1. How Saw Palmetto Works, and Why It Can Help
To find out whether or not saw palmetto is an helpful solution for hair loss, we will need to find out just how the herb works, and what makes it an effective solution for male pattern baldness. It is also important for us to understand that saw palmetto works similarly to finasteride. Basically, saw palmetto is an DHT blocker that helps to reduce the damaging effects of DHT on the hair follicles. The herbal extract has been found to be able to reduce the production of the hormone DHT. The herb also helps to prevent the hormone DHT from binding to the receptor sites near the hair follicles.
The simple fact is that saw palmetto helps to reduce the amount of DHT drastically that can otherwise damage your precious hair follicles. If it can help stop DHT, then theoretically speaking, the saw palmetto extract should definitely help you stop hair loss in its own tracks.
2. Cost of Treatment
You can get a bottle of saw palmetto extract from any store near you for less than $10. The herbal supplement will easily last for a month. Compared to other treatments such as finasteride (which costs about a dollar per tablet) and minoxidil, saw palmetto is very cheap. The key benefit associated with the low cost is that you should really give saw palmetto a try. If it works, great! If it does not, then at the very least, you will not have burned a hole in your pocket.
3. Does Saw Palmetto Really Work For Hair Loss?
Many websites that sell overpriced saw palmetto supplement for hair loss claim that without a doubt, saw palmetto is the miracle cure for hair loss. There are few researches that really indicate this claim in substance. The effects of saw palmetto on the hormone DHT suggests that it may help slow down, stop and reverse hair loss. The good news is that it won’t hurt too much to give saw palmetto a try. I have not found conclusive proof, or an authoritative review on saw palmetto that suggests the infallibility of this herb when it comes to treating male pattern baldness.
4. One Authoritative Study Published by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine on the Effectiveness of Saw Palmetto as an Hair Loss Treatment
The study involved 19 men ageing from 23 years old to 64 years old. For five months, the men were divided into two groups. The first group of men were given a tablet of 400mg saw palmetto and 100mg beta-sitosterol per day. The second group of men were required to take a placebo supplement. At the end of the study, 60 percent of the men who were taking the saw palmetto and beta sitosterol supplement on a daily basis achieved improved hair regrowth. On the other hand, in the placebo control group, 11 percent of the individuals achieved hair growth.
This study was very important because it showed for the first time the effectiveness of a herbal solution to have the ability to restrict the enzyme 5 alpha reductase as well as the hormone DHT.
5. Should the Lack of Research and Study on Saw Palmetto Stop You from Using the Herb?
No! If anything, you should really try saw palmetto for at least six months before deciding whether or not the herbal treatment is effective. All DHT blockers require at least six months of consistent daily treatment before they can produce some significant results.