By Stephen Beech via SWNS
Baldness could be cured by a sugar that naturally occurs in the human body, according to a new study.
The sweet solution has already been used to successfully stimulate hair growth in mice, say scientists.
They found that the sugar is as effective at regrowing hair as an existing drug used to treat hair loss.
The “promising” discovery offers hope in the search for a cure for male pattern baldness, known as androgenic alopecia, which affects up to half the men in the world.
Scientists from the University of Sheffield working with colleagues in Pakistan found that applying a small dose of the naturally occurring sugar, called 2-deoxy-D-ribose (2dDR), stimulates hair to regrow in mice.
The sugar plays a “fundamental” role in several biological processes both in animals and humans, according to the research team.
Scientists from Sheffield and Pakistan have been studying how the sugar can help to heal wounds by promoting the formation of new blood vessels over the past eight years.
During the research, the team also noticed that hair around the healing wounds appeared to grow more quickly compared to those that hadn’t been treated.
To explore further, the researchers established a model of testosterone-driven hair loss in mice – similar to the cause of pattern baldness in men.
They found that applying a small dose of the naturally occurring sugar helped to form new blood vessels, which led to hair regrowing.
Findings from the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, show that the sugar is as effective at regrowing hair as Minoxidil – an existing drug used to treat hair loss.
The researchers say the discovery offers a potential alternative approach to stimulating hair growth through a naturally occurring substance.
Professor Sheila MacNeil, of the University of Sheffield, said: “Male pattern baldness is such a common condition, affecting men all over the world, but at the moment there are only two FDA-licensed drugs to treat it.
“Our research suggests that the answer to treating hair loss might be as simple as using a naturally occurring deoxy ribose sugar to boost the blood supply to the hair follicles to encourage hair growth.
“The research we have done is very much early stage, but the results are promising and warrant further investigation.
“This could offer another approach to treating this condition which can affect men’s self-image and confidence.”
Professor Muhammed Yar, of COMSATS University, Islamabad, added: “This pro-angiogenic deoxy ribose sugar is naturally occurring, inexpensive and stable and we have shown it can be delivered from a variety of carrier gels or dressings.
“This makes it an attractive candidate to explore further for treatment of hair loss in men.”
