Minoxidil and exercise are frequently combined. It should be noted that most do so without issues.
But since minoxidil is a vasodilator that was used to treat high blood pressure in the first place, it makes sense that it can affect workouts to some degree.
It’s time to explore how minoxidil and working out interact with one another.
Does minoxidil affect workouts or not?
Technically speaking, minoxidil can have a slight detrimental effect on your workouts. Let me explain why.
Minoxidil was originally founded and utilized as blood pressure medication. Nowadays, it is largely used to slow down hair loss, and in an attempt to regrow lost hair.
Minoxidil is a vasodilator, which means it opens up the blood vessels, which will result in lower blood pressure. This means that it belongs to the medication class of antihypertensives.
This means that using minoxidil, especially right before working out, can make you more susceptible to fatigue and heart palpitations. If you use too much minoxidil, then you might even experience dizziness and headaches since your blood pressure will be too low. This is one of the possible side effects of minoxidil overdosing.
While your strength will typically not be impacted, your cardiovascular endurance might since it’s a lot more straining on the heart and overall cardiovascular system.
Yet, in most cases, minoxidil, and exercise can be combined perfectly fine without any issues. Not to mention that minoxidil has no real effect on hormones either.
Can I use minoxidil before going to the gym?
Yes, you can use minoxidil before going to the gym.
Nevertheless, applying minoxidil just before working out is not advised since you’re at risk of sweating when exercising. This can dilute the minoxidil, or even wash off the solution completely. Needless to say, this makes the product less effective, or even completely inefficient when it’s being totally rinsed off.
Due to this, it’s recommended to let the product dry for at least 4 hours if you do decide to use it before working out. This way, you give the medication some time to be absorbed by the skin.
Yet, it’s completely safe, even if you apply it just before you start working out. The only concern related to this is a possible, and likely a decrease in the product’s efficiency.
Can you work out after using Rogaine?
Yes, you can work out after using Rogaine. But again, if you decide to exercise right after applying Rogaine then you run the risk of the minoxidil getting diluted due to sweating, or being cleansed completely.
That being said, like with every brand of minoxidil, it’s entirely safe and sound to train after using Rogaine, even if you decide to exercise right after utilizing the product.
It’s still advised to wait for at least 4 hours before training to give your skin the required time to absorb the topical solution.
How long should I wait to work out after minoxidil?
I would advise waiting between 4–6 hours before working out after applying minoxidil.
75% of the minoxidil should be absorbed after 4 hours, which means you’ll get most of the benefits of the good after four hours.
Conclusion
Combining minoxidil and exercise is perfectly fine, except for those with preexisting heart problems, and possibly for people who extremely exert themselves.
You can apply minoxidil before working out without any difficulty. It’s even safe to do so right before you start training.
Nonetheless, it’s advised that you apply minoxidil after working out, or a few hours before exercising to give your skin sufficient time to soak up the product.