Active Ingredients: Minoxidil

Oral Minoxidil Tablets

(Generic Loniten)

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What is oral Minoxidil?

Oral Minoxidil is a medication that is FDA-approved to treat high blood pressure, but it is also sometimes prescribed off-label in lower dosages for hair loss treatment. When clinical trials were being conducted with oral Minoxidil for blood pressure, many patients reported longer, thicker, and darker hairs growing on the body, including the hair on their scalp. For this reason, some doctors prescribe this medication off-label as an alternative to hair loss medications like Finasteride that modulate DHT in the body, or as an add-on to other topical or oral hair loss treatments.

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How does oral Minoxidil work?

The exact mechanism behind how Minoxidil leads to hair benefits is not fully known. But, we do know that Minoxidil can increase the size of hair follicles and extend the hair growth phase, this may be what is behind the increased hair growth. We also know that Minoxidil can relax the smooth muscles inside your vessels, increasing blood flow (which is how it works for blood pressure reduction). This increased blood flow to the scalp may be part of the mechanism of slowed hair loss and potential increased growth.

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How should I take oral Minoxidil tablets?

Take your dose of oral Minoxidil at the same time each day, once a day. You may take Minoxidil with or without food, but you may want to try taking it with food if you notice stomach upset after your dose. If you miss a dose and are only off by a few hours, you may go ahead and take your missed dose. However, if you missed a dose and it has been more than a few hours skip your dose and continue on like usual the next day.

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How to store oral Minoxidil tablets?

Store your Minoxidil in a closed container at room temperature in a dry environment. Avoid bathroom storage due to a potentially high-humidity environment. Store Minoxidil tablets safely away from pets and children.

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What are the potential side effects of Minoxidil tablets?

The most common side effect reported with oral Minoxidil tablets is additional hair growth on the face or body, not just the scalp. Other potential more common side effects may include a lowering of your blood pressure, increased swelling of the legs, and headaches. These side effects may be more pronounced when using higher strengths of oral Minoxidil as compared to the lower strengths. Please refer to the Safety Info tab on the product page to review the full safety information and potential side effects of this medication.

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How long until I may see an effect from oral Minoxidil tablets?

Oral Minoxidil may produce positive hair effects similar to the topical Minoxidil formulas. This may mean that you could start seeing the first beneficial hair effects on the scalp, including the crown and hairline, after a few months of use as directed by your doctor. These hair growth effects may continue as long as the medication is continued. If you stop using Minoxidil, the hair improvements that occurred from the medication will likely stop.

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Important Safety Information for Minoxidil Tablets

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Contraindications and warnings:

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Minoxidil tablets contain a powerful antihypertensive agent which may

produce serious adverse effects. It can cause pericardial effusion, occasionally

progressing to tamponade, and angina pectoris may be exacerbated. Minoxidil should be reserved for hypertensive patients who do not respond adequately to maximum

therapeutic doses of a diuretic and two other antihypertensive agents.

In experimental animals, minoxidil caused several kinds of myocardial lesions as well as other adverse cardiac effects.

Minoxidil tablets must be administered under close supervision, usually concomitantly with therapeutic doses of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent to prevent tachycardia and

increased myocardial workload. It must also usually be given with a diuretic, frequently

one acting in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle, to prevent serious fluid

accumulation. 

Patients with malignant hypertension and those already receiving

guanethidine should be hospitalized when Minoxidil is first

administered so that they can be monitored to avoid too rapid, or large orthostatic,

decreases in blood pressure.

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• Do not use Minoxidil if you have a pheochromocytoma tumor (adrenal gland tumor).
• Call your doctor and get medical care at once if you develop worsening or new chest pain, shortness of breath, pain upon breathing, or increased heart rate.
• Do not take Minoxidil if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in the tablet.
• You should weigh yourself regularly while taking Minoxidil, call your doctor if you gain 5 or more pounds very rapidly.
• Check your blood pressure and heart rate often while taking Minoxidil.
• Do not take Minoxidil in higher doses or more often than you are prescribed. Overdose symptoms may include dizziness or fainting.

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Before taking this medication:

You should not use Minoxidil if you are allergic to it, or:

• If you are a child.
• If you are a woman who is pregnant, may be pregnant, or breastfeeding. It is unknown whether Minoxidil may harm an unborn baby, and Minoxidil does pass into breast milk and may cause harm to a developing baby.

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Tell your healthcare provider about:

• Any health conditions that you have, including; high blood pressure, low blood pressure, congestive heart failure, chest pain (angina), a recent heart attack a recent stroke, blood vessel disease, kidney disease, if you require dialysis, asthma, migraine headaches, epilepsy, or other seizure disorders.
• All other medications that you take, including over-the-counter medications or vitamins and supplements.
• Keep a list of all the medications you take to show your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

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What you should avoid while taking Minoxidil:

• You may need to reduce or limit the amount of salt you intake while you are using Minoxidil. Also, avoid salt substitutes or potassium supplements unless directed otherwise by your doctor.
• You may feel dizzy if you get up too fast after sitting or lying down. Get up slowly and have something available to steady yourself to avoid potential falls.
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to see if decongestant medications found in cough and cold medications are a good fit for you.

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Side Effects:

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Minoxidil:

• Hives, difficulty breathing, swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• A red or purple rash that spreads and causes blistering and peeling.

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Common Minoxidil side effects may include:

• Changes in the length, color, or thickness of face or body hair
• Rash
• Nausea and vomiting
• Breast tenderness or pain

Call your doctor at once if these side effects occur with Minoxidil use:

• Chest pain that is new or getting worse
• Chest pain that feels like it’s spreading to your shoulder or jaw
• Heartbeats that are fast or pounding
• Increased swelling of your ankles, legs, or feet
• Rapid weight gain, especially in your midsection or face
• A shortness of breath
• Feeling lightheaded or like you might pass out
• Signs of fluid build-up in your lungs; pain when taking a breath, feeling shortness of breath when lying down, gasping for breath, coughing up foaming mucus, or wheezing

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or does not go away. 

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This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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Additional Resources

The following links provide further information on the potential risks and benefits of this medication:

• Official Minoxidil PDR
• FDA Minoxidil Tablet Prescribing Information

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Disclaimer 

The drug and medical information provided is not meant to cover all adverse effects, drug interactions, warnings, medical uses, directions and precautions. The information provided is a medical resource and the judgment of your physician and/or healthcare practitioner should not be substituted. Strut has made every effort to ensure the information is accurate and current based on present medical literature. Strut does not make any guarantees regarding the drug and medical information, and does not assume responsibility regarding the content. The drug safety and drug information contained on the company website may be time sensitive and should not be utilized as a medical reference beyond the date hereof. The deficiency of a warning for prescription medications and vitamins provided in no way should be construed to indicate safety, effectiveness, or appropriateness for any given patient. If you have questions or concerns about your medications, please do not hesitate to contact us and/or your medical practitioner, including your pharmacist. If using a compound prescription, these products have not been tested or approved by the FDA for their intended use. No claims are made as to the safety, efficacy or use of this compound. Active ingredients used are FDA-approved and follow strict United States Pharmacopeia (USP) guidelines when pursuant to a valid prescription.

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