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FDA approved for more than 25 years
Magnesium is a loveable overachiever. The essential mineral is said to help with everything from bone health to sleep to keeping you regular. But does magnesium help with hair loss? What about magnesium L-threonate hair loss treatment?
Here, we’ll focus on magnesium L-threonate’s relationship to hair loss (specifically its ability to combat hair loss) and its potential effect on DHT.
We’ll also talk about the overall benefits of magnesium L-threonate, the recommended dosage, and other proven hair loss treatments because — spoiler alert — there’s a lot to love about magnesium L-threonate, but helping you regrow lost hair probably isn’t one of those things.
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Magnesium L-Threonate is a supplement that combines magnesium with threonic acid (sometimes called L-threonic acid).
There are several types of magnesium, including magnesium glycinate or magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt). But magnesium L-threonate creates a highly bioavailable form of magnesium, meaning it passes the blood-brain barrier easily so the body can easily absorb and use it.
Magnesium L-threonate is a relatively recent discovery, introduced in 2010. For that reason, we don’t have much long-term data on its efficacy.
Your body doesn’t make magnesium, but it needs the essential mineral to function. (Essential minerals are those necessary for human health but need to be obtained through diet).
Magnesium is in many foods, but some people also supplement it. And magnesium L-Threonate is the most bioavailable form of magnesium.
While there are many potential benefits of magnesium, its effects on hair loss are up for debate.
Though magnesium is essential for overall health, limited evidence specifically links magnesium L-threonate to the prevention or treatment of hair loss. So no, unfortunately, you can’t just pop a magnesium supplement and expect to see hair regrowth.
How does magnesium help with hair loss, then? It might support growth in indirect ways. Let’s go over the research.
One 2012 study on women with self-perceived thinning hair found that those taking a nutritional supplement containing magnesium saw significant improvements at 90 and 180 days.
But the supplement contained a proprietary blend of many other ingredients, including vitamin C and shark and mollusk powder. So it’s impossible to say if magnesium or another ingredient was responsible for the new hair growth.
Another study (also on women) found that taking a magnesium supplement had “no significant effect on alopecia.” Alopecia is the clinical term for hair loss.
Still, getting enough magnesium is important for overall hair health. Here are a few ways magnesium helps your hair.
You may have heard through the grapevine that magnesium is connected to DHT (short for dihydrotestosterone). This androgen (aka male hormone) is largely responsible for male pattern baldness.
Are magnesium DHT effects real?
We don’t have much research (at least not yet) supporting this idea. But early research suggests that magnesium L-threonate might slow down or block the action of DHT-induced Dickkopf 1 (DKK-1) in cultured dermal papilla cells (DPCs or hair follicles).
Apologies for the science speak. What does this all mean?
Well, DKK-1 is a gene linked to androgen-related hair loss — that is, hair loss caused by too much of the male hormone DHT. So it’s possible magnesium L-threonate has a partial role in helping prevent baldness.
There’s also some evidence that magnesium can increase testosterone levels, and DHT is a byproduct of testosterone.
Normal magnesium levels have been shown to counteract the damaging effects of free radicals caused by things like UV rays, pollution, smoking, and more.
Some research shows that balding hair follicles have higher levels of oxidative damage, which happens when there are too many free radicals and not enough antioxidants. While magnesium isn’t a cure for male pattern baldness, it could theoretically help slow hair loss due to oxidative stress.
Magnesium helps with protein synthesis (the body’s process of making protein).
Hair is primarily made of a protein called keratin. So having enough magnesium in your diet (or supplementing with magnesium L-threonate) can help ensure you have enough protein to produce strong, healthy hair.
Many common scalp conditions — like tinea capitis (scalp ringworm), psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis (a primary cause of dandruff) — are categorized by scalp inflammation.
These scalp conditions generally don’t directly cause hair loss. But if left untreated, they can damage hair follicles and potentially cause scarring alopecia, a permanent form of hair loss.
Low magnesium levels are known to cause low-grade inflammation in the body. For that reason, getting enough magnesium could (again, theoretically) help manage scalp conditions.
You don’t think of hair loss and blood flow as being closely related. But the scalp and hair follicles need a steady supply of blood and oxygen to thrive.
In fact, minoxidil (the active ingredient in Rogaine®) is a vasodilator, meaning it dilates blood vessels so more blood, oxygen, and nutrients can reach the scalp.
Some studies have found that adequate magnesium improves blood flow. In that sense, it could — hypothetically — help slow the progression of hair loss. But much more research on the direct link is needed before anyone can say for sure.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium for men over age 31 is 420 milligrams (mg) daily and 320 milligrams for women of the same age.
That said, you should always check in with your healthcare provider before supplementing with magnesium (or anything else) to get the recommended dose for your specific situation.
You probably won’t see much benefit from supplementing with magnesium if you’re already getting enough from your diet. Foods rich in magnesium include pumpkin and chia seeds, nuts, leafy greens (think kale and spinach), avocado, and dark chocolate.
A 2018 study found that 10 to 30 percent of people have a magnesium deficiency. Beyond needing it for various bodily functions, magnesium is generally known to have many benefits.
Each form of magnesium has some similar and some unique benefits, but here, we’re focusing on the overall health benefits of magnesium L-threonate.
Much research links magnesium L-threonate to improved brain function, especially in Alzheimer’s patients.
A 2022 study looked at just over 100 healthy Chinese adults between 18 and 65. It found that magnesium L-threonate helped improve learning, recall, memory, and cognitive abilities in people of all ages, with the most notable improvements seen in older adults.
Subjects were given “The Clinical Memory Test” — a standard assessment used commonly in Chinese hospitals and academic institutes for cognitive evaluation. Participants did the test before and 30 days after receiving the supplement, suggesting that improvements in cognitive function after taking magnesium L-threonate happen quickly.
A 2023 study looked at how cancer patients taking opioids responded to magnesium L-threonate supplementation. It found that those taking daily magnesium L-threonate needed less morphine after 30 to 90 days of supplementation compared to a placebo group.
Exactly how magnesium L-threonate reduces pain isn’t entirely known. But researchers think it may change the way the brain perceives pain, making it seem less intense.
The same 2023 study mentioned above showed that magnesium L-threonate helps reduce constipation.
Bear in mind the study specifically looked at opioid-induced constipation, but magnesium is often used as a mild laxative. So even if your constipation isn’t related to medication, magnesium L-threonate may still help.
Because magnesium L-threonate can easily cross the blood-brain barrier, it’s thought to be a potentially good option for folks with treatment-resistant depression. (Magnesium levels are often lower in patients with depression).
Research has suggested that increasing brain levels of magnesium could help with psychological and neurological conditions, such as:
Migraine and headaches
Alzheimer’s disease
Stroke
Anxiety and chronic stress
Still, more trials on humans are needed, as most of the research on magnesium L-threonate and the brain comes from animal studies.
Magnesium L-Threonate is generally safe and well-tolerated. However, there are some potential side effects of magnesium to be aware of, including:
Nausea
Abdominal cramping
Diarrhea
Another thing to note is that magnesium can make it harder for the body to absorb calcium. But this may only be a concern if you take too much magnesium or if your calcium levels are already low. If you’re taking a calcium citrate supplement, you may want to take it at a different time of day than your magnesium supplement.
In very rare cases, magnesium toxicity is possible. Usually, this is caused by very high doses of magnesium-containing laxatives.
These symptoms could be a sign of magnesium toxicity:
Facial flushing
Urine retention
Vomiting
Low blood pressure
Lethargy
Seek medical advice from a healthcare professional if you experience any of these symptoms.
There’s a lot to love about magnesium L-Threonate, but it’s probably not going to slow down hair loss or help with regrowth drastically. If that’s what you’re after, it’s better to try one of these proven treatment options.
Oral finasteride is a prescription medication that’s been proven to slow androgen-driven hair loss and stimulate new hair growth in men with male pattern baldness.
This condition is primarily caused by a genetic sensitivity to DHT. Research shows finasteride can lower DHT levels by up to 90 percent.
Minoxidil is a vasodilator that expands hair follicles and enhances oxygen and blood flow to the scalp. We offer both a minoxidil liquid solution and minoxidil foam, each at a 5% concentration (no prescription required).
Topical minoxidil is FDA-approved for treating hair loss.
Additionally, there’s an oral version of minoxidil, which requires a prescription and isn’t FDA-approved specifically for hair loss. However, oral minoxidil is sometimes used off-label to address excessive shedding and can be an alternative for those who prefer not to use a topical product.
Oral minoxidil chews might be available to you following a virtual check-in with one of our healthcare providers.
These two are even better together. Research shows that using a combination of minoxidil and finasteride is more effective than either alone.
Our topical finasteride & minoxidil spray is an easy way to make that happen.
Our hair-thickening shampoo contains saw palmetto. Research suggests this plant-derived substance can slow hair loss and promote regrowth. Like finasteride, saw palmetto acts as a partial DHT blocker, making it an excellent choice for those combating male pattern baldness — but less suitable for hair loss due to medication, illness, or stress.
Our thickening conditioner, enriched with niacinamide, helps build keratin, the essential protein that forms hair.
Our volumizing shampoo and conditioner enhance volume at the roots, giving hair a fuller appearance. This is particularly beneficial for guys with diffuse hair loss (thinning all over).
Does magnesium help with hair loss? Maybe, but there are better, scientifically proven ways to support hair growth.
TL;DR? We got ya. Here’s the long and short of magnesium L-threonate and hair loss:
There’s limited evidence for magnesium L-threonate hair loss treatment. While magnesium L-threonate shows potential in inhibiting DHT-induced hair loss, there’s limited evidence specifically supporting its use as a treatment for hair loss. More research is needed to establish a clear connection.
But it has overall health benefits. Magnesium L-threonate offers numerous health benefits beyond hair health, including improved cognitive function, brain health, pain alleviation, and relief from constipation.
Alternative hair loss treatments are available. If you’re looking for something proven to fight hair loss, a medication specifically designed for the treatment of male pattern baldness is your best bet. Check out our hair loss treatments, or connect with one of our healthcare providers to learn more about finasteride and minoxidil.
Interested in learning more about the link between dietary supplements and hair loss? Check out our guide to hair loss supplements.
And if you’d like to explore any of the proven hair loss treatments listed above, start by booking a consultation through our online platform.
Hims & Hers has strict sourcing guidelines to ensure our content is accurate and current. We rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We strive to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references. See a mistake? Let us know at [email protected]!
Dr. Knox Beasley is a board certified dermatologist specializing in hair loss. He completed his undergraduate studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, and subsequently attended medical school at Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, LA.
Dr. Beasley first began doing telemedicine during his dermatology residency in 2013 with the military, helping to diagnose dermatologic conditions in soldiers all over the world.
Dr. Beasley is board certified by the American Board of Dermatology, and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Originally from Nashville, TN, Dr. Beasley currently lives in North Carolina and enjoys spending time outdoors (with sunscreen of course) with his wife and two children in his spare time.
Bachelor of Science, Life Sciences. United States Military Academy.
Doctor of Medicine. Tulane University School of Medicine
Dermatology Residency. San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium
Board Certified. American Board of Dermatology
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