What is Sulfotransferase and how can it change how well Minoxidil works for you? Learn more here.
If you are noticing a little hair thinning and want to do something about it, oftentimes the first direction that people go in is trying out topical over-the-counter Minoxidil (the active ingredient inside of the popular medication Rogaine).
But, let’s pretend that while you are at your local drug store in the Rogaine aisle checking out the options, another person with the same level of hair thinning, same gender, and approximately your same age comes in and ends up buying the exact same product as you. Let’s even say that the underlying cause for both of you is the same, and that the hair thinning started at around the same time.
It is possible that 4-6 months later, after both of you used the medication in exactly the same way, you do not get any positive results, while the other person is very happy with the progress they see in their hair.
What potentially happened here?
Why do some people respond well to Minoxidil, while it doesn’t seem to do much for others? The answer might have to do with follicular sulfotransferase enzyme activity.
Below, we will explain just what sulfotransferase is, what sulfotransferase does to Minoxidil, if sulfotransferase activity may be a predictor of who might respond to Minoxidil, and ways that you may be able to help boost your sulfotransferase activity for a better response to Minoxidil therapy.
Sulfotransferase is an enzyme that is in the body. In this case, sulfotransferase is found in the outer sheath of the hair follicles.
Enzymes are protein complexes that react with other things in order to change them in some way. A sulfotransferase enzyme does just what the name suggests -- it transfers a sulfo group from a donor molecule to an acceptor molecule.
When you pick up a Minoxidil product at the store, the Minoxidil is not quite in its active form to work on your hair follicles and scalp.
But, when this Minoxidil chemical comes into contact with a sulfotransferase enzyme, a reaction is catalyzed to transform the Minoxidil into Minoxidil Sulfate. It is this Minoxidil Sulfate form that will be active in the scalp and hair follicles.
According to one study done in India on 120 patients who arrived at a hair loss clinic, 49.3% of them had low levels of sulfotransferases.
Now that you know how important sulfotransferase enzymes are to convert Minoxidil to the active form, you can probably understand how if someone has a very low sulfotransferase activity in the hair follicles, Minoxidil might not work as well for them.
It may be possible that knowing someone’s sulfotransferase activity might help predict if they would respond well to treatment with Minoxidil.
Luckily, even if you do have (or suspect you have) a low sulfotransferase activity, you may still be able to successfully use Minoxidil. Using certain ingredients along with your Minoxidil application may help boost sulfotransferase levels and make the response better.
One small study had 24 men apply either just Minoxidil 5% daily for 2 months, or apply a sulfotransferase enzyme booster called SULT1A1 just before the application of the Minoxidil 5% daily for 2 months. At the end of 60 days, 33% of the Minoxidil-only group reported some hair regrowth, while 75% of the Minoxidil plus SULT1A1 reported regrowth.
A popular skincare ingredient is a retinoid called Tretinoin. And, Tretinoin has been found to be able to enhance the expression of follicular sulfotransferase.
One study showed that 43% of participants who were predicted to not be responders to Minoxidil therapy for hair loss were transformed into Minoxidil responders by using Tretinoin topically on the scalp for just 5 days.
At Strut, we try to stay on top of the latest developments when it comes to hair loss treatments, including ways to help enhance the response to treatments, like combining Minoxidil with Tretinoin.
For this reason, we offer the option of including a little Tretinoin in our topical Minoxidil hair formulations. These formulas can also include other active ingredients like Finasteride, Dutasteride, or Spironolactone. Our medications are customized for each individual and made at U.S. compounding pharmacies.
If you are interested in trying a Strut hair loss formulation with Minoxidil and Tretinoin combined, simply select the formulation you are considering, and complete a free online questionnaire and image-based consultation in under 15 minutes. Our U.S. doctors with review your information and put together a formula and treatment plan for you (if appropriate). Then, your medication will be shipped to your front door with our free shipping.
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