Do men who are bald or have receding hairlines have a greater risk of coronary heart disease? A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tokyo has discovered that there is a definite connection between having a bald head and an increased risk of suffering heart disease.
The study, which analyzed what association if any existed between male pattern baldness, a condition called androgenetic alopecia, and the risk of developing coronary heart disease, concluded that over a 10 year period, men who are or have already lost much of their hair have a 32 percent greater chance of experiencing heart disease. The study also found that bald men under the age of 55 experienced as much as a 44 percent greater risk of coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease is currently among the leading causes of death in the male population around the world. Coronary heart disease occurs when there is a build-up of fat on the walls of the arteries that pump blood into the heart. As these arteries become more narrow over the course of time due to the build-up of fatty substances, the heart is not able to receive an ample supply of the oxygen-rich blood it requires to operate at peak efficiency. The result is frequent chest pains known as angina. As the condition worsens, the artery meant to carry blood into the heart can become totally blocked, resulting in a heart attack which can not only weaken the heart muscle, causing permanent damage to the organ if the patient survives or cause sudden death.
The study also concluded that there were factors other than baldness which could increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease. These include the age of the patient, whether or not they smoked cigarettes on a regular basis, and if other relatives in the family also suffered from heart conditions. Researchers also noted that when baldness occurred on the crown of the head, there was a definite increase in the risk of developing coronary heart disease. As balding continued to get worse, so too, did the risk of developing a heart condition that could prove fatal. Researchers, however, said that merely experiencing a receding hairline did not increase a person’s risk of heart attack or angina. Be sure to get insurance for your health if you feel a slight worry for your heart health, before it is too late.
Another question is “Is gaming related to heart diseases too?”. A minor study has uncovered that gaming for hours on end can also lead to heart disease. Gaming, a more male-dominated activity, has shown close to a thousand deaths when it comes to gaming marathons. My friend’s son was playing Pixel Gun 3D when he felt a bit nauseated. How long was he playing it for? Close to 4 hours non-stop! It’s a no wonder.
The most recent study seems to back up research done more than a decade ago by scientists at Harvard Medical School along with Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital that reported a definite connection between a patient’s hair loss and the occurrence of such heart issues as chest pains, non-fatal heart attacks, and the necessity to undergo bypass surgery or angioplasty in order to clear blockages that had built up in the patient’s arteries carrying blood into the heart muscle.
The Harvard-conducted study reported that risks for coronary heart disease increased by 9 percent in those men who were just beginning to lose hair at the crown of their head, but jumped to a troubling 36 percent increase by the time all of a man’s hair was missing from the top of his head. The bottom line of the research indicated that excessive loss of hair around the crown of the head was directly linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Studies connecting baldness and heart disease, however, have still not determined why the two are linked, although some doctors say that genes or testosterone amounts may be involved. So far, studies have not been done to determine whether drugs designed to restore hair loss have any impact on reducing a bald man’s risk of developing coronary heart disease.
Although men cannot control the severity of their baldness, they do have control over certain lifestyle choices and habits which can reduce their risk of developing coronary heart disease. Rather than worrying that baldness will doom them to certain heart attack, balding men should be proactive about their heart health by maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, quitting smoking, staying active and maintaining a healthy weight through regular exercise and consuming a diet filled with fiber, fresh foods and more fruits and vegetables. In addition, research has proven that antioxidant vitamin supplements as well as drinking alcohol in moderation are all important steps to take in decreasing the risk of developing coronary heart disease at any age.