Today we’ll be looking if minoxidil affects testosterone.
We answer questions such as does minoxidil increase testosterone? Or does minoxidil decrease testosterone?
This is important for both men and women alike. As minoxidil is used as a drug to treat male and female pattern baldness. Men also commonly use it in order to grow facial hair.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
Minoxidil effect on testosterone
The current research suspects that minoxidil has no effect on testosterone, although the evidence is not conclusive. Minoxidil is also not known to negatively impact testosterone levels.
The medicine Finasteride, which is used to treat male pattern baldness, works by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT).
Minoxidil works as a vasodilator. It widens the blood vessels, which will in turn lead to delivering more oxygen rich blood to the hair follicles where the minoxidil is applied.
Unlike Finasteride, which treats male pattern baldness (MPB) by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), Minoxidil works as a vasodilator. It widens the blood vessels in the area of application, to increase the local flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients. As such, it leaves your hormones well alone.[1]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3406044/
In 1987, a study was performed to test for a possible relation between minoxidil and testosterone levels by looking at the potential anti-androgenic effect of topical minoxidil solution.
The study concluded that they found no anti-androgenic effects in the topical minoxidil. And thus, suggests that minoxidil does not influence our hormones.[2]https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamadermatology/article-abstract/547872
However, another study performed in 2014 depicts a slightly different story. Instead of looking at the impact of minoxidil on testosterone levels, it looked at the possibility of the drug impacting our androgen receptors.
Androgen receptors are proteins found within male reproductive tissue, such as the prostate, that bind androgens like testosterone and DHT. These hormones would not become active without our androgen receptors.
The study showed no increases or decreases in testosterone, but it showed instead that minoxidil may potentially suppress the functions of our androgen receptors.
As such, there might be a possible link between minoxidil and our hormones.[3]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4039155/
A third and last study looked at the relation between minoxidil and hormone activity. The following study analyzed the connection between minoxidil and testosterone metabolism. They found that the 5alpha-reductase was slightly increased by minoxidil, but not to a significant degree. Testosterone levels were once again not affected by the drug.[4]https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10098703/
Do minoxidil and testosterone interact?
It seems like minoxidil and testosterone do not interact with one another. Although it has been shown in at least one study that minoxidil interacts with the androgen receptors. This means that minoxidil is improbable to impact muscle growth in any way, shape, or form.
But don’t worry, minoxidil has not been shown to affect testosterone. Minoxidil thus far has shown neither an increase in testosterone levels nor a decrease in testosterone levels. As such, the minoxidil brands like Rogaine have shown no negative side effects on testosterone levels and can be safely used by both men and women.
This makes minoxidil unlikely to influence one’s fertiliy.