L-LYSINE
AND THE TREATMENT OF HAIR LOSS
US Patent
6136860 Applicant: Bio-Scientific Ltd., London, UK
"Studies involving the administration according to the
present invention of L-lysine to those suffering from increased hair shedding
show a remarkable increase in scalp hair growth." "Typically, the L-lysine is
administered in a daily dose of from 200 to 2000 mg, and more usually in a daily
dose of 500 to 1500 mg, e.g. in the form of a 500 mg dose administered orally
once, twice or three times a day. L-lysine may conveniently be administered
orally, for example as tablets, capsules." "We have also discovered that
administration of lysine to patients results in a dramatic increase in the
efficacy of known treatments for genetic hair loss (which term covers a number
of conditions variously referred to as androgen-dependent alopecia, androgenic
alopecia, androgenetic alopecia, common baldness, female baldness, diffuse hair
loss and male pattern baldness)." "Thus, in a further aspect of the present
invention there is provided a kit including a plurality of separate containers,
each containing at least one active agent useful in a combination therapy for
the treatment of genetic hair loss, wherein said kit includes L-lysine and at
least one further active agent selected from minoxidil, anti-androgens,
5.alpha.-reductase inhibitors, aromatase inhibitors." "The co-administration
of L-lysine with known treatments for genetic hair loss such as minoxidil and
anti-androgens results in a significant improvement in the efficacy of the
treatment."
Treatment of Women Suffering from Genetic Hair
Loss. "The effect of the administration
of lysine on the efficacy of known treatments for genetic hair loss was
investigated as follows." "Women suffering from genetic hair loss, all of
whom had adequate iron stores within the normal range at the start of the test
(i.e. serum ferritin levels of greater than 40 mg/ml) were divided into four
groups" "The first group (17 women) was treated with minoxidil only (in the
form of a topical formulation comprising 3% minoxidil by weight)." "The
second group (15 women) had a combined treatment of minoxidil (again as a
topical formulation comprising 3% minoxidil by weight) and an oral anti-androgen
chosen from cyproterone acetate, medroxyprogesterone and spironolactone. The
first two anti-androgens were administered in combination with ethinylestradiol
or an oral contraceptive. The particular anti-androgen administered was chosen
on the basis of clinical need." "The third group (8 women) received a
combined treatment of minoxidil (again as a topical formulation comprising 3%
minoxidil by weight) and 500 to 1500 mg per day of L-lysine (administered
orally)." "The fourth group (13 women) received a combined treatment
comprising minoxidil (again as a topical formulation comprising 3% minoxidil by
weight), an oral anti-androgen (administeredas to the second group above) and
500 to 1500 mg per day of L-lysine (administered orally)."
"The results in Table 5 suggest that the co-administration of
L-lysine to patients being treated for genetic hair loss with known treatments
such as the topical administration of minoxidil and/or the oral administration
of anti-androgens results in a considerable improvement in the efficacy of these
known treatments."
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