Should saw palmatto even be an option for hair loss

[Goingat20]

Lately i been reading that it has a mild affect on hair loss, does this mean we should consider it as a possible addition to our regimes?

 

[Follically Challenged]

<snip>

What is interesting about the 5AR inhibition caused by saw palmetto is that it is prostate-specific. Not only does saw palmetto inhibit both types of 5AR in the prostate but not in other tested tissues (epididymis, testes, kidney, skin, and breast) in vitro [20], the active ingredients of saw palmetto concentrate in the prostate as opposed to other tissues after oral administration to rats [21]. This is in line with human studies indicating that saw palmetto extract preferentially reduces prostatic DHT and does not alter plasma DHT or sex hormone levels [9, 22-23]. This explains the lack of side effects in clinical trials. It also means that saw palmetto is unlikely to prevent hair loss.

http://www.bulknutrition.com/?ingredients_id=71 (Look under Mechanism of Action)

So by this I'd say no.

 

[Nick4441]

Did nothing for me other than accelerate the hairloss

 

[Bertie]

It should be noted that even SP's ability to help enlarged prostate has come into question -- interest in the drug gets its main support from a study in JAMA a few years back which found a benefit (big study, big league publication), but a paper published this year -- this time in the New England Journal of Medicine -- found no benefit, and the authors of that study supposedly questioned the methodology of the JAMA paper.

 

[CCS]

It should be noted that SP smells very bad, and is dark in color. I would not use it as a topical. I wish I could have my $20 back.