Insulin-Like Growth Factor -1: Roles In Androgenetic Alopecia.

Exp Dermatol. 2014 Feb 6. doi: 10.1111/exd.12339.
Insulin-Like Growth Factor -1: Roles In Androgenetic Alopecia.
Panchaprateep R, Asawanonda P.

Of all the cytokines or growth factors which have been postulated to play a role in hair follicle, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is known to be regulated by androgens. However, how IGF-1 is altered in the balding scalp has not yet been investigated. In this study, expressions of IGF-1 and its binding proteins by dermal papilla (DP) cells obtained from balding vs. non-balding hair follicles were quantified using growth factor array. DP cells from balding scalp follicles were found to secrete significantly less IGF-1, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-4 (P< 0.05) than their non-balding counterparts. Our data confirmed that the downregulation of IGF-1 may be one of the important mechanisms contributing to male pattern baldness. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

very interesting. I just looked into this a little and found that IGF-1 is stimulated by growth hormone. another reason to show how important exercise is. Growth hormone is negatively effected by insulin levels.

so a bad diet -> low GH -> low IGF-1

I read IGF-1 is similar in molecular structure to insulin. CS, do you know if IGF-1 is directly related to insulin at all? (outside of how insulin negatively effects GH leading to low levels of IGF-1)

Nice post. I've seen this idea mentioned in a couple other studies but its nice to see it laid out bare.

This is more evidence to me of the pre-programmed nature of scalp hair loss. We have every other androgen-sensitive follicle on the body producing adequate IGF-1 in response to androgens, and yet on the scalp they are having the polar opposite effect. It almost doesn't make any sense other than looking at it as a programmed event. But the recent information on estrogen receptor beta makes it even more interesting because it looks like this pro-apoptotic effect of ER-b is being suppressed too, contributing to the fibrosis. There just seems to be an entire mix-up of the normal factors present at other follicles.

It would be interesting to see a study that examined the x-chromosomes and CAG repeat sequences and their transcripts from a scalp hair follicle versus a typical body hair follicle. Obviously the same mutations have to be there, but the key we need to find out is what is causing it to have different effects in different parts of the body.

I think it might refer to low IGF-1 in the scalp only.
On the other hand this study demonstrates higher levels of IGF-1 in the body of older men induces vertex balding.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10827403

Correct me if I'm wrong??

Kaz,

Yeah I actually threw that study in a post where I was going back and forth with Shinobi on this very subject. That's the androgen paradox. We get higher than normal IGF-1 levels in other tissues, but the follicles of the frontal scalp show less than normal IGF-1.

sanderson wrote:very interesting. I just looked into this a little and found that IGF-1 is stimulated by growth hormone. another reason to show how important exercise is. Growth hormone is negatively effected by insulin levels.

so a bad diet -> low GH -> low IGF-1

I read IGF-1 is similar in molecular structure to insulin. CS, do you know if IGF-1 is directly related to insulin at all? (outside of how insulin negatively effects GH leading to low levels of IGF-1)

Increased melatonin is believed to cause an increase in GH + IGF-1, according to studies I read. Dim the lights in your house and sleep with lights out, Mr Sanderson, and you'll increase melatonin levels greatly. It is a nocturnal hormone and artificial and solar light sources inhibit it's secretion.

Another cool thing is that melatonin is a very powerful antioxidant, so good for neutralizing pesky reactive oxygen species.

OT: IDK if you meditate or not, but when I meditate in complete darkness (with my eyes closed) I begin to see very strange things in my mind's eye. I believe that this is due to the hallucinogenic properties of melatonin, as it is a tryptamine. Some research suggests that the hallucinogenic properties of melatonin create dreams during the sleep state.

I take it every night -- and a nice bonus, it will help compensate for wi-fi. However, if anyone has a smart meter (that probably is too strong, should be removed from the place).

Cs do you have any good reads on smart meters? Ive heard some crazy stuff about them.

Xenon interesting about hallucinogenic in darkness, ive had the same thing.

Live forever wrote:Cs do you have any good reads on smart meters? Ive heard some crazy stuff about them.

Xenon interesting about hallucinogenic in darkness, ive had the same thing.

Check out the video I have on it, in the lower right-hand corner of my site:

http://longevitypost.com/

This study is not surprising because DP's secrete growth factors when they are properly functioning in anagen. It's doubtful that systemic IGF would do anything though.

CausticSymmetry wrote:I take it every night -- and a nice bonus, it will help compensate for wi-fi. However, if anyone has a smart meter (that probably is too strong, should be removed from the place).

Hi there

Can / should melatonin be taken in winter in the Northern Hemisphere? I was born in the southern hemisphere but based in the UK now and winter wreaks havoc with my sleep cycles. I feel more energetic as the day progresses and struggle to go to sleep at at good time - but then suffer to wake up in the morning.

Am concerned melatonin will make this worse!

I am taking 5000 IU VitD + Vit K as well. I am dark skinned and have read we need more Vit D than normal?

Xenon wrote:

sanderson wrote:very interesting. I just looked into this a little and found that IGF-1 is stimulated by growth hormone. another reason to show how important exercise is. Growth hormone is negatively effected by insulin levels.

so a bad diet -> low GH -> low IGF-1

I read IGF-1 is similar in molecular structure to insulin. CS, do you know if IGF-1 is directly related to insulin at all? (outside of how insulin negatively effects GH leading to low levels of IGF-1)

Increased melatonin is believed to cause an increase in GH + IGF-1, according to studies I read. Dim the lights in your house and sleep with lights out, Mr Sanderson, and you'll increase melatonin levels greatly. It is a nocturnal hormone and artificial and solar light sources inhibit it's secretion.

Another cool thing is that melatonin is a very powerful antioxidant, so good for neutralizing pesky reactive oxygen species.

OT: IDK if you meditate or not, but when I meditate in complete darkness (with my eyes closed) I begin to see very strange things in my mind's eye. I believe that this is due to the hallucinogenic properties of melatonin, as it is a tryptamine. Some research suggests that the hallucinogenic properties of melatonin create dreams during the sleep state.

I've had the same thing happen to me as well. I went on a hour and 45 minute meditation binge the other day in one session, towards the end of it, it felt like I was in some weird reality. I remember even being like, should we goto sleep now? I think we should goto sleep now. At that point I was like, OK fuck this I am not meditating that long anymore. It will make me go insane. . I have to wear my night cover for me eyes at night, forgot about that. Good stuff.

I've had the same thing happen to me as well. I went on a hour and 45 minute meditation binge the other day in one session, towards the end of it, it felt like I was in some weird reality. I remember even being like, should we goto sleep now? I think we should goto sleep now. At that point I was like, OK fuck this I am not meditating that long anymore. It will make me go insane. Razz. I have to wear my night cover for me eyes at night, forgot about that. Good stuff.

One time when I meditated for a long time, I opened my eyes and developed amnesia, as I didn't recognize my surroundings (my bedroom). It took about a minute for me to regain memory recall. It was pretty disturbing. I suppose it's like in a dream where you don't always have any ego memory... maybe too much melatonin can have such an effect.

Xenon wrote:

I've had the same thing happen to me as well. I went on a hour and 45 minute meditation binge the other day in one session, towards the end of it, it felt like I was in some weird reality. I remember even being like, should we goto sleep now? I think we should goto sleep now. At that point I was like, OK fuck this I am not meditating that long anymore. It will make me go insane. Razz. I have to wear my night cover for me eyes at night, forgot about that. Good stuff.

One time when I meditated for a long time, I opened my eyes and developed amnesia, as I didn't recognize my surroundings (my bedroom). It took about a minute for me to regain memory recall. It was pretty disturbing. I suppose it's like in a dream where you don't always have any ego memory... maybe too much melatonin can have such an effect.

sounds like an out of body experience.. read some stories from people that start hearing things around them and start "interacting with the spiritual world" after having these... not sure what that is all about.. but sounds similar.

Yeh, Sanderson, when I got too deeply into all of this stuff I started experiencing frequent sleep paralysis and heard all sorts of snake hissing sounds around me. I also started having encounters with the Devil in dreams. It was shit scary, I can't even begin to explain.

You know? I actually think that through all of those Kundalini meditations that I have demonic entities attached to my auric field. I recall seeing reptile-like beings and Nazis in my mind's eye when I used to do all of that stuff, and I've read that the root chakra is the gateway to the lower spiritual dimensions. So, you never know... maybe I naively invited some dark forces in.

Xenon wrote:Yeh, Sanderson, when I got too deeply into all of this stuff I started experiencing frequent sleep paralysis and heard all sorts of snake hissing sounds around me. I also started having encounters with the Devil in dreams. It was shit scary, I can't even begin to explain.

You know? I actually think that through all of those Kundalini meditations that I have demonic entities attached to my auric field. I recall seeing reptile-like beings and Nazis in my mind's eye when I used to do all of that stuff, and I've read that the root chakra is the gateway to the lower spiritual dimensions. So, you never know... maybe I naively invited some dark forces in.

 

totally possible dude. that's crazy though. there is some truth to all this stuff for sure. you should check out the book called "my big toe".. it's for free on google books. but it's about this guy who explains his "theory of everything" through using out of body experiences and meditation on a daily basis. he started seeing auros around people and objects from being out of the body so long supposedly. the book is 3 massive books, I only got through 1/3rd of the first one, but I need to revisit it. it's pretty amazing read actually from what I had, in fact i'm going to start reading this again. just from a philosophy standpoint, he made some really good points that kinda blew my mind.

I've been reading reviews on Amazon, Mr Sanderson, and it sounds like an awesome read. There's a DVD covering all the info within the books, too.

Thanks.

averagejoe001 wrote:

CausticSymmetry wrote:I take it every night -- and a nice bonus, it will help compensate for wi-fi. However, if anyone has a smart meter (that probably is too strong, should be removed from the place).

Hi there

Can / should melatonin be taken in winter in the Northern Hemisphere? I was born in the southern hemisphere but based in the UK now and winter wreaks havoc with my sleep cycles. I feel more energetic as the day progresses and struggle to go to sleep at at good time - but then suffer to wake up in the morning.

Am concerned melatonin will make this worse!

I am taking 5000 IU VitD + Vit K as well. I am dark skinned and have read we need more Vit D than normal?

Melatonin can increase the change of getting groggy in the morning. However, it is helpful to get a stronger sleep. It doesn't always work (there are sometimes other factors at play), however it's worth trying at different doses.

Yes, the darker the skin, the more vitamin D maybe needed. However, thin people absorb it better vs overweight people. Also co-factors also affect the conversion.