Premature graying, balding, and low bone mineral density in older women and men: the Rancho Bernardo study.
OBJECTIVE
The authors report the association of balding or graying with BMD in older adults.


METHODS
BMD was measured at the spine, hip, and total body in 1,207 participants. Of these, 508 women and 380 men responded to a 1986 survey about balding patterns; in 1994, all participants answered questions about graying.


RESULTS
Among men, 10.7% reported graying, and 51.1%, balding; 9.9% of women reported graying, and 9.5%, balding. Models were adjusted for age, body mass index, alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, calcium supplements, diuretics, glucocorticoids, thyroid hormone, and estrogen.


CONCLUSIONS
Graying was not significantly associated with BMD in either group. Balding men averaged 5% lower total body BMD (p </= 0.05), and balding women had ~24% higher mean hip BMD (p </= 0.05). Graying and balding women reported a higher proportion of current estrogen use; balding women reported more use of glucocorticosteroids. Balding women using estrogen may explain the higher BMD.
Morton
Deborah J
DJ
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Division of Epidemiology, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0622, USA. dmorton@ucsd.edu.
Kritz-Silverstein
Donna
D
Riley
Donna J
DJ
Barrett-Connor
Elizabeth L
EL
Wingard
Deborah L
DL
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000505:Alopecia; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015519:Bone Density; D005260:Female; D006200:Hair Color; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States