Bald at 30 lowers prostate risk

Men who suffer hair loss or go bald by age 30 may be less likely to develop prostate cancer, according to researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine, US.

They studied 2,000 men, ages 40 to 47, and found an association between high levels of the male hormone testosterone in those who lose their hair at a young age and lower risk of prostate tumours, BBC News reported.

The study appears in the journal Cancer Epidemiology.

"Clearly, the age at which a man begins to lose his hair is unfortunately not a risk factor for prostate cancer over which he has any control," said Dr Helen Rippon, head of research management at the Prostate Cancer Charity in Britain, BBC News reported.

"However, if these results are correct, they could be useful in providing us with a greater understanding of how testosterone behaves in the body and how it can affect different tissues." -