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Spironolactone is known as a diuretic (water pill), that prevents the body from absorbing too much salt and keeps your potassium levels from getting too low. Typically used to treat high blood pressure and heart attacks, spironolactone is also available on prescription to treat hair loss in women.
Key insights:
- The in vivo (in rats) evidence shows that spironolactone is an androgen receptor antagonist. This means that it can bind to proteins called androgen receptors, inhibiting the ability of hormones like testosterone and dihydrotestosterone to exert their effects.
- The clinical evidence suggests that spironolactone may increase hair density and decrease hair shedding. However, some patients experienced adverse effects such as hypertension, dizziness, nausea, and hyperkalemia (high potassium). Other clinical studies have found that a combination treatment of spironolactone and minoxidil led to an initial increase in hair shedding (for the first 3-6 weeks) followed by an overall reduction in hair shedding after 3 months and an increase in hair density at 6 months.
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