HIF-1α (Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1-alpha) plays a crucial role in cellular response to low oxygen levels, known as hypoxia. While HIF-1α has been extensively studied in various fields, including cancer research, its specific role in hair loss treatment is an area of ongoing research.
Some studies suggest that HIF-1α may be involved in the regulation of hair follicle development and hair growth. It’s believed that activating HIF-1α signaling pathways could potentially promote hair regrowth. Hypoxia, or low oxygen levels, has been associated with certain conditions that lead to hair loss, such as androgenetic alopecia (pattern baldness). By targeting HIF-1α, researchers aim to improve oxygen supply to hair follicles and potentially stimulate hair regrowth.
From the study
A trial with 20 subjects (4 female and 16 male) and once-daily application of [HSF] hair restoration technology to the scalp was conducted. To assess the tolerability and efficacy of [HSF], testing included dermatological assessment, determination of hair loss by counting after combing, macro images of the head and TrichoScan evaluation of hair density as well as the proportion of anagen hair versus telogen hair. The clinical data show Tomorrowlabs [HSF] hair restoration to be safe and effective to counteract AGA. The use of Tomorrowlabs [HSF] hair restoration resulted in improvements in the clinical parameters of hair quality such as thickness (+7.2%), hair density (+14.3%) and shine and elasticity (+20.3%) during the test period.
MDPI
How can you use this information to increase your hair growth? How can you incorporate it into your regime?
This is a clinical trial on humans of a product that is being tested for use before being produced for sale. If you want to try this method for increasing hair growth via the action of increasing HIF1 you could wait for the product to be released.
There are experminetal methods that are known to increase HIF1, but I’m not certain how a normal person could apply these in their every day life!
Hypoxic Environment
HIF-1α is primarily regulated by oxygen levels. Exposing cells or tissues to a low-oxygen environment, known as hypoxia, can lead to the stabilization and accumulation of HIF-1α. This can be achieved in laboratory settings using specialized chambers or incubators that control oxygen levels.
Perhaps one day someone wil linvent some kind of ‘hair growth hat’ that creates a mild hypoxic environemtn in the scalp, leading to an increase in HIF-1. I can actually imagine this being something someone invents — and who knows it could be a revolutionary cure for hair loss!
Pharmacological Modulators
Certain drugs or compounds have been found to stabilize HIF-1α even under normal oxygen conditions. These include prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (PHIs) such as dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) and deferoxamine (DFO). PHIs block the enzymes responsible for degrading HIF-1α, leading to its increased stability and accumulation.
Metabolic Modulation
Some metabolic pathways and signaling molecules can influence HIF-1α levels. For example, manipulating the activity of proteins involved in the mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway, such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) or phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), can impact HIF-1α expression. Additionally, altering cellular metabolism, such as through glycolytic inhibitors or changes in nutrient availability, may affect HIF-1α levels.
Conclusions for now
For now this is probably not something I’ll be incorporating into my own regime. However, I will keep an eye out for any product releases from Tommorowlabs to see if they release a topical that can increase scalp HIF1 levels. Until then, I’ll keep researching…
