Research carried out at the Department of Dermatology & Allergology, at the Univeristy of Jena, in Germany, studied the effects of both caffeine & testosterone on in vitro hair follicle samples. The research aimed to determine the affect of both these substances on androgenetic alopecia & (AGA), a form of hereditary hair loss. This condition affects 50 per cent of men aged 50 years old & currently feeds a huge industry that
Includes:: topical, oral & surgical treatments. The research found that caffeine application spurred growth, while testosterone clearly impeded growth. Hair follicles from 14 biopsies were taken from the top of the scull of male patients & the samples were cultivated for 120hrs to 192hrs, with hair shaft elongation measured on a daily basis & at the end of the test period. The results showed significant growth suppression in hair follicles treated with 5 micro grams per milliliter. This was countered by caffeine tested in concentrations of 0.0001 per cent & 0.005 per cent. The researchers said that, on the contrary, caffeine significantly boosted growth of the hair follicles, leading the team to conclude that caffeine is a stimulator of hair growth & 'may have important clinical impact in the management of AGA'.