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Our Members Asked:
Do hair loss supplements, such as Viviscal, Hair La Vie, and Nutrafol, or topical essential oils work?

Answer:
Deficiencies in nutrients such as iron, zinc, biotin, riboflavin, vitamin D and protein can cause hair loss. Supplementing to offset these deficiencies may reverse this hair loss. However, supplementing with these nutrients is unlikely to benefit people who already get adequate amounts.
Certain supplements — such as DHEA, selenium, St. John's wort, and vitamin A — as well as many drugs (including some blood pressure medications) can also cause hair loss. In some cases, discontinuing use of these agents can reverse hair loss.
Many supplement ingredients including saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, black seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, amla (Emblica officinalis), wheat polar-lipid complex (Ceramosides), black currant seed oil, and topical melatonin, as well as topical essential oils and caffeine are promoted for hair regrowth but have shown only modest benefits, at best, and the quality of the evidence is generally weak.
Similarly, there is little to no evidence to support the benefit of "hair formula" supplements, such as Forti5, Hair La Vie Clinical Formula, Lambdapil, Nourkrin, Nutrafol, and Viviscal (which includes marine protein) products, as well as hair loss shampoos such as Pura d'or Hair Thinning Therapy Shampoo or Nioxin shampoos.
There is preliminary evidence taking a low dose of the drug minoxidil orally (as opposed to its approved, topical use, as in Rogaine) or dutasteride (which is used for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia) may help regrow thinning hair and may work better than low-dose finasteride (Propecia, which is approved for treating male-pattern baldness), although there are possible side effects with these drugs.
Sign in as a member to learn more, including our assessments of the following supplement formulas and shampoos promoted for hair growth:
- Armra Colostrum Immune Revival
- Forti5
- Hair La Vie Clinical Formula
- Lambdapil Hair Density Capsules
- Nioxin
- NourishVita Hair, Lash & Brow Growth
- Nourkrin
- Nutrafol
- Pura d’or Hair Thinning Therapy Shampoo
- Viviscal
In addition the results of its expert testing, ConsumerLab uses only high-quality, evidence based, information sources. These sources include peer-reviewed studies and information from agencies such as the FDA and USDA, and the National Academy of Medicine. On evolving topics, studies from pre-print journals may be sourced. All of our content is reviewed by medical doctors and doctoral-level experts in pharmacology, toxicology, and chemistry. We continually update and medically review our information to keep our content trustworthy, accurate, and reliable. The following sources are referenced in this article:
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A federal complaint was recently filed charging that Nutrafol hair supplements are not “clinically proven,” as advertised, and alleging misleading online reviews. Get the details in our updated article about supplements for hair.
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Also see our CL Answer about health benefits of bovine colostrum.
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A case of severe fluid buildup was recently reported in a woman taking low-dose minoxidil. Get the details, and learn what some doctors now recommend when starting low-dose oral minoxidil treatment in our article about hair treatments.
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A CL Member asked how to get low-dose minoxidil (for hair growth), since it usually comes in higher-dose tablets. Find out in our article about supplements and treatments for hair.
Hair Growth Compared
August 26, 2022
We received and answered the following questions this week:
Oral Minoxidil for Hair?
August 23, 2022
Use of minoxidil as an oral treatment for hair growth is gaining in popularity - although it's not an FDA approved use of this drug. Learn if it works, dosage, and side effects in our CL Answer about supplements and topical treatments for hair.
Shampoo for Hair Growth?
July 01, 2022
Is there evidence that shampoos like d'or Hair Thinning Therapy Shampoo or Nioxin really work? Find out in our updated CL Answer about supplements and topical treatments for hair.
Nutrafol for Hair?
June 03, 2022
Is Nutrafol beneficial for hair growth? Get the details in our article about Supplements for Hair.
Help for Hair Growth?
June 01, 2022
Is there evidence that applying onion juice, castor oil, rice water, or aloe vera to the scalp aids in hair growth? We’ve added information about these approaches to our article about Supplements for Hair.
Rosemary for Hair Loss?
April 22, 2022
Does applying rosemary oil to the scalp reverse male pattern baldness? Find out what research shows in our updated answer about hair loss supplements.
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