A new study suggests that hair loss and baldness may be treated with a specific form of vitamin E.

It’s estimated that more than a quarter men will be affected by hair loss and baldness during their lifetime. Although some men deal with the challenges of hair loss well, others search for solutions to restore their thinning hair. Most treatments for male pattern baldness are only marginally effective and are often expensive. Although there are two FDA approved drugs for treatment of baldness, Finasteride and Minoxidil, they’re not effective for everyone and may have significant side effects. There may be new hope for dealing with this problem naturally. According to a new study, it may be effective to treat male pattern baldness with a form of vitamin E.

This study which was conducted on twenty-eight volunteers in Malayasia showed that giving a tocotrienol complex to men with male pattern baldness for eight months resulted in forty-two percent increased hair growth when compared to a group who received a placebo. Tocotrienols, along with tocopherols, are the two groups of compounds that make up vitamin E. It’s been suggested that tocotrienols may have more potent antioxidant activity when compared to the tocopherol group which is the form most Americans consume through diet and supplements.

Most vitamin E supplements found in drugstores contain predominantly alpha-tocopherol. Several studies using vitamin E supplements have shown an overall increased mortality associated with taking vitamin E in supplemental form and a large study showed an increase in lung cancer risk in smokers who took vitamin E. Preliminary research shows that the tocotrienol forms of vitamin E have potent antioxidant activity and may not be associated with the same risks as the tocopherols.

Although it may be too early to advocate treating male pattern baldness with tocotrienols, the results of this study are intriguing since several studies have shown positive health benefits from taking tocotrienols independent of hair loss and baldness. Tocotrienols are thought to have anti-proliferative effects on cells which researchers are hoping could translate into protection against certain types of cancer, although more study is needed to confirm this. This is one of the first studies to show that tocotrienols might have the potential to treat hair loss and baldness.

One company, Carotech, is already responding to this research by patenting a tocotrienol complex to treat hair loss and baldness. This complex is formulated to give absorption and bioavailability of tocotrienols for maximizing the potential for hair re-growth. Carotech’s product called Toco-8 is now being marketed as a treatment for hair loss and baldness in those affected by male pattern baldness and is available online.

www.healthmad.com/Beauty/A-New-Treatment-for-Baldness-and-Hair-Loss.682481