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.
