SSRI and Cortisol

DarkDays

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This is a thing that has been bothering me and I'd love to get some input on it. After the astressin-B article I am wondering if any of you who are suffering from balding/diffuse thinning are using SSRI anti-depressants?

Although anecdotal I always feel my receding hair and diffuse thinning started at the same time I started using anti-depressants and I know I had a mad fallout over a year ago when I quit one anti-depressant to start another.

Some of these SSRI meds do increase cortisol which is a steroid hormone and I am wondering if it is being converted to DHT along the line.

So I am wondering, who here is taking SSRI meds for battling depression? When did you start taking SSRI meds compared to your thinning hair and are you balding or diffuse thinning?
 

DarkDays

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finfighter said:
DarkDays said:
Some of these SSRI meds do increase cortisol which is a steroid hormone and I am wondering if it is being converted to DHT along the line.


Cortisol cannot me metabolized into DHT, Only T is metabolized into DHT via 5 Alpha Reductase.

T>5AR>DHT


Fair enough, but we've seen people that have tried to eliminate DHT completely yet their hairloss continues so there probably is other elements in hair loss.

Maybe the problem is that we are all categorizing baldness in men to the same Androgenetic Alopecia whereas the reasons might vary from person to person. Might explain why some people have more luck with certain drugs.

If DHT were the only culprit I'd have regrown completely as my T levels are almost 0 right now (I think they were 0,8 last time I had a bloodtest).
 

DarkDays

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vauxall said:

Had seen it, but it only addresses the cortisol factor. I want to know if there are any here who are using SSRI drugs and if they would connect it to the health of their hair.

I know the internet is full of people saying that SSRI drugs cause hair loss, but those reports are usually on the psychiatric forums and I'd see what the usage is with members on an male pattern baldness forum.
 

DarkDays

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finfighter said:
DarkDays said:
Fair enough, but we've seen people that have tried to eliminate DHT completely yet their hairloss continues so there probably is other elements in hair loss.

Maybe the problem is that we are all categorizing baldness in men to the same Androgenetic Alopecia whereas the reasons might vary from person to person. Might explain why some people have more luck with certain drugs.

If DHT were the only culprit I'd have regrown completely as my T levels are almost 0 right now (I think they were 0,8 last time I had a bloodtest).


I'm not saying that DHT is the only cause. There are definitely other androgens that stimulate minaturization.

Certain prescription medications do have Hair loss listed as a possible side effect, it's possible. But if it were from the medication, and not male pattern baldness, it would not follow the pattern of male patterned hair loss....


But have we really established that male pattern baldness has only one pattern and that no other condition can create the same pattern? I am not trying to imply that the research done doesn't have some merit, but I wouldn't call it complete either.
 
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