Treatment Science

Gold standard oral treatment for male AGA with decades of large RCT data proving it slows loss and regrows hair.

The most widely studied hair growth agent with 35+ years of RCT evidence in both men and women.

Most potent 5-alpha reductase inhibitor with RCT evidence of superiority over finasteride.

Well-tolerated adjunct with antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and potential anti-androgenic properties.

Strong prostaglandin biology and one small positive RCT for scalp, but validated only for eyelash growth (via bimatoprost/Latisse)

Compelling PGD2-based rationale and consistently positive clinical signals with cetirizine, but no large definitive trial — best used as an adjunct to proven treatments

First-in-class thyromimetic with Phase 2a data showing modest hair count increases.

Compelling mechanistic biology and strong ex vivo data, but no positive human clinical trial for hair loss

First-in-class metabolic approach with strong preclinical rationale, early positive Phase 2a signal, but very limited clinical data and no peer-reviewed publications.

Two-component complex with plausible mechanisms but thin clinical evidence and key claims traceable to fabricated citations.

Three-ingredient complex with plausible biology but widely misrepresented marketing claims and no peer-reviewed human trial of the peptide alone.

Strong preclinical rationale from wound healing and genomics, but no rigorous human trial of topical GHK-Cu alone for hair loss.

Strongest preclinical hair biology of any peptide, but zero human hair trials -- best evidence is for wound healing, dry eye, and cardiac repair.

A genuine cause of reversible hair shedding in iron-deficient patients — but useless and potentially harmful if your iron stores are normal.

A botanical 5-alpha reductase inhibitor whose only high-quality trials (in BPH) showed no benefit over placebo; the positive AGA data are small and low-quality.

One small Malaysian RCT showed a hair-count increase. Never replicated. Used by Nutrafol to justify its tocotrienol content.

Correlated with AGA in observational studies. No RCT yet shows that supplementation reverses or slows hair loss.

Strong tissue repair peptide with zero evidence for hair loss — a category error when applied to the scalp.

The most-marketed hair vitamin — but it only helps if you're deficient, which almost no one is.

Generic anti-inflammatory rationale; no AGA-specific RCT support and abysmal oral bioavailability.

Severe deficiency (pellagra) causes alopecia. In a normal-diet adult, niacin supplementation does nothing for hair.

Well-established skin-barrier ingredient. Modest hair-shaft data; no AGA RCT.

Severe deficiency causes hair changes — but excess vitamin A is a well-documented cause of hair loss. The supplement industry rarely mentions that.

Helps if you're a vegan, elderly, or have pernicious anemia. Otherwise no AGA benefit.

Cofactor with no direct AGA evidence. Deficiency rare; mega-doses cause peripheral neuropathy.

Useful for confirmed zinc deficiency. No AGA benefit in zinc-replete adults; mega-doses cause copper deficiency.

Real stress-reduction evidence; zero direct evidence for AGA. Included in supplements on inferential 'stress → hair loss' logic.

Tested only in combination with saw palmetto. Standalone AGA effect unknown.

The signature ingredient of Viviscal — a proprietary marine peptide blend with no isolated-ingredient peer-reviewed AGA evidence.

A required nutrient with no direct AGA evidence. Useful only as an iron-absorption cofactor in patients supplementing iron.

Silica source with no AGA evidence.

Bone mineral with no documented hair-loss role. Filler in multivitamin-style hair supplements.

Traditional medicine ingredient with no quality RCTs — and documented hepatotoxicity case reports.

Traditional silica source with no quality AGA evidence.

Real iodine deficiency does affect hair via thyroid — but in iodized-salt populations, supplementing extra iodine is unnecessary and can harm.

Amino acid precursor with no direct AGA evidence.

Vegamour's signature ingredient. No peer-reviewed AGA evidence.

Weak in vitro 5-AR inhibition; no human AGA RCT.

Traditional medicine ingredient with no AGA evidence.

Weak in vitro phytoestrogen activity; no human AGA evidence.

Both deficiency and excess cause hair loss; supplementation in adequately-fed adults has no AGA benefit.

Generic dietary protein/micronutrient with no AGA evidence.

The common vitamin E form. Distinct from tocotrienol, which is the form with the single small Malaysian RCT. No alpha-tocopherol AGA evidence.