Soy and Hair Loss

French researchers compared the effects of a soyextract vs. genistein and daidzein (isoflavones devoid of their carbohydrate conjugates) and daidzin and puerarin (carbohydrate conjugated isoflavones; puerarin is present in abundance within kudzu [Pueraria lobata]) on different hormone elements and isolated human hair follicles.

'Activation' of the gene coding for an enzyme implicated in androgenetic hair loss (5alpha-reductase; the target of the drug finasteride, for androgenetic alopecia) was inhibited by both genistein and puerarin. Genetic activation of an enzyme involved in the conversion of testosterone into estrogens (aromatase) was increased by genistein and, to a lesser extent, daidzein.

The soy extract stimulated one of the estrogen receptors (b receptor) greater than genistein and daidzein, although the latter two were stimulatory themselves. Receptors for testosterone-like molecules (androgens) were decreased by genistein, and half as much by daidzein.

But what does all this molecular hormone 'geek speak' mean? The researchers found a 30 per cent increase in hair growth with the soy extract. Woven together, these data suggest that an isoflavone mixture, perhaps ideally from soy (but yet to be confirmed) could arrest hair loss in conditions where androgens are playing an operative role.

Back to hair loss news