Does Caffeine Really Help My Hair Loss?

By the age of 35, 40% of men have noticeable hair loss, and that number increases to 65% by age 60. If you’re experiencing hair loss, it can seem like there are just as many options for treatments and prevention as there are people dealing with it. It’s hard to know which products are backed by scientific research and which ones are overhyped snake oil.

One of the hair loss myths -- and there are so many -- is that consuming a lot of caffeine causes hair loss. Sure, drinking too much coffee or too many energy drinks might not be the healthiest choice, but it won’t cause you to lose a full head of hair.

In fact, caffeine can be used to treat and prevent hair loss. The topical application of caffeine can have beneficial effects in fighting male pattern baldness, including: inhibition of phosphodiesterase, barrier function improvement, follicular penetration, and stimulation and promotion of hair growth. Plus, caffeine dilates the blood vessels around each hair follicle to improve circulation and deliver vital nutrients to each strand of hair.

Caffeine also helps to prevent hair loss because it targets DHT, one of the key causes of male pattern baldness. DHT, also known as dihydrotestosterone, is a sex steroid derived from testosterone and helps give males their male characteristics, including development of the prostate gland and determining hair growth.

However, DHT can “shrink” hair follicles. When DHT attaches itself to the hair follicle, it prevents the absorption of the nutrients needed to keep the hair growth cycle going. This causes individual hairs to grow in thinner and shorter. Eventually this could mean new hairs won’t grow at all, resulting in baldness. That’s why reducing or blocking DHT is an effective way to prevent hair loss and even stimulate regrowth. (To learn more about DHT, click here)

So how do you add caffeine to your hair loss regimen? Hint: it doesn’t include drinking a whole pot of coffee. Both the GroMD Shampoo and GroMD Follicle Activator Spray are formulated with caffeine so you can experience its benefits. Our mission is to make fighting hair loss as simple as taking your daily shower, so our products are made with super effective ingredients that are safe for daily use--like caffeine. To learn more about the benefits of using GroMD products, click here.