Nettle Root
Stinging Nettle Root (Urtica dioica)
Weak in vitro 5-AR inhibition; no human AGA RCT.
How Nettle Root works — and how well we know it
In vitro data suggests weak inhibition of 5-alpha reductase and binding to sex hormone-binding globulin. Mechanism is plausible but very weak and has not been shown to translate to clinical effect for AGA.
oral
Variable; included in proprietary blends.
Traditional herbal medicine. Limited approval for benign prostatic hyperplasia in some European markets.
Nothing AGA-specific.
Evidence distribution across 1 claims
Why the grade is F. No AGA RCT. Mechanism is in vitro only.
Every claim, traced back to its source
We took every major claim made about Nettle Root and matched it to the specific experimental model behind it. Click a claim to see the model, the finding, and our assessment of how much weight it deserves.
1 claims · evidence-by-evidence breakdown
1In VitroWeight: LowNettle root weakly inhibits 5-alpha reductase in vitroIn vitro 5-AR inhibition that does not translate to clinical AGA effect.
Cell-free and prostate-tissue enzyme assays.
Inhibitory effect documented at high concentrations.
Like many botanicals, the in vitro signal hasn't translated to clinical effect. No AGA RCT has tested nettle root specifically.
- Hartmann RW et al. (1996). Phytomedicine PMID 23195036
What's still missing from the science
- AGA-specific human trial of any design.
Our verdict on Nettle Root
Not in our formulary yet
We don't carry this ingredient. We only formulate around actives where the evidence — and the safety profile — is strong enough to recommend with confidence. As the data matures, we may revisit.
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How does Nettle Root stack up against its closest peers?
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Read the breakdown →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.
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