Premature Graying, Balding, and Low Bone Mineral Density in Older Women and Men

Abstract

Objectives-Studies of balding and premature graying in association with bone mineral density (BMD) have yielded inconsistent results. We report the association of balding or graying with BMD in older adults.Methods-BMD was measured at the spine, hip, and total body in 1,207 subjects. Of these, 508 women and 380 men responded to a 1986 survey about balding patterns; in 1994 all subjects answered questions about graying.Results-Among men, 10.7% reported graying, and 51.1%, balding; 9.9% of women reported graying, and 9.5%, balding. Models were adjusted for age, body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, calcium supplements, diuretics, glucocorticoids, thyroid hormone, and estrogen. Graying was not significantly associated with BMD in men or women. Balding men averaged 5% lower total body BMD (p ≤ 0.05), and balding women had ˜24% higher mean hip BMD (p ≤ 0.05). Graying and balding women reported a higher proportion of current estrogen use; balding women reported more use of glucocorticosteroids. Balding women currently using estrogen may explain the higher BMD.Conclusions-Premature graying was not associated with BMD in women or men. Balding women had significantly higher hip BMD which may have been partially attributable to estrogen use, and non-balding men had significantly higher total body BMD.

Risk Factors for Premature Hair Graying in Young Turkish Adults

“…Although the pathogenesis of PHG has not been elucidated completely, genetic inheritance and some disorders, especially autoimmune diseases and syndromes related to early aging, have been associated with PHG . PHG has also been found to be associated with smoking, obesity, osteopenia, and coronary artery diseases , although studies investigating sex‐specific socioclinical risk factors for PHG with a large number of patients are scarce. In the current study, maternal and paternal history of PHG, alcohol consumption, presence of chronic disease, educational status, hair loss, mean PSS score, age, and height were significantly higher in subjects with PHG.…”

“…The relationship between PHG and some organ‐specific autoimmune diseases such as pernicious anemia, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism has been reported . Because hair graying is a clear indicator of biological aging, PHG was assumed to be an indicator of aging of organs; studies performed to explore the relationship between PHG and cardiovascular disease and osteopenia have had conflicting results .…”

Smokers′ hair: Does smoking cause premature hair graying?

“…[910] On the other hand, others considered participants to have PHG if all or most of their hair is gray before the age of 40. [1112] Whereas Trueb adopted the threshold of PHG to be at the age of 20 in Caucasian and at the age of 30 in Africans, but he did not specify the percentage of gray hair. [13] In our study, we considered participants to have PHG if the onset of visible gray hair is before the age of 30.…”

Premature graying of hair

“…Contrary to this, Morton et al found no association between premature graying of hair and low bone mineral density. [57] Various authors have reported premature graying of hair to be a significant risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). [58][59][60] Dwivedi et al reported that young CAD patients who are heavy smokers also developed premature graying and balding.…”