Dimethylglycine Sodium Salt and Caffeine Shampoo Effective in Androgenetic Alopecia

The use of a novel dimethylglycine sodium salt (DMG-Na) and caffeine-containing shampoo for androgenetic alopecia may be effective for patients, new findings suggest, with promising results and a lack of notable side effects.1

Such findings were the conclusion of a recent 24-week study whose authors included such investigators as Leonardo Celleno, of the Product Testing Department at Eurofins Biopharma in Rome. Celleno and coauthors highlighted that DMG is a glycine derivative that is naturally occurring and a part of the endogenous homocysteine pathway.2

"To date, no published studies have documented the beneficial effects of topically applied dimethylglycine sodium salt (DMG-Na) on male pattern hair loss in vivo,” Celleno et al wrote.1 “In this study, we present findings from a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial investigating the efficacy of a shampoo containing DMG-Na and caffeine against male pattern hair loss.”

Trial Design Details

The investigative team highlighted prior data indicating that topically applied DMG-Na can stimulate endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity, noting that this process can promote nitric oxide production and improving skin microcirculation. As adequate microcirculation has been noted as being closely linked to hair growth, the team's analysis aimed to look into whether a shampoo containing DMG-Na in combination with caffeine could be effective in treating androgenetic alopecia.

During Celleno and colleagues' randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, lasting 24 weeks, a total of 154 men with male pattern hair loss were assigned to be treated with either the shampoo formulated with DMG-Na and caffeine or a placebo shampoo base that had identical conditioning properties but lacked the novel shampoo's active ingredients. Both of these products were packaged identically to maintain blinding.

Allocation was based on a randomized sequence that was created by an independent biostatistician. The investigators' sponsor coded the samples consecutively from 1 - 154. In terms of main outcome measures, the team looked into changes from the point of baseline in hair count through the hair pull test following 6 months of day-to-day product use. A subgroup of 30 participants also underwent phototrichogram analysis, with Celleno et al seeking to further assess hair growth parameters.

Findings on DMG-Na and Caffeine Shampoo

Following a 6-month period, investigators concluded that those involved in the active treatment arm demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in the number of hairs extracted during the hair pull test as opposed to those included in the placebo arm (−2.8 ± 1.6 vs. 0.6 ± 2.2; P < .001). Additionally, Celleno and coauthors found that no adverse events were observed over the course of their research.

In the investigative team's phototrichogram assessments, their findings indicated that there were increases in trial participants' total hair count, their hair density, and the proportion of hairs in the anagen phase, all of which were shown to be statistically significant (P < .001). Overall, the team's conclusions would indicate that the DMG-Na and caffeine-containing shampoo may provide those suffering from male pattern hair loss with a safe and effective option for improving hair growth, given the positive impacts of the topical hair treatment as well as the lack of notable side effects.

“This innovative dimethylglycine sodium salt and caffeine-containing shampoo proved to be a safe and effective treatment for male pattern hair loss; significantly outperforming a corresponding placebo in reducing pattern hair loss and improving hair growth parameters, such as hair density and the anagen/telogen ratio,” Celleno and colleagues concluded.1

References

1. L Celleno, C Bussoletti, MV Tolaini, et al. “ A Novel Approach Against Male Pattern Hair Loss With Topical Dimethylglycine Sodium Salt (DMG-Na) and Caffeine: Efficacy of a 24-Week, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial,” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 24, no. 8 (2025): e70390, https://doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70390.

2. MJ Cupp and TS Tracy. Dietary Supplements: Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology (Humana Press, 2003). (Forensic Science and Medicine).