How Effective Is Saw Palmetto For Hair Loss?

Is Saw Palmetto Effective For Hair Loss Prevention?

There are some promising studies that show that the herb saw palmetto is helpful in reducing hair loss in men.

Most male hair loss is caused by an excess of DHT or Dihydrotestosterone, which is a by product of the hormone testosterone. Since testosterone is found in both males and females it can be the result of hair loss in both.

How Does Saw Palmetto Work To Prevent Hair Loss?

The enzyme 5-alpha reductase, which results from tesosterone, is broken down into DHT. DHT kills hair follicles. It is believed that saw palmetto can prevent 5-alpha reductase from breaking down into DHT. Studies have shown that saw palmetto can prevent 5-alpha reductase from being taken up into cells.

While prescription drugs like Propecia reduce blood levels of 5-alpha  reductase and DHT, saw palmetto is believed to prevent these compounds from being absorbed into cells. More research is needed to learn exactly how saw palmetto works. A standardized extract of saw palmetto has been shown to be as effective as finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia and Proscar) in reducing an inflamed prostate. Prostate enlagement is most often caused by excess 5-alpha reductase in the bloodstream.

Topical Saw Palmetto

A study of fifty men at the University of Naples demonstrated a reduction in hair loss among men using topical and oral saw palmetto. Topical saw palmetto was shown to regrow hair or prevent hair loss in twenty percent of subjects. When combined with oral saw palmetto results were even better, showing a sixty percent effectiveness in reducing hair loss as compared to the control group.

The reason more saw palmetto studies are not conducted is that it is more economical to use a proven chemical based drug such as finasteride. Chemically based drugs are easy to standardize and cheap to produce. Therefore, no real incentive exists for any major pharmaceutical company to conduct saw palmetto trials.

Topical treatments for hair loss using saw palmetto include Revivogen, Nisim and Nioxin.

Before using any oral herbal suppliment consult your doctor. There are side effects from oral saw palmetto and it should not be used by nursing women or men with certain health conditions. No such side effects have been reported with topical saw palmetto.

For more information on saw palmetto see: Does Saw Palmetto Prevent Hair Loss?