Androgenetic Alopecia and Height

Height, AGA and Genetics

Recent research has shown that many of these genes that control balding also affect how tall an individual may become. 

Heilman-Heimbach and colleagues from the University of Bonn recently performed an extensive study of over 20,000 men (10,000 with hair loss compared to 10,000 without hair loss). The researchers uncovered 63 genetic changes that increase a man's risk of developing early onset balding. These same genetic changes were associated with an increased likelihood of being shorter. They concluded that many of the genes controlling male balding are also linked to being shorter in height.

A second study from the UK by Hagenaars and colleagues identified 287 genetic regions linked to male pattern baldness. This large study examined data from over 52,000 men. This study confirmed a similar finding as the Heilman-Heimbach et al. study above namely that many of the genes regulating hair loss in men also give an increased chance for shorter height.

Reference

Heilman-Heimbach et al. Meta-analysis identifies novel risk loci and yields systematic insights into the biology of male-pattern baldness. Nature Communications, 2017.

Hagenaars SP et al.  Genetic prediction of male pattern baldness. PLoS Genet 13(2): e1006594. 2017.