saw palmetto: nature’s minoxidil?
During my journey through the annals of hair loss treatment, the one thing that I seem to keep coming across is the tropical plant saw palmetto (pictured above). This plant is listed as one of the proprietary ingredients in the Provillus. Aside from being a key ingredient in provillus, I have seen this plant mentioned elsewhere enough times to warrant further investigation into its supposed properties.
Used by the American Indians
Saw palmetto is a small palm that is native to the South East region of the United States, where it thrives in the warm climate. For centuries, the fruit of the Saw Palmetto plant had been used by the American Indians as a traditional medicine used to treat a plethora of physical ailments from urological problems to skin and hair care. When the European colonists arrived upon the shores, they quickly learned of this plant and used it for two centuries as a folk medicine with a large number of uses from expectorant to sedative.
Rich in fatty acids and phytosterols, Saw Palmetto extract has been examined in numerous scientific studies for its role in men’s prostate health. One study found that saw palmetto extract helped decrease the chances of an enlarged prostate in older men. Coincidentally, the role Saw Palmetto plays in men’s prostate health, is also the reason why it is effective for male pattern baldness.
Saw Palmetto and DHT
Saw palmetto is effective in inhibiting the 5 alpha reductase enzyme, thus lessening the amount of DHT the body produces. Saw Palmetto also works as an inhibitor to cell membrane’s DHT receptor sites. DHT, if you can recall, is the androgen derived hormone that is responsible for male pattern baldness. Besides causing hair loss, DHT is also thought to be responsible for the enlarging of prostates in older men. With its DHT zapping capabilities, it is almost a no brainer that Saw Palmetto has become one of the natural substances of choice for hair loss treatment.
Health and Environment
Unlike minoxidil and finasteride which both come with a long laundry list of possible side effects, Saw Palmetto extract is seen as a safe herbal alternative with almost no side effects. While some men taking Saw Palmetto have reported mild nausea and a lower libido, these occurrences are much lower than the statistics on other man made drugs. The trade off however, is that it may take a little bit longer to see any results when using saw palmetto.
Saw palmetto is also considered an environmentally friendly hair loss treatment. The adult saw palmetto plant is apparently extremely prolific, making the production of the extract environmentally sustainable. So, when you use hair loss products that contain saw palmetto; you are not only saving your hair, you are saving the earth too.
Al Gore will be so proud of you.
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[...] I know I have already discussed the importance of some of these ingredients in past posts including saw palmetto, Vitamin B6, and Muira puama. Now it is time to take a closer look at some of the other vitamins, [...]