A sugar that naturally occurs in the body may be just as effective as prescription drugs for treating a common hair loss condition affecting both men and women, a recent animal study finds.
“[2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR), the naturally occurring sugar] was found possibly to be as effective as the FDA-approved drug minoxidil,” the research team wrote.
Administration of 2dDR successfully treated 80 percent to 90 percent of male mice with male pattern baldness.
Androgenic alopecia is the most common hair loss condition in the world. It affects 50 percent of Asian men by the age of 50, as well as 80 percent of white men and 40 percent of white women by age 70.
Only two medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are available, and both have side effects.
A Naturally Occurring Sugar
The sugar 2dDR occurs naturally in the body as a component of DNA, helping to form the deoxyribose part of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).Angiogenesis is vital for hair growth, as blood vessels supply nutrients and oxygen to the skin’s cells and hair bulbs. Decreased blood flow typically means less and thinner hair.
There are three stages of hair follicle growth: anagen, telogen, and catagen. 2dDR is particularly conducive to the anagen stage. During anagen, follicles grow in length, hair shafts thicken, and hair becomes denser.
During telogen and catagen, the length of the hair follicle decreases, the hair shaft becomes thinner, and hair loss typically occurs. The research team found that the mice treated with 2dDR showed a high anagen ratio compared to the control groups receiving either no treatment or minoxidil, indicating more hair growth than hair loss.
The researchers discovered that the gel stimulated hair regrowth in multiple ways, including increasing the length of the hair and follicles, hair shaft diameter, density and diameter of follicles, area the hair bulbs covered, and blood vessel count. The 2dDR hydrogel had similar effects in these parameters as FDA-approved minoxidil.
“This study shows a positive effect of 2dDR on hair regrowth in this animal model,” they wrote in the study.
A Potential Treatment
Because the 2dDR hydrogel has yet to cause adverse effects, the research team noted it could be used to treat patients undergoing cancer treatment, saying it could be an option for causes of other hair loss, including chemotherapy.“A bald head and loss of eyebrows and eye lashes can result from cancer treatment, and this can put patients under great social distress,” the researchers wrote. “This is responsible for low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, poor body image, and disturbed thinking.”
They added, “This is a badly under-researched area, and hence new approaches are needed.”
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