There are two human trials of pumpkin seed oil and hair indexed on PubMed that we reviewed. One is a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial in 76 men that reported a mean hair count increase of 40 percent against 10 percent on placebo over 24 weeks, a net 30 percent difference. The other is a three month trial that randomised women to pumpkin seed oil or an active comparator, 30 in each group, with no placebo arm. Pumpkin seed oil carries no authorised health claim for hair in Great Britain.
Does pumpkin seed oil help hair?
| Question | What the sources say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What did the placebo controlled trial find? | 90 men enrolled, 76 analysed (37 treated, 39 placebo); 400 mg a day for 24 weeks. Mean hair count up 40 percent in the treated group and 10 percent on placebo, a net 30 percent difference; blinded investigator ratings higher than placebo at 12 and 24 weeks; self rated improvement and satisfaction higher; adverse effects not different. | Cho and colleagues, 2014 |
| What was tested? | A branded capsule product, Octa Sabal Plus, at 400 mg of pumpkin seed oil a day, funded by a grant from Dreamplus Co., Ltd. | Cho and colleagues, 2014, full text |
| Has it been studied in women? | A three month trial randomised women with female pattern hair loss to pumpkin seed oil or to an active comparator, 30 in each group; each group improved on dermoscopy measures from its own baseline; there was no placebo arm. | Ibrahim and colleagues, 2021 |
What is pumpkin seed oil and why is it studied for hair?
Pumpkin seed oil comes from the seeds of Cucurbita pepo. The Cho authors give as their rationale earlier animal work on 5-alpha reductase and antiandrogenic effects in rats. That is an animal finding used as the trial's reason to exist. It is not a clinical result in people, and it is not a claim any UK supplement may make. A plausible mechanism is a reason to run a trial, not a substitute for one.
Pumpkin seed oil hair growth study: the placebo controlled trial in men (Cho 2014)
Cho and colleagues published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine a randomised, placebo controlled, double blind study of pumpkin seed oil for hair growth in men with mild to moderate androgenetic alopecia. The full text records that 90 adults aged 20 to 65 were enrolled, and 76 men were analysed: 37 in the intervention group and 39 on placebo. Eligible men had hair loss classified as Norwood-Hamilton type II, III, III vertex, IV or V. The intervention was 400 mg of pumpkin seed oil a day as a branded capsule product, Octa Sabal Plus, taken as two 100 mg capsules 30 minutes before breakfast and dinner, four capsules a day, for 24 weeks; the control group took the same number of placebo capsules.
Four outcomes were measured: standardised clinical photographs assessed by a blinded investigator, patient self assessment scores, scalp hair thickness and scalp hair counts. The primary outcome variables were the blinded investigator assessment and the patient self assessment; hair thickness and hair count were secondary. On the blinded investigator photograph ratings, the primary outcome, treatment "was superior to treatment with placebo with respect to hair growth at 12 and 24 weeks" (P less than 0.001). Self rated improvement and satisfaction scores were higher in the treated group than on placebo (P = 0.013 and 0.003). Mean hair count rose 40 percent in treated men against 10 percent in placebo treated men, which the paper reports as a "significant net increase of 25% and 30%" at weeks 12 and 24 (P less than 0.001), and the per field count change was 6.2 against 1.8 (P = 0.004). Changes in hair thickness were similar in the two groups (P = 0.991). Adverse effects were not different between the groups.
Three points of context from the paper itself. The study was supported by a grant from Dreamplus Co., Ltd., and the authors declare no conflict of interest. The product tested was a branded capsule in which pumpkin seed oil is the named ingredient, so the trial tests that product at that dose. And the 40 percent figure is the mean change in hair count within the treated group from its own baseline; the paper's between group figure is the net 30 percent at 24 weeks. Twelve of the 76 dropped out (5 treated, 7 placebo), and missing values were carried forward from the last visit. The authors write that "replication will be needed in order to confirm the results of this first-stage study".
Pumpkin seed oil for hair loss in women: the three month trial (Ibrahim 2021)
Ibrahim and colleagues, in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, randomised women with female pattern hair loss to pumpkin seed oil (30 women) or to an active comparator, a licensed treatment named in the paper's title under Sources (30 women), for three months, with clinical and dermoscopic evaluation at baseline, one and a half months and three months. In the pumpkin seed oil group, hair shaft diversity fell from 30.5 to 24.0, vellus hairs fell from 22.5 to 15.8, and upright regrowing hairs rose from 0.13 to 0.9 (units as reported in the abstract), each with P less than 0.001 against the group's own baseline. The comparator group also improved from its own baseline on hair shaft diversity and vellus hairs. The authors' conclusion is that the findings "provide evidence of a promising potential role" for pumpkin seed oil in female pattern hair loss.
The abstract reports each group against its own baseline, not one group against the other, so the abstract does not tell you how the two arms compared. The trial has no placebo arm, so it cannot separate the effect of the oil from the effect of taking part in a monitored three month trial. Two groups of 30 women and three months is a small, short study.
Pumpkin seed oil side effects: what the trial recorded
In the Cho trial adverse effects were not different between the pumpkin seed oil and placebo groups over 24 weeks. One participant in each group reported whole body itching and one in the treated group reported mild abdominal discomfort; no changes in liver enzymes or creatinine were observed in the treated group, and a sexual function questionnaire showed no significant difference between groups (P = 0.774). That is one trial of 76 men; no longer trial is among the published sources. Speak to your GP before starting any supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a health condition.
What are the limits of this evidence?
The Cho trial is a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled study. It is also one trial, of 76 men, in one country, of one branded product, with a commercial grant, and its authors write that replication is needed. The women's trial adds a signal in a different population, but with no placebo arm, a three month window and each group judged against itself in the abstract. Neither trial isolates pumpkin seed oil from the product it was delivered in, and the Cho paper states that DHT was not measured, so the mechanism was not tested in people.
Pumpkin seed oil for hair: what a UK supplement may say
No health claim for pumpkin seed oil is authorised in Great Britain, so no UK supplement may tell you what it will do for your hair. Dense includes pumpkin seed extract, not the oil tested in the trial, in Daily Densify as a formulation choice and makes no claim for it; the science page states that pumpkin seed carries no authorised claim and is included as a formulation choice. The studies above are studies of the ingredient in the settings described, not studies of Daily Densify. See also our saw palmetto evidence review and our UK guide to choosing hair vitamins.
When should you speak to a GP?
If you notice sudden or patchy hair loss, or shedding alongside other symptoms, see a GP before buying anything. Hair changes can have causes that need diagnosis and that no supplement addresses.
Frequently asked questions
Is pumpkin seed oil good for hair growth?
One randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial in 76 men reported a mean hair count increase of 40 percent on 400 mg of pumpkin seed oil a day over 24 weeks, against 10 percent on placebo, a net 30 percent difference, with blinded investigator ratings also favouring the treated group and no difference in hair thickness. It tested a branded capsule product and its authors write that replication is needed. No health claim for pumpkin seed oil is authorised in Great Britain.
Does pumpkin seed oil work for women's hair?
A three month trial randomised women with female pattern hair loss to pumpkin seed oil or to an active comparator, 30 in each group. The pumpkin seed oil group improved from its own baseline on dermoscopy measures, but the trial had no placebo arm and the abstract reports each group against itself, so it does not show how much of the change was due to the oil.
How much pumpkin seed oil was used in the study?
The Cho 2014 trial used 400 mg of pumpkin seed oil a day, taken as two 100 mg capsules 30 minutes before breakfast and dinner, for 24 weeks.
Does pumpkin seed oil have side effects?
In the Cho 2014 trial adverse effects were not different between the pumpkin seed oil and placebo groups over 24 weeks, with no changes in liver enzymes or creatinine in the treated group. That is one trial of 76 men and no longer trial is among the published sources. Speak to your GP before starting any supplement if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a health condition.
Can a UK supplement claim pumpkin seed oil helps hair?
No. Only authorised claims in the Great Britain nutrition and health claims register may be used, and pumpkin seed oil has none.
Sources
- Cho YH, Lee SY, Jeong DW, et al. Effect of pumpkin seed oil on hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:549721. Full text (PMC4017725).
- Ibrahim IM, Hasan MS, Elsabaa KI, Elsaie ML. Pumpkin seed oil vs. minoxidil 5% topical foam for the treatment of female pattern hair loss: a randomized comparative trial. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021;20(9):2867-2873.
- Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register.
Last updated: 6 September 2026. Written by the Dense editorial team and checked against the PubMed abstracts and the Cho 2014 full text linked above on that date. This article is for information only and is not medical advice. If you are concerned about hair thinning or shedding, speak to a GP.
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.