Saw Palmetto Hair Loss Treatments

Recently, saw palmetto has been growing in popularity as a treatment for hair loss. Saw palmetto hair loss offers a natural way for both men and women to deal with hair loss. But how does saw palmetto hair loss work to reverse your hair loss problems, and is it right for you?

Saw palmetto is also called Serenoa repens.  It is a plant, similar to a short palm, that is found mostly in the southern United States, along the Atlantic coast.  The herb that is used in saw palmetto hair loss treatments is taken from the reddish-black berries that are produced by the Serenoa repens plant. 

These berries have long been used as food and as medicine.  Many American Indians used this herb as a treatment for urinary and reproductive problems, as well as a source of nourishment.

To produce modern saw palmetto extract, these berries are first dried, then broken down with a chemical.  It is this saw palmetto extract that is the active ingredient in many hair loss products, and is usually taken in pill form.

Saw palmetto hair loss is just one of the potential  benefits from this extract.  It is also common used to help with urinary tract infections, infertility, and other reproductive problems.  In alternative and homeopathic medicine, saw palmetto has been used for years to treat prostate enlargement.

Saw palmetto is most effective for a condition called androgenic alopecia, more commonly known as male pattern or female pattern baldness.

This condition can affect both men and women.  It involves a chemical called Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is closely related to testosterone.  Although this chemical is found primarily in the prostate gland, it is also founded hair follicles and the adrenal glands.  This chemical has been found to relate to male pattern baldness, and also female pattern baldness.

When too much DHT is present, the chemical can not only shrink hair follicles, but also prevent important proteins, vitamins and minerals from reaching the hair follicle.  Without these important nutrients, hair growth can slow and even stop.

In order for the chemical DHT to be produced, an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase has to convert the hormone testosterone into DHT.  Saw palmetto works by stopping that enzyme from converting testosterone into DHT.  This means that taking saw palmetto can lead to lower levels of DHT.

Saw palmetto hair loss has generally been found to be very safe.  Studies have found that when used responsibly, and in the recommended dosage, there are not many serious reported side effects of saw palmetto.

There are some minor side effects that are sometimes reported that usage of saw palmetto.  Some of the reported side effects of saw palmetto hair loss supplement are stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, bad breath.  Other less common side effects that have been reported are headache, dizziness, high blood pressure, as well as liver and pancreas problems.  However, there's no evidence that these were directly caused by saw palmetto.

Since it is believed that saw palmetto works by influencing levels of testosterone or estrogen, people with conditions relating to these hormones should be careful about taking saw palmetto.  In particular, people with breast cancer, prostate cancer, women who are nursing, or people with kidney or liver problems should be careful and should talk to a physician first.

If you want the benefits of saw palmetto hair growth, you have a lot of products to choose from.

Most products for saw palmetto hair loss come in pill form.  They're not too expensive, usually costing between $5.00 and $20.00 for a bottle which will last a month or more.

Although most hair loss treatments using saw palmetto hair loss come in pill form, you can also find shampoos and conditioners.  It is believed that the topical application of saw palmetto allows it to reach the hair follicles faster and be more effective.  Many people put great results with the shampoos and conditioners, and they're fairly inexpensive and easy to use.

Hair loss is a major problem among both men and women, and if you're one of the millions of people affected by it, you may find that saw palmetto is a great, natural treatment.  Plus, it's fairly inexpensive to try.  Make sure that before you buy a saw palmetto hair loss supplement, you check that all of the ingredients are safe for you.  If you are taking any other medications, or have any medical problems, you should talk to a doctor first.