Encyclopedia · supplement
Alpha-ketoglutarate (and alpha-ketobutyrate)
Two ordinary body metabolites woke dormant mouse hair follicles in a 2019 study, and oral alpha-ketobutyrate prevented hair loss in aged mice, but there is no human data.
What it is
Alpha-ketoglutarate is an intermediate of the Krebs energy cycle, sold as a longevity supplement. Alpha-ketobutyrate is a related metabolite.
How it works
Both activate autophagy (cell self-cleaning), which the research team linked to entering the hair growth phase; blocking autophagy cancelled the effect.
What the studies show
- Alpha-ketoglutarate and alpha-ketobutyrate, like rapamycin and metformin, started growth in resting mouse follicles, and oral alpha-ketobutyrate prevented hair loss in aged mice. One lab, mice only. Chai 2019
How it's used in studies
Doses were not extracted.
Side effects and safety
No hair-specific data.
Bottom line
Mouse-only evidence from a single lab. Human translation is untested.
Fun facts
- Common metabolites activated dormant hair follicles in mice, and an oral dose prevented hair loss in aged ones. Chai 2019
Studies 1
Chai M et al. Stimulation of hair growth by small molecules that activate autophagy. Cell Rep. 2019
Result: Metformin, rapamycin and alpha-ketoglutarate started growth in resting follicles through autophagy; oral alpha-ketobutyrate prevented hair loss in aged mice.
Read the study ↗Related
- MetforminThe world's most-used diabetes pill woke sleeping hair follicles in mice and was linked to regrowth in 6 of 12 women with a scarring alopecia, but there is no randomized hair trial and it is not a baldness treatment.
- Rapamycin (sirolimus)The longevity-world favourite is a hair paradox: one 2019 mouse study found it starts hair growth, while older and 2013 mouse work found it does not or even delays it, and mTOR-pathway cancer drugs can cause hair loss.
- SpermidineA natural compound sold as a longevity supplement lengthened human hair follicles grown in a dish at tiny concentrations, but nobody has shown it grows hair on a head.