One More Reason to Save the Bees: They Might Keep You From Going BaldTakepart.com
By Taylor Hill | December 11, 2014 7:52 PM
Scientists are looking into whether hives—the ones constructed by bees—might contain a substance that could boost hair growth in men and women.
If it works, it could give new meaning to "beehive hairstyle."
The study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, investigated a material called propolis, which bees use to seal small gaps in their hives.
Propolis also contains compounds that fight fungal and bacterial invasions.
Researchers at Hokkaido University in Japan knew that past studies had shown that the resin-like material bees collect from flowers and tree buds promoted the growth of cells involved in hair growth. So the scientists tested the substance on mice that had been shaved or waxed and found that the rodents treated with propolis regrew fur faster than normal.
While the study used shaved mice instead of balding mice, the study found that propolis contains a compound that could fight inflammation of the scalp, which often results in baldness.
Before researchers declare beehive glue a cure for baldness, more tests must be conducted to see if the material has the same effect on human hair follicles that it had on the rodents.
You can chalk up a potential cure for male-pattern baldness as one more reason to save bees from a possible mass die-off, which scientists suspect is due to a combination of exposure to agricultural pesticides, poor nutrition, and other factors.
http://news.yahoo.com/one-more-reason-save-bees-might-keep-going-005208418.html
