There s bad news for bald guys losing hair at the top of your head may indicate you re at risk for heart disease, new research finds.
Researchers in Japan analyzed six previous studies involving just under 40,000 men and found that guys who had lost most of their hair were a third more likely to develop coronary artery disease than those who retained a full head of hair.
It gets worse for men with both frontal and crown-top baldness, they were 69 percent more likely to have coronary artery disease than those with a full head of hair. Those with just frontal baldness were 22 percent more likely to suffer CAD.
It s not clear why baldness is linked to heart disease, but losing your hair could indicate insulin resistance, which is a precursor to diabetes; a state of chronic inflammation; or increased sensitivity to testosterone all of which directly or indirectly promote cardiovascular disease, the researchers say.
We found a significant, though modest, link between baldness, at least on the top of the head, and risk for coronary heart disease, Dr. Tomohide Yamada of the University of Tokyo, told the BBC. We thought this is a link, but not as strong as many other known links such as smoking, obesity, cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
ACSH s Dr. Josh Bloom says the study is in line with previous findings. Men who are going bald shouldn t be alarmed, but may want to pay attention.
Other ways to keep a healthy heart of course include stopping smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and keeping active.