Efficacy of Oral Supplementation with Serenoa Repens, Pumpkin Seed Extract, and Cysteine Combined with Topical Minoxidil 5% Versus Topical Minoxidil 5% Alone in Androgenic Alopecia: A Randomized Assessor-Blinded 6-Month Superiority Trial
February 2025
in “
Clinical & Experimental Dermatology and Therapies
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TLDR Combining supplements with minoxidil improves hair growth more than minoxidil alone.
The study evaluated the effectiveness of combining oral supplements (Serenoa repens, pumpkin seed extract, and cysteine) with topical 5% minoxidil versus using minoxidil alone for treating androgenic alopecia. Conducted over 6 months with 50 participants (40 men, 10 women), the trial demonstrated that the combination treatment significantly improved hair growth, with Group A achieving a Global Photographic Assessment Score (GPAS) of 2.3 compared to 1.8 in Group B, a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0016). Both treatments were well tolerated, with only mild scalp dermatitis reported. The study concludes that these supplements enhance the clinical efficacy of minoxidil in treating AGA.
