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Hair Growth in Two Alopecia Patients after Fecal Microbiota Transplant

Murph

:)
Messages
1,799
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5599691/

Hair Growth in Two Alopecia Patients after Fecal Microbiota Transplant
Dionne Rebello, MD,
corrauth.gif
1 Elaina Wang, BS,1 Eugene Yen, MD,3 Peter A. Lio, MD,4 and Colleen R. Kelly, MD, FACG1,2
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Abstract
Clostridium difficile infections can be life-threatening but are increasingly being treated successfully with fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). We report two patients with alopecia universalis who developed subsequent hair regrowth after FMT for treatment of recurrent C. difficile infections. Gut microbiota may have immunomodulatory effects in autoimmune conditions such as alopecia areata, and further study may elucidate disease mechanisms and lead to alternative treatment options for these patients for whom treatment options are currently limited.

Screen Shot 2017-10-24 at 8.58.12 PM.png
 

bertiedog

Senior Member
Messages
1,738
Location
South East England, UK
Hope I am not speaking too soon but I have suffered with the female sort of male pattern baldness since my 30s. I am now 69 and I can see a very tiny amount of new hair growth around my hairline.

I think this is probably connected to me starting hydrolysed collagen protein powder at beginning of September *(always below the bottom of the range on protein on standard blood tests) plus I started use herbal microbials to kill off the large amount of pathogenic bacteria in my gut. Alongside this I started taking Prescript Assist and rotated it with the beneficial form of E Coli and now I have moved onto L Fermentum for 2 weeks.

Also changed my yoghurt from the stand acidophilus one which can feed the overgrowth I had (78@ bacteroidetes) and changed to Activa which has a form of Bifido Infantis I believe. Its rather too sweet so I make my own from this with organic whole milk plus added fibre like Acacia which again will feed the beneficial bacteria of which I had only a tiny amount. Some came up zero in my recent American Gut Stool Test which started this whole thing off for me.

Basically I have followed advice from Ken Lassensen on CFS Remission and apart from the new hair growth I have also been able to cut my thyroid meds in half and cut my steroid down from 6 mg daily to 4.5mg.

Finally I have got my brain back for about 80% of the time. Still go blank every now and again but just tell myself to relax and it will come back. My energy has increased and I don;t need the same amount of sleep I had before any of this started.

Ken has got lots of recent Pubmed studies now showing the connection between autoimmunity and gut bacteria. This fits with my history because in 2002 blood tests showed I had antibodies to my thyroid and therefore Hashimotos.

It would seem that more and more recent research is showing the connection to various illnesses and the gut bacteria that we have plus a probable genetic link as to why only some of us go on to develop a certain illness.

Ian Lipkin and Maddy Hornig in their 2017 study are researching this in respect of ME/CFS and have already found a disturbed gut micro biome in the ME/CFS patients and they can distinguish these patients with ME and IBS from ME patients who don't have IBS. The healthy controls look different to both these group. It seems to be very encouraging that more researchers are looking into the micro biome and illness.

BTW I doubt I would have posted this under the old system because I would;t have wanted the venom thrown at me from many of the "old guard". Hope that isn't too inflammatory!

Pam
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Alopecia areata, and its more advanced form alopecia universalis, is a type of hair loss driven by an autoimmune mechanism. Alopecia areata characterized by patchy hair loss in little areas all over the scalp, as the immune system attacks the hair follicles in these patches.

This is different to the more usual form of hair loss in men (and sometimes in women) called androgenic alopecia (male pattern hair loss), a type of hair loss only found on the top part of the head (but never on the back and sides), and which is caused by high levels of the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

The mechanism of androgenic alopecia har loss is this: follicles on the top of the head have receptors to DHT, and these follicles are programmed to lose their hair when they detect high levels of DHT. Thus when your DHT levels rise, you will lose hair on the top of your head by this pre-programmed mechanism. Follicles on the back and sides of the head do not possess DHT receptors, so they do not respond to DHT, and thus the hair does not fall out on the back and sides in the case a androgenic alopecia.

So this fecal microbiota transplant I don't think will work for androgenic alopecia, only for autoimmune alopecia areata hair loss.


Very interesting though that a fecal microbiota transplant can have this apparently powerful effect on the immune system, and cure alopecia areata. It does seem to graphically indicate a possible connection between gut bacteria and autoimmunity.


One study by Borody demonstrated long-term efficacy of bacteriotherapy for ME/CFS (in patients with comorbid IBS). But the Borody study implanted cultured gut bacteria (Bacteroidetes, Clostridia, and E. coli) into the colon, rather than a fecal microbiota transplant. So that's not quite the same as FMT.

However, at Borody's own clinic, the Centre for Digestive Diseases in Australia, he does not appear offer bacteriotherapy or FMT treatment for ME/CFS. According to the website, he treats ulcerative colitis and IBS with FMT, but not ME/CFS. So his study claims to have found an amazing cure for ME/CFS with IBS, but he is not offering this treatment at his clinic.

Microbiota transplants may get variable results due to the issue of superdonors — the fact that some people (the superdonors) possess microbiota that are much more effective at combating disease when transplanted into patients.
 
Last edited:

bertiedog

Senior Member
Messages
1,738
Location
South East England, UK
The mechanism of androgenic alopecia har loss is this: follicles on the top of the head have receptors to DHT, and these follicles are programmed to lose their hair when they detect high levels of DHT. Thus when your DHT levels rise, you will lose hair on the top of your head by this pre-programmed mechanism. Follicles on the back and sides of the head do not possess DHT receptors, so they do not respond to DHT, and thus the hair does not fall out on the back and sides in the case a androgenic alopecia.

Interested in the above but I wonder what has stimulated my hair follicles to start producing hair again. It's very tiny strands at the moment, just like babies hair and is most obvious on my forehead. Perhaps the extra absorbable protein is the reason and that alone?

Pretty certain the changing of my microbiota is the reason for my increase in energy, calmer gut, more normal bowel motions, a brain that works now together with way less need for my thyroid medication/steroid. So far today have only had 1/2 grain dessicated and 25 mcg T4, it always used to be 2 grains plus 25 mcg and steroid reduced from 6 mg Pred to so far 3.5 mg Pred. Its the first day I am down to these quantities and at times I find it difficult to know what my body does need because it is changing pretty rapidly but it does let me know when I am going too low in cortisol with some very definite symptoms that I do know about!

Pam
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,691
@bertiedog, you mentioned collagen powder. My hair texture changed after being on Great Lakes collagen and Jarrowsil silicon drops a long time.

I have medium-density baby-fine hair that had always been straight. It's not thin, but looked thin because it always clung to my scalp.

After using these supplements a long time, my straight hair gradually turned curly, which makes it look much fuller although it's about the same amount of hair. It's been a nice, unexpected change although I take these supplements for bone health. My fingernails are also stronger now.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
Interested in the above but I wonder what has stimulated my hair follicles to start producing hair again.

Maybe people can have a combination of androgenic alopecia with some added alopecia areata if they suffer from autoimmune conditions. I had androgenic alopecia from a young age, but halted it using supplements that suppress DHT (such saw palmetto and biotin), as well as topical minoxidil.

However, after developing ME/CFS, I noticed increased hair loss which was harder to counter, and wonder if that was due to a different non-DHT mechanism such as autoimmunity.
 

frederic83

Senior Member
Messages
296
Location
France
However, after developing ME/CFS, I noticed increased hair loss which was harder to counter, and wonder if that was due to a different non-DHT mechanism such as autoimmunity.

I have had hair loss at the same time as CFS. Anti DHT never worked for me. Even minoxidil or propecia. My hair is thinner all over the scalp but I lose it on the top. What slow down it is a change of diet, it will not stop or reverse it, though. I think it is not only DHT but partly autoimmune too.
 

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,824
The other factors that could be involved in hair loss in ME/CFS patients is the high TGF-beta that is consistently found in ME/CFS: elevated TGF-beta has a negative effect on hair growth. Ref: 1 Elevated TGF-beta can be combatted with the drug losartan, according to Dr Shoemaker.

Raised TNF-alpha has been linked to hair loss. Ref: 1

IL-1beta is a potent inhibitor of human hair growth. Ref: 1 2

Both TNF-alpha and IL-1beta (which are sickness behavior response cytokines) have sometimes been found elevated in ME/CFS.

Stinging nettle herb reduces both TNF-alpha and DHT, so might be good for hair loss in ME/CFS. Vinpocetine also inhibits TNF-alpha.
 

Isaiah 58:11

Senior Member
Messages
116
Location
A Sun-Scorched Land
Hope I am not speaking too soon but I have suffered with the female sort of male pattern baldness since my 30s. I am now 69 and I can see a very tiny amount of new hair growth around my hairline.

I think this is probably connected to me starting hydrolysed collagen protein powder at beginning of September *(always below the bottom of the range on protein on standard blood tests) plus I started use herbal microbials to kill off the large amount of pathogenic bacteria in my gut. Alongside this I started taking Prescript Assist and rotated it with the beneficial form of E Coli and now I have moved onto L Fermentum for 2 weeks.

Also changed my yoghurt from the stand acidophilus one which can feed the overgrowth I had (78@ bacteroidetes) and changed to Activa which has a form of Bifido Infantis I believe. Its rather too sweet so I make my own from this with organic whole milk plus added fibre like Acacia which again will feed the beneficial bacteria of which I had only a tiny amount. Some came up zero in my recent American Gut Stool Test which started this whole thing off for me.

Basically I have followed advice from Ken Lassensen on CFS Remission and apart from the new hair growth I have also been able to cut my thyroid meds in half and cut my steroid down from 6 mg daily to 4.5mg.

Finally I have got my brain back for about 80% of the time. Still go blank every now and again but just tell myself to relax and it will come back. My energy has increased and I don;t need the same amount of sleep I had before any of this started.

Ken has got lots of recent Pubmed studies now showing the connection between autoimmunity and gut bacteria. This fits with my history because in 2002 blood tests showed I had antibodies to my thyroid and therefore Hashimotos.

It would seem that more and more recent research is showing the connection to various illnesses and the gut bacteria that we have plus a probable genetic link as to why only some of us go on to develop a certain illness.

Ian Lipkin and Maddy Hornig in their 2017 study are researching this in respect of ME/CFS and have already found a disturbed gut micro biome in the ME/CFS patients and they can distinguish these patients with ME and IBS from ME patients who don't have IBS. The healthy controls look different to both these group. It seems to be very encouraging that more researchers are looking into the micro biome and illness.

BTW I doubt I would have posted this under the old system because I would;t have wanted the venom thrown at me from many of the "old guard". Hope that isn't too inflammatory!

Pam

Would you be so kind as to link me to the exact probiotic products you are using?

I know all of our guts are individual, but I have had the same problem and need to repurchase probiotics. It can't hurt to try for the same result!
 

frederic83

Senior Member
Messages
296
Location
France
Interesting. My TGF-beta1 is 15744 normal range [1674,00 - 12400,00]

IL-1beta is close to zero and TNF, which I guess is TNF-alpha is close to zero too.

I tried cooked stinging nettle years ago, I don't remember if it was for hair or the adrenal, I noticed nothing.

I tried Olmesartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist like Losartan, it is part of the Marshall protocol. I stopped because I was not feeling well on it.
 

bertiedog

Senior Member
Messages
1,738
Location
South East England, UK
Would you be so kind as to link me to the exact probiotic products you are using?
Sorry I don't have a link but in the post from which you quoted I mentioned the ones I am taking, namely Prescript Assist, beneficial E Coli one is Symbioflor 2 and L Fermentum on its own is quite difficult to find. I purchased it from an Australian company who market it but it is extremely expensive because of the various duties so I won't be using that one again.

I suggest you visit CFS Remission to become acquainted with the science behind this.

Pam
 

dreampop

Senior Member
Messages
296
Maybe people can have a combination of androgenic alopecia with some added alopecia areata if they suffer from autoimmune conditions. I had androgenic alopecia from a young age, but halted it using supplements that suppress DHT (such saw palmetto and biotin), as well as topical minoxidil.

However, after developing ME/CFS, I noticed increased hair loss which was harder to counter, and wonder if that was due to a different non-DHT mechanism such as autoimmunity.

@Hip You should read some of the research/theories, if you haven't already, about PGD-2, PGE, & Calcification regarding MPB. I've had no luck halting my hair loss with propecia & minoxidil. I sometimes wonder if the midodrine I take is hurting because my scalp itches in exactly the hair loss spots (the vertex) after I take it and it reaches peak blood levels (30-45 minutes). It's a vaso-constrictor too, and the hair follicle has a alpha receptor.