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Men who start to go bald even before a mid-life crisis may have their mothers to blame, according to a new study. Researchers have found that the main construction manual for a full head of hair is located on the X chromosome, which sons always inherit from their mothers.

Is Going Bald Inherited?
Men who start to go bald even before a mid-life crisis may have their mothers to blame, according to a new study. Researchers have found that the main construction manual for a full head of hair is located on the X chromosome, which sons always inherit from their mothers. (see Hair Loss Fact)

This genetic storage space contains the so-called androgen receptor gene, a long time balding suspect. Looking at men who were losing their hair at a relatively young age, a team led by Markus Nothen, PhD, of the Life & Brain Center at Bonn University, Germany systematically examined all of the genetic patterns within the X chromosome to see why certain hairlines recede faster than others.

While many doctors will check hemoglobin levels to test for anemia, not all will go to the next step of checking for iron deficiency without anemia. To check for this, Trost recommends that patients who may be iron deficient be screened for ferritin, a direct measure of the amount of iron in the body. These hair loss patients include pre-menopausal women, women who just gave birth and patients who recently had surgery, all of whom may have low iron levels as a result of blood loss. Additionally, vegetarians and recent crash dieters should also be tested as they may not eat enough iron in their diet.

Iron Levels for Hair Growth
If iron levels are low, Trost recommends that patients be taught which foods contain high levels of iron, like red meats, spinach and raisins. Iron supplements are also helpful, however, patients who take these pills need to be monitored closely by a doctor. Too much iron can be very dangerous, affecting the heart and pancreas, among other organs.

In many cases, the additional iron helps the body re-grow the hair. "For some people, it makes a profound difference," said Trost, who gives the example of a pre-menopausal woman who is losing her hair mostly because of iron deficiency.

Important Information About PROPECIA
The effectiveness of PROPECIA was demonstrated in studies of men, aged 18 to 41, with mild to moderate hair loss at the top and middle front of the head. There is not sufficient evidence that PROPECIA works for receding hairlines at the temples.

PROPECIA is for the treatment of male pattern hair loss in MEN ONLY and should NOT be used by women or children.

In clinical studies for PROPECIA, a small number of men experienced certain sexual side effects, such as less desire for sex, difficulty in achieving an erection, or a decrease in the amount of semen. Each of these side effects occurred in less than 2% of men and went away in men who stopped taking PROPECIA because of them.

About The Author:
Millions of people worldwide suffer from hair loss every day! Find out how to Prevent Hair Loss at http://www.hairlossfact.info