Melatonin study for hair

[Tricia]

I read about this study of the topical application of melatonin for AGA. I wonder if anyone else has heard anything good or bad about melatonin for hair. FYI, I could not find a supply for the topical melatonin mentioned in this study. I don't know how much good oral supplements would do. (the study was on women, but if it worked in women I think it would work in men as well because melatonin does regulate our seasonal hair sheds)

Melatonin increases anagen hair rate in women with androgenetic alopecia or diffuse alopecia: results of a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Br J Dermatol 2004 Feb;150(2):341-5 (ISSN: 0007-0963)
Fischer TW; Burmeister G; Schmidt HW; Elsner P
Department of Dermatology and Allergology,
Friedrich-Schiller-University,
Erfurter Strasse 35, D-07740 Jena, Germany.

BACKGROUND: In addition to the well-known hormonal influences of testosterone and dihydrotestosterone on the hair cycle, melatonin has been reported to have a beneficial effect on hair growth in animals. The effect of melatonin on hair growth in humans has not been investigated so far.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether topically applied melatonin influences anagen and telogen hair rate in women with androgenetic or diffuse hair loss.

METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 40 women suffering from diffuse alopecia or androgenetic alopecia. A 0.1% melatonin or a placebo solution was applied on the scalp once daily for 6 months and trichograms were performed to assess anagen and telogen hair rate. To monitor effects of treatment on physiological melatonin levels, blood samples were taken over the whole study period.

RESULTS: Melatonin led to a significantly increased anagen hair rate in occipital hair in women with androgenetic hair loss compared with placebo (n=12; P=0.012). For frontal hair, melatonin gave a significant increase in the group with diffuse alopecia (n=28; P=0.046). The occipital hair samples of patients with diffuse alopecia and the frontal hair counts of those with androgenetic alopecia also showed an increase of anagen hair, but differences were not significant. Plasma melatonin levels increased under treatment with melatonin, but did not exceed the physiological night peak.

CONCLUSIONS: To the authors' knowledge, this pilot study is the first to show that topically applied melatonin might influence hair growth in humans in vivo. The mode of action is not known, but the effect might result from an induction of anagen phase.

[HairLossFight.com]

Hi my_username,

Thanks for posting this. I actually read this several months ago and had intended to post it as a news item, but with the busy sched. it totally fell of my radar.

This is a VERY interesting study. Melatonin is also involved in managing the sleep cycle or circadian rhythm.

I think the conventional wisdom of getting a good night's sleep makes a lot of sense, and based on this study, maybe even more so for us people with hair loss.

As for topical melatonin, I wonder where one can get some. And you pose a good question as to whether oral melatonin is of any value. Perhaps we can do a little digging into the potential side-effects and risk factors as well....

[Tricia]

I read on another board (i think hairsite) that some guys were making topical melatonin. I've never made a topical, so I don't know if I'd actually do it.

I did see where you can buy melatonin in the powder form (for cheap). Then, you'd mix it with alcohol, glycerin, and distilled water. The guys on the other forum said (70% alcohol, 15% glycerin, and rest distilled water). 1 mg of melatonin would be used for 1 ml of solution. Like I said, I don't know a thing about making topicals and I'm just repeating what I heard.

It seems if you followed this recipe though, then you'd get a 1% solution, instead of 0.1%. I don't know. I'm not a chemist

[Jacob]

Melatonin is in Equisomin(!) http://www.elsomresearch.com/shopping/p ... ynergy.htm

[HairLossFight.com]

Hey Jacob,

You seem to have a fair amount of knowledge on various products that I keep wanting to check out (but haven't yet had a chance due to lack of time).

I'm curious exactly what you're using. If you've already provided this information on this forum, apologies for asking you to repeat, but I'm guessing a fair number of people here want to know what your regimen is along with the rationale behind it. You don't have to write a novel if you don't have time, but a quick summary of what you're using and why would be great.

Cheers,
Sam

[Jacob]

Equisomin: http://www.elsomresearch.com/shopping/p ... ynergy.htm

Genistil-R: http://www.lipoxidil.com/site/phytoestrogenes.php

Inflamil: http://www.lipoxidil.com/site/phytin.php

Revitaflex: http://www.revitaflex.com/ (made by this company: http://www.piedmontpharma.com/products.html )

To answer your question- why...I'd have to say because they're all a good combo of ingreds- many that have been discussed in these forums, especially at Hairsite. I was surprised to see things like melatonin and creatine being in the Equisomin and then being discussed in the forums. Equisomin had been out for quite some time(although not for sale to the public) so they obviously did some research before putting the product together. After I, and maybe others, bugged them for awhile- they decided to sell it to the public. I guess one could go down the list of all the ingredients in the products I use and list the studies or whatever. Maybe someday...

Green tea extract is one of those in Equisomin. Info at lipoxidil about it http://www.lipoxidil.com/site/liposomal.php

You already know about melatonin......

I'm also interested in those products because of their delivery systems. Notice Equisomin uses no alchohol. If you go to http://www.lipoxidil.com you'll see them bragging about now needing even less alcohol in their products. Which is nice...but I wish they could do what Elsom Research does...

[gutted]

liposomal melatonin product here:

http://www.readisorb.com/readisorb_melatonin_spray.html

[Jacob]

Not sure I'd use that as a topical though

[gutted]

is this for internal consumption?

have you used ropical melatonin before?
looks kinda promising, mode of action is uknown right?

[davetherave]

Puts my hair to sleep....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[gutted]

youve used it? where abouts? crown, temples?

[Jacob]

is this for internal consumption?

have you used ropical melatonin before?
looks kinda promising, mode of action is uknown right?

The one in the link you provided is for internal consumption.

I've used Equisomin, which contains it: http://www.elsomresearch.com/shopping/p ... ynergy.htm

[gutted]

did it do much? im looking to regrow a bit of my temples and am looking to add something to apply specifically there.
also what do you think of the glutathione product they have there, i dont know whether it is best to take glutathione precursors such as nac, ala, selenium etc or prodycts like the one they have.
i know that normal glutathiuone isnt absorbed well.

[hair-loss-vitamins]

Great selection of melatonin products - best prices i have found are at lucky vitamin http://www.luckyvitamin.com/c-1546-melatonin