566 | id == 566
566 | category_id == 30
566 | category_order == 27
566 | category_name == Hair Loss
566 | category_color == #C47AC0
566 | slug == FADS1-baldness
566 | title == Fatty Acid Metabolism in Follicle Activity & Hair Growth (FADS1)
566 | meta_description == The FADS1 gene encodes an enzyme that produces EPA and arachidonic acid. How does it affect hair growth?
566 | summary == <p><strong>The <em>FADS1 </em>gene encodes an enzyme that produces EPA and arachidonic acid from other fats. How does it affect hair growth? Read on to find out.</strong></p>
566 | overall_score_text == Your Hair Loss Score (based on FADS1)
566 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/FADS1-Male-pattern-baldness.jpg
566 | author_id == 1
566 | author_name == Jasmine Foster
566 | author_title == BSc, BEd
566 | author_order == 36
566 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Jasmine.jpg
566 | author_intro == <p><strong>Jasmine received her BS from McGill University and her BEd from Vancouver Island University.</strong></p>    <p>Jasmine loves helping people understand their brains and bodies, a passion that grew out of her dual background in biology and education. From the chem lab to the classroom, everyone has the right to learn and make informed decisions about their health.</p>
566 | reviewer == None
566 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
566 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
566 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
566 | publish_date == 2020
566 | publish_date == 12
566 | publish_date == 22
566 | avg_rating == 5.0
566 | tags_id == 286
566 | tags_name == FADS1 Gene
566 | tags_id == 275
566 | tags_name == FADS2 Gene
566 | tags_id == 570
566 | tags_name == Fat Metabolism
566 | tags_id == 244
566 | tags_name == Fish oil
566 | tags_id == 1032
566 | tags_name == Hair Follicle
566 | tags_id == 1033
566 | tags_name == Hair Growth Cycle
566 | tags_id == 1029
566 | tags_name == Hair Loss
566 | tags_id == 1028
566 | tags_name == Male-Pattern Baldness
566 | permissions_favorite == False
566 | permissions_rate == False
566 | content_article == <h2><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">encodes fatty acid desaturase 1. Variants of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> may play a role in male-pattern baldness by reducing follicle activity and decreasing hair quality. Lifestyle, diet, and supplement modifications may counteract the effects of these variants by increasing the downstream products of FADS1 and FADS2.</span></p> <h2><strong><em>FADS1</em></strong><strong> and Male-Pattern Baldness</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/fads1/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1</span></em></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene encodes fatty acid desaturase 1, a protein that converts </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">omega-3</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and omega-6 fatty acids into EPA and arachidonic acid, respectively [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3992"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">EPA and arachidonic acid are both important ingredients for making healthy hair. Arachidonic acid stimulates the production of growth factors which, in turn, enhance follicle activity and hair growth. EPA is directly incorporated into the outer layers of the skin structure; many studies have found that direct or dietary exposure to EPA improves the health of skin cells [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737836/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4828511/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One variant in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene has been associated with male-pattern baldness. The detrimental allele of this variant likely reduces the function of the FADS1 enzyme, leading to decreased production of EPA and arachidonic acid from their fatty acid precursors [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3992"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As a result, people with this allele may have reduced follicle activity (due to low arachidonic acid) and poor-quality hair (due to low EPA) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737836/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4828511/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <h3><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">: A Secondary Association</span></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The variant associated with male-pattern baldness, rs1535, may also affect the expression of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. As its name suggests, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes an enzyme very closely related to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and with a similar function [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/83512"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Decreased FADS2 enzyme function is associated with reduced production of EPA and </span><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">DHA</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which can lead to poor skin and hair quality, similar to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30368227/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gene encodes an enzyme that converts omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids into EPA and arachidonic acid, which in turn support follicle activity and hair growth.</span></span></p> <h2><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>FADS1</em></strong><strong> Results for Male-Pattern Baldness</strong></h2> <p>*5105970975675256*</p> <p><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/fads1/"><strong>FADS1</strong></a> <a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs1535/"><strong>rs1535</strong></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25826379/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Associated with relatively higher rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Associated with relatively lower rates of male-pattern baldness</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The &lsquo;G&rsquo; allele may increase FADS1 and FADS2 enzyme activity, leading to higher levels of EPA, DHA, and arachidonic acid [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3992"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></li> </ul> <p>*8076986962517083*</p> <h2><strong>Recommendations for [Improving Phenotype]</strong></h2> <p>*2834030822716369*</p> <h3><strong>Fish &amp; Fish Oil</strong></h3> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1 dysfunction may reduce the formation of EPA, a form of omega-3 fatty acid that is an important component of hair. EPA (and another important omega-3 fatty acid, DHA) is abundant in fish and fish oil [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4828511/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><a href="http://selfhacked.com/blog/top-22-science-based-health-benefits-of-fish-oil/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish oil</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">&rsquo;s plentiful DHA content can also help make up for low </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS2</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> activity and help improve skin and hair [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30368227/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fish also contains arachidonic acid in quantities that are well-balanced with omega-3 fats. Arachidonic acid is abundant in animal-based foods (meat, fish, eggs, and dairy), so you probably don&rsquo;t need to go looking for an extra source unless you follow a vegetarian or </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/16-nutrients-vegans-arent-getting/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">vegan</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> diet [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6052655/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257651/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In one study, fish oil derived from mackerel helped improve hair growth. The authors attributed the improvement to the high levels of DHA and EPA in the oil [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6164340/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Researchers from Harvard Medical School suggest a daily dose of 1 gram of fish oil per day to maintain health [<a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/should-you-be-taking-an-omega-3-supplement">R</a>].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you use an omega-3 supplement other than fish oil, be sure it includes EPA specifically and not just ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). The FADS1 enzyme is needed to convert ALA into EPA, so people with potentially detrimental </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">FADS1</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> variants may not get as much benefit from ALA as from EPA [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6117694/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400; background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Fish oil is abundant in EPA and DHA, and it is also a balanced source of arachidonic acid. Limited research suggests that fish oil may support hair growth.</span></p>
566 | content_snp_table_5105970975675256_key == 5105970975675256
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566 | content_snp_table_5105970975675256_hidden == False
566 | content_learn_more_8076986962517083_key == 8076986962517083
566 | content_learn_more_8076986962517083_blur == True
566 | content_learn_more_8076986962517083_hidden == False
566 | content_learn_more_8076986962517083_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your FADS1 gene is somewhat associated with poor follicle activity and hair quality. However, this doesn't necessarily reflect your overall risk of male-pattern baldness; it’s just one gene related to it. Fish and fish oil may help. Keep scrolling to find out more.
566 | content_recommendation_2834030822716369_key == 2834030822716369
566 | content_recommendation_2834030822716369_blur == True
566 | content_recommendation_2834030822716369_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs1535
rsStatus = rs1535,FADS2,chr11,61830500,A,G,T,,28,0,Normal
