Can I take protein shakes and work out while taking Finasteride?

Question

I’m a 23 year old male. Will protein shakes (or high protein foods) negatively interact with Finasteride. Also, will I be able to continue lifting weights and doing cardio?

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

Yes, you can workout and the protein shakes should be fine. I suggest seeing a hair loss expert now to evaluate and go over your condition and provide you information about your best treatment options. There are great non-invasive options like prp/progesterone and/or hair transplantation. See an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Jeff Rapaport, MD · Answer

In my opinion, anabolic protein shakes are not helpful for maintaining or regrowing hair. We advise our hair patients to avoid any anabolic substances. Plant protein Shakes would be more desirable. This is not a direct interaction with the finasteride. Exercise and cardio should not be an issue.

Jeanette Straga, DO · Answer

Exercise is always beneficial in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As for your shakes, it depends which one you try.  You will have to read the label as there are so many of them out there now or, pose another question with the specific name of shake.

Karl Hekimian, MD · Answer

There is no reason not to exercise and use protein supplements and high-protein food while on finasteride.

Amiya Prasad, MD - Account Suspended · Answer

Thank you for your question. You are 23-years-old, and asking if protein shakes, protein-rich food, and cardiovascular and resistance training will have an effect on finasteride.
I can certainly give you some guidance about this. I’m a Board Certified Cosmetic Surgeon and Fellowship-trained Oculoplastic Surgeon. I’ve been in practice in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years. I’ve been performing hair transplants since I started my practice, and have been prescribing finasteride to male pattern hair loss patients since 1997. I’m also the founder of TrichoStem Hair Regeneration Centers, based on a system we developed for non-surgical treatment of pattern hair loss for men and women. We have patients from around the world who come to see us for this treatment.
Finasteride blocks the formation of dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. Testosterone is converted into DHT by the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. Finasteride works by inhibiting this enzyme, so DHT isn’t formed, and DHT levels are minimized.The blocking of 5-alpha reductase makes no impact on testosterone, which is the hormone largely responsible for muscle development. So long story short, finasteride does not have an effect on testosterone. Finasteride also has no effect protein usage for the muscles, and does not affect food-to-energy conversion, so it has no effect on any type of exercise.
It is important that you keep using finasteride, especially if you are noticing benefit. If you are experiencing pattern hair loss at 23, you are very DHT-sensitive, and will continue to be DHT-sensitive as it is programmed into your DNA. All men have DHT in their system, but not all men are DHT-sensitive. Men who experience thinning hair later in life, such as the 40s or older, are DHT-sensitive, but to a lesser degree than men in their 20s. 
I do prescribe finasteride to many of our Hair Regeneration patients, but the treatments have different effects. Finasteride slows hair thinning by blocking DHT-formation. The Hair Regeneration treatment, made of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to activate the main ingredient extracellular matrix by ACell, thickens thinning hair and stimulates hair growth from dormant using a wound-healing mechanism. The treatment appears to restart a healthy hair growth cycle. I prescribe finasteride to younger Hair Regeneration patients because the treatment does not block DHT. However, in older patients with a later onset of male pattern hair loss, most patients don’t require a DHT-blocker.  I hope you found this information helpful. Thank you for your question.

Brian Goertz, MD (retired) · Answer

Some protein shakes will contain chemicals that are oxidizers and are not healthy for you or your hair. Some will say, "protein shake with Energy boost". That generally means that it contains creatine which is unhealthy for hair.

William Rassman, MD (retired) · Answer

If you take protein shakes, make sure that the shakes do not contain steroids as that can accelerate the hair loss

Can I take protein shakes and work out while taking Finasteride?

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Answers (7)

More Hair Loss Treatment Questions

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Second shedding phase while I use Propecia and Minoxidil at 8 month. Should I increase the Propecia dosage from 1.25 to 2.5 mg?

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