A number of natural health experts recommend saw palmetto for hair loss or alopecia in men.
This article looks at how it works, as well as other treatment options.
It is believed that one of the causes of baldness in men and women has to do with the conversion of free testosterone in the bloodstream into Dihydrotestosterone or DHT.
In some people, the hair follicles are sensitive to DHT.
Exposure to the hormone shrinks the follicles, shortens their lifespan and prevents them from producing hairs as they normally would.
Saw palmetto blocks the absorption of DHT.
Some studies have shown that it is comparable in effectiveness to Finasteride, marketed as Propecia in the US and as Proscar in other parts of the world.
Finasteride is available only by prescription in the US, while the botanical is regulated as an herb or dietary supplement and does not require a prescription.
Both the drug and the botanical have been used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia or enlarged prostate, which occurs in most men by the time they reach the age of 70.
So, taking saw palmetto for hair loss is also good for a man's continued good health.
Finasteride should not be taken by women, as it is believed to cause birth defects.
It's not effective for women, anyway.
Neither is the botanical.
The latest research indicates that the baldness experienced by women during or after menopause is not caused as much by DHT as it is by reduced estrogen levels.
Horsetail silica, PABA and magnesium are natural remedies recommended for women with alopecia.
For both men and women, increased intake of biotin and vitamin B6 are recommended.
They are necessary co-factors for the absorption of amino acids from protein and for the body to create new proteins from those amino acids.
So, taking saw palmetto for hair loss is only one of the approaches that you can and should try, if you are a man.
If you are a woman, you need a little different approach as outlined above.
Whether you are a man or a woman, you will see better results if you combine oral supplementation with the use of a topically applied ointment containing Minoxidil.
Although Minoxidil does not work for everyone, it has been shown to work for more than 50% of men and women that participate in clinical trials.
You may recognize the brand name "Rogaine".
Minoxidil is the generic version of Rogaine.
It is available without a prescription in a 5% concentration for men and a 2% concentration for women.
Like taking saw palmetto for hair loss, Minoxidil only works if the baldness is in the central and frontal areas of the scalp.
All approaches take time to work.
Taking a picture, before you begin treatment, and again at monthly intervals, is the best way to judge the effectiveness, but don't expect to see anything for several months.
Those are the facts about saw palmetto for hair loss.
There's no reason not to give it a try.
This article looks at how it works, as well as other treatment options.
It is believed that one of the causes of baldness in men and women has to do with the conversion of free testosterone in the bloodstream into Dihydrotestosterone or DHT.
In some people, the hair follicles are sensitive to DHT.
Exposure to the hormone shrinks the follicles, shortens their lifespan and prevents them from producing hairs as they normally would.
Saw palmetto blocks the absorption of DHT.
Some studies have shown that it is comparable in effectiveness to Finasteride, marketed as Propecia in the US and as Proscar in other parts of the world.
Finasteride is available only by prescription in the US, while the botanical is regulated as an herb or dietary supplement and does not require a prescription.
Both the drug and the botanical have been used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia or enlarged prostate, which occurs in most men by the time they reach the age of 70.
So, taking saw palmetto for hair loss is also good for a man's continued good health.
Finasteride should not be taken by women, as it is believed to cause birth defects.
It's not effective for women, anyway.
Neither is the botanical.
The latest research indicates that the baldness experienced by women during or after menopause is not caused as much by DHT as it is by reduced estrogen levels.
Horsetail silica, PABA and magnesium are natural remedies recommended for women with alopecia.
For both men and women, increased intake of biotin and vitamin B6 are recommended.
They are necessary co-factors for the absorption of amino acids from protein and for the body to create new proteins from those amino acids.
So, taking saw palmetto for hair loss is only one of the approaches that you can and should try, if you are a man.
If you are a woman, you need a little different approach as outlined above.
Whether you are a man or a woman, you will see better results if you combine oral supplementation with the use of a topically applied ointment containing Minoxidil.
Although Minoxidil does not work for everyone, it has been shown to work for more than 50% of men and women that participate in clinical trials.
You may recognize the brand name "Rogaine".
Minoxidil is the generic version of Rogaine.
It is available without a prescription in a 5% concentration for men and a 2% concentration for women.
Like taking saw palmetto for hair loss, Minoxidil only works if the baldness is in the central and frontal areas of the scalp.
All approaches take time to work.
Taking a picture, before you begin treatment, and again at monthly intervals, is the best way to judge the effectiveness, but don't expect to see anything for several months.
Those are the facts about saw palmetto for hair loss.
There's no reason not to give it a try.
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