RU-58841 (RU) is often touted as a miracle cure for hair regrowth, hair maintenance on steroids, etc however I think this may be something to avoid for a variety of reasons.
Introduction
I’ve looked at over 25 articles on this compound, old studies, pharmaceutical business documents, and everything in between to try and get a good idea for those interested in potentially using this compound for hair loss.
Bias Check
I have to admit my bias: I always prefer to err on the side of caution when it comes to enhancing myself whether that is appearance, health, etc.
It’s not that I’m specifically against RU, it’s just that the data isn’t there. I take the same view on microneedling the scalp in terms of efficacy and the potential for scarring. I just don’t know enough to make a decision.
One side of me would love to try an insane protocol with maximum doses of dutasteride, RU, minoxidil, tretinoin, and other newer adjuncts, just to see how crazy dense I could return to but then my logical side fights back. I know I’d achieve NW 0 density and hairline with this stack. The idea of recovering with this stack and then maintaining with lower doses of something like finasteride is interesting.
It’s one thing with finasteride which is one of the most studied hair loss pharmaceuticals in the world and think about it: we’ve only had finasteride approved for hair loss for 27 years.
Think about that in terms of the risks – one of the best-studied hair loss interventions has only been approved for hair loss for such a short period. RU doesn’t even come close to finasteride or minoxidil in this aspect.
I always try to make an informed decision on this stuff but I also take anecdotes into account to some extent because it’s logical – some users report RU was amazing for them while others report crazy side effects. The point is I can’t objectively know because the data isn’t there.
At the end of the day, I just want the full quality and quantity of information to be available so that people aren’t misled or are not shown the full picture by people who support one side or the other.
What I Do
In terms of what I do? I microdose finasteride topically because I feel that’s an acceptable risk to reward for my current hair loss and the severity of my hair loss (not bad) and I get regrowth from that alone combined with ketoconazole shampoo.
I’m more confident using finasteride based on the research I’ve done on the topic.
RU-58841
Wikipedia provides a great overview of RU-58841.
History
A quick summary of the history of RU is that it’s been passed around through various pharmaceutical companies and was put through Phase 1 trials and into Phase 2 trials which were subsequently canceled for unknown reasons.
Reddit Threads
There’s not any good human data at all from reputable sources however some Redditors took the liberty to make Freedom of Information Act requests and called investigators and scientists involved in the trials and companies.
- RU58841 – attempt to get results/data from the first clinical trial and second clinical trial. FDA FOIA request.
- Research about RU58841 /Why it was stopped
- I spoke to the Guy who did the Ru58841 (PSK-3841) research
To summarize, the extent of what these users claim to have found is statements that RU-58841 was safe but the trials were still canceled for some reason – they hypothesize that the trial was canceled due to financial/efficacy reasons.
Side Effects/Results
This section will be based on an aggregation of the collective opinions I’ve seen browsing hundreds of user opinions on RU over the past few years and more specifically in preparation for this article.
Again, there’s no other real data for this stuff.
The debate is similar to finasteride with two loud sides defending their positions heavily.
Positives
From what I’ve seen lots of bodybuilders enjoy using this product as finasteride hits DHT-related loss but doesn’t clean up all of that extra testosterone that they might be using as well.
Considering this, combining a 5ARI like finasteride or dutasteride with an antiandrogen like RU-58841 is an extremely potent combination as together they offer more coverage than individually.
My point with bodybuilders is that if they can maintain and gain through cycles it’s likely really effective for the average guy as well. This is consistent with a lot of anecdotes as well.
I don’t think there’s any doubt that this stuff is effective though – there are tons of transformations and anecdotes using this compound.
Negatives
So for the negative side effects a common report is stuff with libido but that is expected to an extent using an anti-androgen (in my opinion). Although the studies supposedly showed that RU didn’t go systemic at all.
The more concerning side effects are related to complaints about the heart and lungs. Some users report heart damage, lung pain, etc that started after use. Some even state this damage persisted over a few months and even provide cardiac markers, EKGs, etc.
This is a potential concern with antiandrogens – so it’s not something I take lightly.
Sourcing
As I mentioned – the compound isn’t FDA-approved or commercial at all. There’s no legitimate way to get access to this compound without risking a purchase from a gray market seller who you have no idea what you are even using.
I bring up the same issue with finasteride even – why would I risk a gray market seller if I have any other option available, even if it costs more I’m personally fine paying for the name, reputation, and higher standards of production.
Final Thoughts
Overall I think that while RU-58841 is generally accepted to be fairly effective for hair loss being especially popular with steroid users I think you could probably make a good argument for it in some specific cases like in a crazy growth protocol or when you’re cycling steroids.
Still though – you can never really know with this medication and cardiac or lung health is not something I’m comfortable playing around with to such an extent especially when I can’t even source the compound 100% reliably.
The main goal of this post is to provide a quick overview of some of the common thoughts on RU-58841. I don’t want people using something without being explicitly aware of the potential consequences.
Hopefully, you got value from this – thank you for reading.