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by Patrick Bardelli
New study: How cardiovascular problems are signalled in the hair
31.5.2023
Translation: machine translated
Your hair is the mirror of your ... cardiovascular system. What sounds rather unromantic could actually prove to be very useful, as a Dutch research team has now investigated.
From high blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia to heart attacks: cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are not only wide-ranging, but also very common. In Switzerland and Germany, they are the undisputed number one cause of death - with over 20,000 and over 340,000 cases per year respectively.
What scientists at Erasmus University Rotterdam found in a study is all the more welcome. They succeeded in finding signs of an increased risk of CVD in the hair of the test subjects.
For this purpose, hair samples were taken from over 6,300 men and women between the ages of 18 and 54. The research team analysed these for so-called glucocorticoids, such as the stress hormone cortisol. It is released when there is increased tension or stress. The participants were also observed for five to seven years in order to analyse the long-term relationship between cortisol levels and the onset of a disease in the CVD areas.
"Our results now suggest that people with higher long-term glucocorticoid levels in their hair have a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in particular," said the study's lead author Dr Eline van der Valk. Lead physician Professor Elisabeth van Rossum said she hoped "that hair analysis could eventually prove to be a test that doctors can use to determine which people are at high risk of cardiovascular disease."
Hair analysis is also a test that can be used to determine which people are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Hair in the soup
However, this study should be treated with caution, as Erasmus University Rotterdam recognises. It is an observational study that does not clearly prove that stress causes cardiovascular disease - only that there is a connection. Furthermore, the participants are not representative of all population groups, as they mainly describe themselves as white and come from a certain part of the Netherlands. In addition to factors such as age, gender, weight or previous illnesses, there may be unmeasured aspects that could also have influenced the results.
Risk factors and how you can reduce them
Instead of having your mane examined, there are of course a number of things you can do. Cardiovascular disease is often associated with an unhealthy lifestyle: for example, if you don't exercise enough, don't eat healthily or have too much stress in your everyday life. Experts recommend eating foods that are as unprocessed as possible, exercising daily and incorporating relaxing routines into your everyday life.
To make your next jogging session fun, it's worth taking a look at the guide by Patrick Bardelli. He also explains how to get a run for beginners.
Of course, there is also suitable footwear. According to the manufacturer, the gel insoles in these trainers make them very comfortable to wear. Of course, you'll have to find out for yourself whether this is true. So, go for a run!
Cover image: Tamara Bellis/Unsplash
Cat lady and coffee lover from up north. Always on the lookout for «News and Trends».
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