Give advice on Saw Palmetto, please!

[Leezer]

Hello,

This topic is not only for those who have tried and use saw palmetto, but to anyone who knows something about this supplement and wants to share with us.

I have been taking finasteride for about 11 months. Started with low dose - about 0.15mg daily - then gradually increased it. From about two months on I am on 1.25mg every other day. No significant results have been noticed, but I have to admit I never took any purposed picture to measure my (lack of) progress. I know my hair seems stronger, but I cannot tell whether it is from the finasteride or the minoxidil (yes, I take 1ml twice daily) or the nizoral (2%, three times a week approximately). I know for sure my frontal and temple hairline has receded noticeably. I supposed finasteride would have showed some kicks in that area for these 11 months.

I am disappointed with it and that is why I went on searching for additional supplements to my treatment. I read about saw palmetto and I was left with the impression it can be taken along with the finasteride and the effect is close to that of taking Dutasteride. Given the fact I have read many pros and cons about dutasteride, I am hesitant of whether I should add the saw palmetto or I not. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to realize I am better off with whatever I have for hair now than lose it to overreaction to higher DHT suppression. And there are many who complain about Dutasteride. Again - you don't have to be a genius to see that if it was so effective, it would have been used instead of finasteride in the big three.

I don't know much about saw palmetto - probably the drug's effect doesn't get even close to Dutasteride effect (when combined with finasteride), but that is why I wrote this topic - to hear those of you, who know more and can give me some light here.

Thanks in advance, I would really appreciate your help.

Leezer

 

[BodyDysmorphic]

good questions

well i can only say on my experiences and somewhat knowledge of saw palmetto (SP)

there have been some lab studies showing that saw palmetto can inhibit both types 5-alpha-reductase, there are no well-designed clinical studies showing that saw palmetto can cause hair growth, or stop hair loss or baldness from progressing. One of the only published trials on saw palmetto for baldness is a small study involving 10 men with mild to moderate male pattern baldness. Although promising, the study was too small to provide meaningful evidence.

http://www.stophairlossnow.co.uk/Saw_Palmetto.htm
this site has another inconclusive study of SP

i my experience i started taking it before i started finasteride

their is no recommended dose of SP for hair loss so i would take 1 pill twice a day

i honestly gave it 2-3 months before i got on the fda recommend finasteride

i asked my derm if i could use SP in conjunction with finasteride, he said yes as long as i wasn't experiencing sides

keep in mind this may have all been in my mind

when taking both SP and finasteride i felt like i was more emotional or something, I'm not saying empathy for others is a bad thing
examples crying after a semi-sad movie etc

but i think i was starting to have women like emotions

also i think i was experiencing mild ED, it was a little hard to get it up

Wait i think it also induced a shed but i really cant be sure

i quit the SP and everything is back to normal

still taking finasteride and no sides

IMO i don't think it would hurt you to try it, but i would go over board with the SP maybe 1 pill a day

KEEP in mind you are messing around with you hormones and you need some dht flowing in your body

hope this helps

 

[kalbo]

Coincidently, I just bought some saw palmetto today and I plan on adding it to my regimen starting tomorrow. After my failed dutasteride experience, I'm back on finasteride but I'm looking to block more dht so that's why I chose to add SP. From what I read, it should be okay to combine it with finasteride, but just be cautious of sides. I plan on starting with one pill every other day along with 1.25mg of finasteride everyday and see if my body can tolerate it.

I bought a saw palmetto complex which also has pygeum extract and pumpkin seed oil. Details are here: http://www.jamiesonvitamins.com/en/products/supplements_details.aspx?GroupID=61&UPCCode=2415. If anyone wants to give me feedback on this product, feel free to do so.

 

[Nicky]

If you have experienced sides from finaster, give it a try...
In my opinion it is the next step

 

[Odie]

I used SP for about 8 mnths and had ZERO effect from it.
All it did was give me dark circles under my eyes

Now on finasteride and had good results

 

[47thin]

I've used Beta Sitesorohl (spelling?), which is the active ingredient in SP, and while it works on lowering your cholesterol, it has done jack for my hair. You'd probably be better off with the finasteride, if you can stand the sides.