Does Taking Saw Palmetto For Hair Loss Work

Saw palmetto for hair loss is currently getting a lot of attention at the moment but does it really work? Well, research is showing that it can have a positive effect on preventing hair loss as it helps to reduce the hormone that can cause hair loss.

The hormone in question is DHT (dihydrotestosterone) and this is created when testosterone combines with the enzyme 5 alpha reductase. Everybody has DHT in their body though and it is not this itself that causes hair loss, if you have the gene that makes your scalp sensitive to DHT that is when hair loss occurs. And it has been found that saw palmetto helps reduce the level of DHT because it inhibits the production of 5 alpha reductase.

However further studies have shown that it does more than just help lower the levels of DHT, it also blocks the receptor sites on a cells membrane which the cell needs for it to be able to absorb the DHT. However, while this is all good, taking saw palmetto in conjunction with other vitamins, minerals and herbs will greatly increase the odds of the hair loss stopping and the possibility of new growth beginning.

For instance a herb that works very well with saw palmetto is nettle. The reason for this is because nettle is known to mop up free testosterone in the body, which is the other part of DHT, so using these two together will greatly reduce the amount of DHT in the body. Plus you can also further reduce the enzyme 5 alpha reductase by taking zinc which also inhibits this enzyme.

But as well reducing the levels of DHT you want to make sure new hair is healthy and this where the vitamins come in. First of all you need to be taking vitamin B6. This vitamin is important for several reasons, first of all it metabolizes protein which is the building blocks of your cells, it improves your nervous and immune system and finally it gets extra oxygen into the bloodstream and this important for healthy follicles. As well as this you need to be taking Biotin.

Biotin as actually vitamin H but it is derived from vitamin B and is essential for good hair growth, in fact I would go as far to say as it plays a huge part in how hair is manufactured. You can get biotin from the food you eat particularly liver and eggs but you would have to eat huge quantities of them, which is not the best diet in the world, so you are better off getting it in the form of a supplement.

So in summary, saw palmetto for hair loss can be effective by reducing DHT levels and helping to stop the cells being as receptive to it. However, to get optimal results it is best taken alongside other vitamins, minerals and herbs.