The Effects of Benzodiazepines on Hormones in Women with Idiopathic Hirsutism

    January 1984 in “ Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry ”
    Lorraine Dennerstein, Annette Callan, Garry L. Warne, Joe Montalto, J. B. Brown, Graham D. Burrows, A. Fulton, Morris Notelovitz
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    Studysummary This study found that benzodiazepine therapy in women with idiopathic hirsutism significantly increased sex hormone binding globulin and decreased dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, but did not significantly affect hair growth. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.
    In a single blind study conducted 40 years ago, 18 women with idiopathic hirsutism were given a placebo for one month followed by four months of benzodiazepine treatment (chlorazepate 15 mg or diazepam 10 mg nightly). Plasma samples were collected and hair growth was assessed monthly. After four months of benzodiazepine therapy, there was a significant increase in sex hormone binding globulin and a significant decrease in dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate in the follicular phase plasma samples compared to the placebo phase. However, no significant effects on hair growth were observed. The study suggested that a longer treatment period might be necessary to see the effects of benzodiazepines on hirsutism and recommended further research to determine the impact of benzodiazepines on hormonal parameters in both normal men and women.
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