Caffeine & Hair Growth
Caffeine has become a staple in the diet for many. It has long been recognized for its energy-boosting properties, but recent evidence points to its efficacy in stimulating hair growth. Does this Spark an idea?
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Introduction
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Statistics vary, but the general consensus is that baldness affects around half of all males by age 50. There is a massive market for treatments to slow or prevent baldness. Recently, scientists have been looking into natural treatments, including caffeine.
Research
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Several research groups, for instance the Department of Dermatology and Allergology, at the University of Jena, in Germany, have published data showing that caffeine is a powerful treatment for male pattern baldness. Tests done include taking hair samples from biopsies and treating them in vitro with concentrated levels of caffeine. The results have been positive and were published in the International Journal of Dermatology in 2007.
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Considerations
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Despite what some may think, a coffee or energy drink addiction will not suffice to stimulate hair growth. It is estimated that 60 cups of coffee per day would be required for the caffeine to begin affecting hair growth. Application of a caffeine treatment will be topical.
Products
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Research is being done on various possible consumer products boasting a caffeine hair growth treatment, including caffeinated shampoo and a spray-on caffeine developed for female baldness.
Additional Effects
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Aside from stimulating hair growth, studies have demonstrated that caffeine has a range of positive and negative effects reported in studies such as "Caffeine-related disorders" in the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders 2009 and "Caffeine Boosts Short Term Memory" by Researchers at the Medical University Innsbruck in Austria in 2005.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit coffee image by Horticulture from Fotolia.com
