Study Shows Topical Caffeine As Effective As 5% Minoxidil

Dimitri001

Experienced Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
342
Sorry if this is old news, I've never seen it discussed.

Here's the study.

Now, there's a problem with it, which is this:

"The test product, 0.2% caffeine solution, is marketed as Alpecin Liquid by Dr. Kurt Wolff and distributed by the study sponsor Fullife Healthcare Pvt Ltd."

That, of course, doesn't necessarily mean there were any shenanigans and caffeine has been shown to promote hair growth and counteract the effects of DHT in other studies, but it has to make you suspicious.

Now, there's this further issue with it, which is that in this study found the following:

"For caffeine, dose-response experiments showed that a concentration of 0.15% was stimulatory in the MSOCM, but suppressive in the hair follicle model. Also concentrations of 0.05% and 0.01% showed suppression." (Mind you, this study found a hair growth promoting effect at lower concetrations.)

Now they mention the hair follicle MODEL and IDK whether that means that this is a THEORETICAL conclusion, or something that was observed in vitro, I haven't read the whole thing yet.

But anyway, the point is, there are several studies showing that caffeine counteracts the effects of DHT and that it promotes hair growth (even in the absence of DHT) and one suspect study showing it's as effective as 5% Minoxidil.

UPDATE:

The study that tested 0.001% and 0.005% found a greater stimulatory effect with 0.001% than 0.005%, which makes you wonder whether you couldn't get a yet greater effect with a lesser concentration.

UPDATE #2:

I gotta say, guys, this stuff sounds really promising. In this study, they biopsied hair follicles from Androgenetic Alopecia patients and they added testosterone to them and found the expected growth suppression effect and then they took follicles and put testosterone (at levels higher than present in blood) and combined it with caffeine and they found that with a 0.005% concentration of caffeine the follicles exhibited the same kind of growth as controls, in other words, the effect of testosterone was completely negated and with a 0.001% concentration they actually grew more than controls.

UPDATE #3:

I just realized that the study that tested 0.005% and 0.001% concentrations was "kindly supported by Dr Kurt Wolff GmbH, Bielefeld, Germany", the same cat who is selling the product that was used in the study comparing caffeine to Minoxidil.

So, obviously, this throws some suspicion on THAT study as well, but also begs the question, if concentrations higher than 0.005% were found to be inhibitory, why is he selling 0.2%?
 
Last edited:

Dimitri001

Experienced Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
342
So... fellas... any comments? :)

Anyone inclined to try it? Do you think it's bunk?

The challenge I see here is where do you obtain 0.001% caffeine. I've been phoning pharmacies in my country (Croatia) and they tell me they only make stuff from a doctor's prescription and I don't know that I could get any doctor to prescribe me 0.001% caffeine. Maybe some shyster with a private practice who'll do it if I just pay him.
 

James_UK

New Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
2
I tried their Alpecin liquid for 6 months and things just got gradually worse I'm afraid. Very disappointed. Maybe the concentration was too high, but I wonder if they arrived at the 0.2% having taken into account various factors related to penetration and bioavailability.
 

Stubaker

New Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
0
This is nothing new. It was discussed and tested on this forum and elsewhere at least 10 years ago.
 

Dimitri001

Experienced Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
342
This is nothing new. It was discussed and tested on this forum and elsewhere at least 10 years ago.

At the specific concentrations the research suggests? Again, the research suggests too high a concentration will be counter productive
 

Stubaker

New Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
0
At the specific concentrations the research suggests? Again, the research suggests too high a concentration will be counter productive

All I can tell you is caffeine has been thoroughly discussed in the past and many have tried it. (I don't remember anyone getting any results, but I also can't remember what concentrations were used). It also has been added to hair loss products at the ideal concentration outlined in the study. But, it's cheap to try out, so if you're curious, why not try it.
 

Dimitri001

Experienced Member
My Regimen
Reaction score
342
All I can tell you is caffeine has been thoroughly discussed in the past and many have tried it. (I don't remember anyone getting any results, but I also can't remember what concentrations were used). It also has been added to hair loss products at the ideal concentration outlined in the study. But, it's cheap to try out, so if you're curious, why not try it.

The products containing caffeine that I've looked at don't give info on what the concentration of caffeine is and the one that does did not have it in the concentration the study suggests, in fact, it had it in a concentration the study would suggest would be counter productive.

I am inclined to try it, but I don't know where I could get it in the needed concentration.
 
Top