The general mistake here is to believe that every genetic trait is somehow designed to converge on perfection.
Frequently a trait – such as male pattern baldness – is a trade-off against another more important trait.
So, for instance, a genetic makeup that confers huge strength may also confer male pattern baldness. But the baldness is vastly outweighed by the advantages that huge strength carries.
Now factor in that the increase in lifespan has happened with disproportionate speed (because of technology). If you go bald at 40 but your aren’t expected to hit 30 because of the harshness of the environment, male pattern baldness – or any apparent disadvantage that manifests after the age of 30 – is irrelevant when it comes to giving you a reproductive advantage.
The relative speeds of evolutionary pressure isn’t enough to catch up with technological progress.
So here we are.
It’s affected by DHT (Dihydrotestosterone) a androgen created from testosterone via an enzyme known as 5 – alpha – reductase.
The effect of DHT is as an agonist for different androgen receptors found in various parts of the body.
On the scalp the receptors activated by DHT signal for hair loss where as in the pubic,facial and body it signals for hair growth.
Factors such as receptor quantity, sensitivity and 5-a- reductase activity determine the overall outcome of balding and facial/body hair.
I think male pattern baldness is much more genetic then testosterone based. As I have a friend that has very low test levels (to the point they had to take pills to help boost their testosterone in their teens/early20s) but still started balding uptop by their late 20s.
Test levels are just a part of a bigger equation that is Male pattern baldness.
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