view these results with cautious optimism,” he added.
“The study provides hope for new natural treatments for hair loss, but more research is needed before it can be considered a cure.”
“The study provides hope for new natural treatments for hair loss, but more research is needed before it can be considered a cure.”
“Several potential treatments have been studied, but none have proven curative,” said Camp, who was not involved in the research.
“The current goal of alopecia treatment is to help patients keep the hair they have.”
This study could ultimately lead to a new, effective therapy if future research is successful, he said.
“The treatment in question, 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR), is thought to improve hair growth by causing an increase in the number of blood vessels,” he said.
There is currently no cure for alopecia, a dermatologist said. (iStock)
“While it is potentially effective in stimulating the growth of existing hair follicles, it seems unlikely that it will cause follicles that have already disappeared to grow back.”
He added: “While promising, this treatment requires further studies to confirm the reproducibility, efficacy and real-world application of 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR) as a treatment for alopecia.”
