Does Rogaine Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

Rogaine® is a brand name for a product that is used to combat male pattern baldness. It comes in two forms: a topical ointment that is applied to the scalp, and a tablet. Rogaine contains the active ingredient Minoxidil.

There are persistent rumors thatthe product causes or contributes to erectile dysfunction. However, there are no scientific studies showing a connection between Rogaine and sexual dysfunction. It’s possible that the rumors arise from the fact that an earlier drug, finasteride, actually was linked to sexual dysfunction¹.

Some studies^{2 3}, have actually found thatMinoxidil might be an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction.

Related Reading

Finasteride and Erectile Dysfunction

References

1. Irwig, Michael S; Kolukula, Swapna. “Persistent Sexual Side Effects of Finasteride for Male Pattern Hair Loss.” Wiley Online Library. March 2011.
   <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02255.x”>https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2011.02255.x>
2. Radomski, S B; Herschorn, S; Rangaswamy, S. “Topical minoxidil in the treatment of male erectile dysfunction.” Journal of Urology. May 1994; 151(5):1225-6.
   <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8158763>
3. Tavakoli, Marziye Ranjbar; Faraji, Maryam; Sam, Sanaz; Ghasempour, Ali; Rezaei, Masoud; Langarizadeh, Mohammad Amin; Karami-Mohajeri, Somayyeh. “Erectile dysfunction from mechanisms to medicines with a focus on the application of topical Minoxidil.” Sexual Medicine Review. April 2023; 11(2):114-123.
   <https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36857310/>