Aldactone

Today's level hair loss treatment is unofficially called the age of "finasteride" and "minoxidil". But amidst these FDA-approved drugs are a number of other existing medications said to be effective for hair loss prevention. One of them is Aldactone (spironolactone).

What Is Aldactone?

Aldactone, the brand name for spironolactone, belongs to the class of medications called potassium-sparing diuretics. It helps the body eliminate excess fluids through urine while retaining potassium. Thus, it is primarily used as a diuretic although it has other possible applications.

Because of the drug's ability in retaining potassium, it can increase potassium levels in the blood to dangerous mark. This is called hypercalemia caused by aldactone. It is for this reason that the drug is only used under a doctor's supervision, and must not be used in conjunction with other potassium-retaining drugs.

Spironolactone can only be dispensed through prescription, and mostly prescribed to treat high blood pressure and edema (water retention in hands and feet caused by liver, heart, or kidney disease), as well as alleviate potassium deficiency and hyperaldosteronism. Hyperaldosteronism is a hormonal disorder characterized by having abnormally high levels of aldosterone, which is a naturally occurring hormone.

Aldactone (spironolactone) is known to be one of the most potent antiadrogens there is today. This medication is available in 25mg, 50mg, and 100mg tablets to treat the diseases mentioned early in this article, but where hair loss is concerned, consumers can benefit best from its topical form. Oral intake of this drug can lead to serious potential side effects of Aldactone especially in men, but appears to be well-tolerated, when used topically or orally, by women.

Patients who took Aldactone observed a stop to hair loss and little regrowth since spironolactone contains anti-androgenic properties; and because it is highly tolerated by women, it has been used in the treatment of women hair loss. Aldactone for hair loss treatment in women have not earned any scientific applause, yet, but its mechanism of action as an anti-androgen should call for further studies.

Some clinical studies on spironolactone have issued a stern warning against the use of this medication. The drug developed tumors in the laboratory animals.

Initial studies on spironolactone suggest that the drug needs at least 200mg per day to possibly stop hair loss, while it has little benefits on hair regrowth. Unfortunately, at this dosage, potassium in the blood can elevate to a level considered dangerous to human health and can possibly put a patient at great risk of hyperkalemia caused by Aldactone. Among the other possible side effects include diarrhea and cramps.

Aldactone And Pregnancy

In general, women should not take medications other than those prescribed by their doctors because some drugs are potent enough to cause abnormalities in fetuses. Moreover, Aldactone has anti-androgenic activity that could affect the unborn child, as suggested by its harmful effects on fetuses of laboratory animals.

In male-pattern apolecia, the anti-androgen properties of spironolactone (that inhibits testosterone) cause sexual dysfunction and enlargement of breast in men. These side effects make the drug unsuitable in the treatment of male androgenetic apolecia.

Finding possible treatments, or cure, for baldness is still somewhat in its infancy. To date, there are only two FDA-approved medications for treatment of hair loss, Propecia (finasteride) and Rogaine (minoxidil). Based on clinical studies, the former proved to be more effective but both drugs, used in combination, can provide synergistic effects in promoting hair regrowth.

Patients experiencing hair loss need not despair though. As scientists are slowly unearthing the causes of hair loss and understanding the role of genetics, new scientific studies might be able to gather other significant data to support the claims of most of today's non-FDA approved hair loss treatment products.