Examining the relationship between alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, and emotional intelligence.

J Cutan Med Surg. 2013 Jan-Feb;17(1):46-51.
Examining the relationship between alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, and emotional intelligence.
Monselise A, Bar-On R, Chan L, Leibushor N, McElwee K, Shapiro J.

Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. a.mons@yahoo.com

BACKGROUND:
Emotional stress has been associated with the development of alopecia areata (AA) and androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Emotional intelligence (EI), a component of general intelligence, is thought to govern the recognition, expression, and control of stress and other emotions. People with low EI are unable to adequately control stress in everyday life.
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate EI differences between AA and AGA patients and a control population.
METHODS:
Thirty-five AGA patients and 42 AA patients, with patchy (n  =  28), ophiasis (n  =  5), totalis (n  =  5), and universalis (n  =  4) distribution of hair loss, completed a 133-item Emotional Quotient-Inventory (EQ-I ) psychometric assessment. Scores were compared between AA, AGA, and 77 control subjects obtained from the North American normative population sample on which the psychometric instrument was normed.
RESULTS:
Statistically significant differences were found in EI between AA patients and controls with the EQ-I Stress Tolerance scale (p  =  .005). AGA patients also differed significantly from the controls but to a lesser degree compared toAA patients. In overall EI, there were no apparent differences between AGA and AA patients.
CONCLUSIONS:
AA and AGA patients exhibit a mild depressive reaction to their condition, with AA patients demonstrating a significantly stronger deficiency in coping with stress than AGA patients. The data support a psychosomatic contribution to AA. Referral of patients for EI assessment and psychosocial counseling could help reduce stress.

Very interesting study!

When stress is not released (dealt with) it relocates into the body, and this (in my oppinion) is the primary cause of hairloss.

it very often manifest as tightness in a shoulder, or the neck, jaw tension, slight tinitus in one ear etc. and that it can move around and shift side. The tight galea is a response in the body along the same lines.

It's interesting that I am naturally prone to stress, or at least prone to not dealing with it as well as most. I have measured high cortisol levels, tend to hold tension in my shoulders, and my trapezius muscles are huge! They've been like this since probably since my late teens.

TrueGround,

Same. Exactly the same. A lot of times I won't be conscious of it but suddenly I'll become aware of it and realize just how tight I have my shoulders, how raised they are from their relaxed position. Its really apparent when I take a deep breath and let myself relax...the shoulders sink and all of that tension in the upper back releases. But its crazy how much it goes on when I'm not aware of it.

I experienced much of the same. I've learned to be more organized and exercise, do yoga, meditate, foam roll (MY GOD THAT ONE IS THE BEST IMO) and it has definitely helped. I also have ogtten in the habit of listening to good "self help" audiobooks to reprogram my thoughts to more positive encouraging ones. I even take parts I really like and re-record them in my own voice then lsiten to it as I do laundry/clean. I seems to be working FWIW.
Just thought I'd share.

cpio wrote:Very interesting study!

When stress is not released (dealt with) it relocates into the body, and this (in my oppinion) is the primary cause of hairloss.

it very often manifest as tightness in a shoulder, or the neck, jaw tension, slight tinitus in one ear etc. and that it can move around and shift side. The tight galea is a response in the body along the same lines.

Plenty of people have worse stress and more hair... I wouldn't see it as the primary cause of hair loss, stress only exacerbates it when other existing negative conditions are present.. One interesting thing to note, stress increases magnesium depletion.. Tight scalp is a eventual cause, but since a scalp tight enough to restrict hair growth did not just manifest out of thin air given you grew hair just fine before, it has reasons of occurrence as well... We tend to miss the cast of a movie when focusing only on its star actors. Its not about any one thing, its about the combination of everything...

Many of the responses on this thread are (whether they are aware or not) "screaming" of low minerals.
This type of tension disappears usually with correct minerals (those that contain a charge).

anthonyspencer,

Yep, I almost always notice my shoulders raised up when I pay attention. I've been doing stretches to counter that and have been much more aware of the situation, making a point to take a breath and let them drop to a relaxed position. I'd love to get bi-weekly neck and shoulder massages, but it's too costly. Love them though.

987,

We know that some people have virtually immortal hair follicles, not matter what kind of lifestyle they live. However, everyone here is prone to hair loss, therefore avoiding stress seems paramount.

CS,

Have definitely noticed increased sense of relaxation and decrease in muscular tension since re-incorporating ConcenTrace liquid minerals into my drinks.

CausticSymmetry wrote:Many of the responses on this thread are (whether they are aware or not) "screaming" of low minerals.
This type of tension disappears usually with correct minerals (those that contain a charge).

I have found that while remineralizing does not necessarily help me to be less of an emotional retard, I just don't *care* as much about my relative level of retardation.   

Seriously, I can vouch for the fact that remineralisation deeply and profoundly affects stress level.  Truly, the little things that just used to send me up the wall just don't bother me any more.  And it's much easier to roll with the bigger ones.

Caustic, what do you recommend for charged minerals?  I've been experimenting with ormus and monoatomic minerals a la rdk's rec, but am interested in your recs.

TrueGround wrote:anthonyspencer,

Yep, I almost always notice my shoulders raised up when I pay attention.  I've been doing stretches to counter that and have been much more aware of the situation, making a point to take a breath and let them drop to a relaxed position.  I'd love to get bi-weekly neck and shoulder massages, but it's too costly.  Love them though.

987,

We know that some people have virtually immortal hair follicles, not matter what kind of lifestyle they live.  However, everyone here is prone to hair loss, therefore avoiding stress seems paramount.

CS,

Have definitely noticed increased sense of relaxation and decrease in muscular tension since re-incorporating ConcenTrace liquid minerals into my drinks.

Sure avoiding stress is important, never did I say it wasnt. I even mentioned a mineral directly relevant to stress specifically, you misunderstood the intention of my post... And its not that "some ppl have virtually immortal hair", their hair is just as weak as anyone elses when exposed to the wrong conditions. Therefore consider that the hair follicle is simply a product of its environment that its located in, just as all living things are... There is no special susceptibility to the hair follicle itself in balding regions, nor a genetic hair death date, time is a concept we created anyways... For hair growth, its either getting what it needs, or its not, for some their hair continues getting what it needs, for others this process is disrupted, in which stress cannot do on its own, that is more along the lines of what I was saying...

CS,

Do you still recommend Immune Boost 77 for minerals?

whodathunkit wrote:

CausticSymmetry wrote:Many of the responses on this thread are (whether they are aware or not) "screaming" of low minerals.
This type of tension disappears usually with correct minerals (those that contain a charge).

I have found that while remineralizing does not necessarily help me to be less of an emotional retard, I just don't *care* as much about my relative level of retardation.   

Seriously, I can vouch for the fact that remineralisation deeply and profoundly affects stress level.  Truly, the little things that just used to send me up the wall just don't bother me any more.  And it's much easier to roll with the bigger ones.

Caustic, what do you recommend for charged minerals?  I've been experimenting with ormus and monoatomic minerals a la rdk's rec, but am interested in your recs.

To save some time....here's some recent info (including mineral info) on another thread:

https://immortalhair.forumotion.com/t9107p45-some-thoughts-about-supplementary-progesterone#92948

Thanks, CS. I've been using Concentrace (plus salt loading magnesium, selenium, etc.) for about a year. Is the Electrolyte Concentrate a better product, considering the first ingredient is Concentrace?

I didn't know if there was something else you were into.

whodathunkit wrote:Thanks, CS.  I've been using Concentrace (plus salt loading magnesium, selenium, etc.) for about a year.  Is the Electrolyte Concentrate a better product, considering the first ingredient is Concentrace?

I didn't know if there was something else you were into.  

There's a quite a difference between these two...mainly the sodium (which we want more of)
is significantly higher in the 40,000 Volts Electrolyte version


Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 teaspoon
Servings Per Container: 48
Amount Per Serving %DV*
Magnesium (ConcenTrace) 200 mg 50%
Chloride (ConcenTrace) 750 mg 22%
Sodium (Utah Sea Minerals) 120 mg 5%
Potassium (Potassium Citrate) 200 mg 6%
Sulfate (ConcenTrace) 40 mg †
Boron (ConcenTrace) 900 mcg †

The "regular" Concontrace ingredients:

Serving Size: 1/2 tsp (about 40 drops)
Servings Per Container: 96
Amount Per Serving %DV
Magnesium 250 mg 63%
Chloride 690 mg 20%
Sodium 5 mg <1%
Potassium 3 mg <1%
Sulfate 37 mg †
Lithium 395 mcg †
Boron 370 mcg †

NYJets wrote:CS,

Do you still recommend Immune Boost 77 for minerals?

Yes, that helps in other ways (riding those heavy metals) de-stresses the body.

Beyond that, there are other things depending on how people respond, such as
Ashwaganda or sometimes methylation has to be considered.

Hey CS,

Do you think it would be possible to get the same benefit from a quality sea salt (compared with concentrace) or comparable. I'm thinking about adding some sea salt to water, maybe with a bit of vegetable glycerin for increased hydration, and some branched chain aminos and just sipping on it throughout the day.

>> Many of the responses on this thread are (whether they are aware or not) "screaming" of low minerals.
>> This type of tension disappears usually with correct minerals (those that contain a charge).

What kind of minerals in specific do you recommend? Zinc? What is the maximum daily dosage that one could take of zinc?

anthonyspencer54 wrote:Hey CS,

Do you think it would be possible to get the same benefit from a quality sea salt (compared with concentrace) or comparable. I'm thinking about adding some sea salt to water, maybe with a bit of vegetable glycerin for increased hydration, and some branched chain aminos and just sipping on it throughout the day.

Unfortunately, it depends on the quality of the sea salt. Usually it doesn't contain a charge.
Without a ligand you cannot be sure it's still "alive."

moby wrote:>> Many of the responses on this thread are (whether they are aware or not) "screaming" of low minerals.
>> This type of tension disappears usually with correct minerals (those that contain a charge).

What kind of minerals in specific do you recommend? Zinc? What is the maximum daily dosage that one could take of zinc?

It's not an easy question to answer in so few words....but in short, most essential minerals are needed (not just a few isolated ones). Zinc has a different uses...but for everyday use 15 mg. (Gluconate is fine).

CausticSymmetry wrote:There's a quite a difference between these two...mainly the sodium (which we want more of) is significantly higher in the 40,000 Volts Electrolyte version

Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 teaspoon
Servings Per Container: 48
Amount Per Serving %DV*
Magnesium (ConcenTrace) 200 mg 50%
Chloride (ConcenTrace) 750 mg 22%
Sodium (Utah Sea Minerals) 120 mg 5%
Potassium (Potassium Citrate) 200 mg 6%
Sulfate (ConcenTrace) 40 mg †
Boron (ConcenTrace) 900 mcg †

The "regular" Concontrace ingredients:

Serving Size: 1/2 tsp (about 40 drops)
Servings Per Container: 96
Amount Per Serving %DV
Magnesium 250 mg 63%
Chloride 690 mg 20%
Sodium 5 mg <1%
Potassium 3 mg <1%
Sulfate 37 mg †
Lithium 395 mcg †
Boron 370 mcg †

CS, we really need more sodium? From the ConcenTrace website: "ConcenTrace offers in 30 drops the mineral content equivalent of one third of a cup of sea water with 99.5% of the sodium removed. This product was specifically designed to contain a minimal amount of sodium. Most Europeans have an unnaturally large intake of sodium, of which only 5% comes naturally in the foods we eat. It has been estimated that most people consume twice as much sodium as potassium, while an ideal diet should consist of 5 times more potassium than sodium."

Re: sea salt, is there a way to recharge/reactivate it e.g by way of an electrical device (zappicator maybe)? Since salt is cheap this could be a money saver.

Also, do you have any idea what this poster on CZ is referring to? I can't recall hearing that salt requires co-factors and enzymes..I just take it with food.
"Concentrace mineral drops - minerals isolated away from all their natural co-factors and enzymes (and might be rock-based). It's natural for us to get our minerals (and other nutrition) from alive, whole foods & juices."

diffuse wrote:
Re: sea salt, is there a way to recharge/reactivate it e.g by way of an electrical device (zappicator maybe)?  Since salt is cheap this could be a money saver.

This would be a real thing. Not just to enhance the minerals and supps in general, but also changing the quality of the food...

"we really need more sodium?"
...it depends on your sodium/potassium ratio that should ideally be +-2.5. Normally you should not supplement minerals, should be in good health since the minerals are regulated by how well your body/organs function, for ex if you have good adrenals you have a good Na level.

Here more info: www.drlwilson.com/articles/LOW%20NAK%2011-06.htm‎

More Na seems better then less for general health, a low Na level (as I have it) is associated with infections, pathogens surviving in your body, decreased ability to handle stress, decreased ability to defend your energy...On the site above you will find more info if interested

If you want to supplement minerals, best way is ionic minerals under the tongue for 10-15 minutes before swallowing them (read Prague's posts). The same goes for medical herbs.

Sodium chloride (preferably without the toxic fillers) or better an ionic solution with other minerals that contains a negative charge is ideal.

More salt equals longer life. Less salt equals higher chance of death from heart attack or stroke.

Need proof?

http://web.archive.org/web/20120426190352/http://healthyfixx.com/39/low-salt-diets-can-kill

Also, adding a good salt decreases anxiety.

Already have a new article waiting to be published on this one.

There's over 2 decades of research on salt that shows the opposite conclusion of the medical orthodoxy.
I can't help notice that most of their recommendations are more deadly than helpful.

The AHA (Another Heart Attack) has been pushing for a long time to lower salt and saturated fat intake, when it is the opposite of this that promotes health. They approve soy to be eaten, yet animals won't go near it in the wild, and it is not kind to the thyroid unless it's fermented. Vegetable oil/hydrogenated oil clogs the arteries and up Lipoprotein(a) levels, while saturated fat does the opposite.

Some companies are making too much money, so the lies continue.

What is this myth curculating on this forum that practical all vegetable oils are to be avoided? it is not true. In fact fresh oil from grinded seeds of sesam, flax, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, olive, and certainly many others - have tremedous positive impact on human health.

cpio wrote:
What is this myth circulating on this forum that practical all vegetable oils are to be avoided? it is not true. In fact fresh oil from grinded seeds of sesame, flax, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower, olive, and certainly many others - have tremendous positive impact on human health.

Those oils do because they are fresh, unrefined, non-heated...

Most consumers use the processed variety which have been destroyed by caustic baths and heat processing.

Having said that, there are a lot of Ray Peat followers out there. I do not subscribe to his theory, because he makes no distinction about the quality of the oil.

There is published research conducted on humans that shows that unrefined nut/seed oils can promote health. Not all PUFA's are the same....