What
is a SOD?
A:
Superoxide dismutase. This is an enzyme produced by
the body to neutralize the superoxide radical. Superoxide
is a messenger of inflammation and is involved in the
body's autoimmune response. It exists in a yin-yang
relationship with nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator
that appears to be important for hair growth, while
superoxide is a vasoconstrictor that may be part of
the signaling mechanism that tells hair to stop growing.
Superoxide can also interact with nitric oxide to form
a highly destructive free radical called peroxynitrite,
which causes protein and lipid oxidation. A few hair
loss products contain copper peptides, which are SOD
mimetics; i.e., mimic the effects of the body's SOD
enzyme. SOD-containing
products have been noted a number of times by researchers
to stimulate hair growth and block hair loss in mice.
Recent study data on Tricomin, a copper peptide SOD,
indicates increased hair growth in MPB. Among other
beneficial things, SODs appear to help spare growth-stimulating
nitric oxide, reduce damaging inflammation, and help
reverse fibrosis (follicular scarring). There are a
few patents for SODs as hair growth stimulators and
even one for an SOD inhibitor that blocks hair growth
by increasing superoxide. |
