Stevia could supercharge minoxidil, making it more effective
A new 2025 study suggests that stevioside—a natural sweetener from the stevia plant—can help minoxidil (a common hair loss treatment) get absorbed more effectively.
Researchers used microneedle patches with stevioside to boost how much minoxidil reaches hair follicles, tackling its usual problem of not soaking in well.
Mice saw way more hair coverage on bald patches
In lab mice designed to mimic pattern baldness, these patches led to an 18-fold increase in minoxidil absorption.
After just over a month, mice treated this way had 67.5% hair coverage on bald spots—way higher than the 25.7% seen with regular minoxidil.
Hair even started growing back sooner using this approach.
More research is needed before this combo hits the market
While the results are exciting, more research and clinical trials are needed before you'll see this combo at your local pharmacy.
Still, it's a cool example of how natural ingredients could level up classic treatments for hair loss.