Saw Palmetto May Help with Age-Related Baldness

The berries of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) have a long history of use in the Americas, dating back to the Mayans who used these berries as a general tonic. In more recent times, saw palmetto is often used in the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), which frequently affects a large number of males in their later years. Saw palmetto is also a very popular herb used to treat symptoms in the male genital and urinary system, ranging from erectile dysfunction to low sperm motility.

Age-related baldness, known as androgenic alopecia, affects a large number of both men and women by their late 40s, but in some cases as early as their 20s. Men typically start losing their hair at the front and lateral sides, eventually losing hair at the vertex of their head while women typically experience thinning in the front, sides and at the vertex.

Now, there may be hope for those with thinning hair; current research indicates that saw palmetto may be helpful in treating age-related baldness. A study was conducted using 48 men and women with age-related baldness. Half of the subjects received a lotion containing saw palmetto while the other half of the group received a lotion without the herb (control group). Subjects were instructed to apply the lotion to their scalp two times a day for 50 weeks. Hair density was measured using a standardized instrument at the beginning of the study and after the 50- week period. After 50 weeks, subjects using the lotion with saw palmetto had an average 27% increase in hair density in comparison to their density at the beginning of the study.

The subjects in the control group showed only a 13% increase in hair density. The researchers concluded that based on the results saw palmetto may be helpful in the treatment of age-related hair loss.

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Dr. Jean-Jacques Dugoua, or Dr. JJ, as he is affectionately known, is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND), the Director of the Liberty Clinic and a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto. He is also a researcher at Sick Kids Hospital (Toronto) and a published author.

You can read more of his work at www.askdrjj.com.


Comments

Anonymous's picture
1

Anonymous

I have had boils on my had for the past 5 years and a person put over the counter peroxide on the boils after she popped them and now i have many bald spots, random all over my head. Will saw palmetto help, or will the hydrogen peroxide therapy help cure the boils and the bald spots.

wcbs101's picture
2

mr chris russo

I saw the urologist last week and its always the same old story he says I have and infection. Some times I take the anti biotic and other times I dont take it, because the infection usually goes away by itself. The doctor wants me to continue to take the antibiotic for 12 to 18 months. This is ridicious to say the least.
I want to know in terms of tests, which tests can I suggest that will help me get to the bottom of this once and for all? I am having severe burning and pain in both my testicles and penis. It hurts before I go to the bathroom and after I go to the bathroom.
I tried taking cranberry extrack but it made the pain and burning worse. Do you have any idea why this occured?
I have that herb calles uri urea. It says on the bottle that if you have kidney or digestive issues you shouldnt take it.
I have digestive issues and I was wondering whether or not should I take it?
if I do decide to take it what side effects may it cause and how should I take it? Also how long should I use it for?
What other things should I be using and not be using in terms of supplements, herbs, amino acids and any drugs as a last resort I can suggest to the doctor.

Anonymous's picture
3

Gene

I would avoid all coffee and acidic stuff like OJ and grapefruit juice. Also all alcohol and beer. I would drink distilled water and lots of it. After chemo in 1997, my homeopath got me on distilled water for about a year along with juicing vegetables and drinking them with as much of the pulp as I could comfortably tolerate. He told me it would detoxify my blood from all the chemo and residual toxins in my system. Honestly, I would find me a homeopathic doctor. Go online and find a list of them in your area. Regular AMA type doctors are too busy diagnosing sick people to have the time to turn your health around. However......... homeopaths are trained to understand the entire body and it's subsystems, so to speak. Mine turned my life around. I'm still amazed after 12 years, how Doctor Marc Dworkin turned my life around back in 1997. They almost always handle the cases that the AMA doctors cannot solve. There are things you can take that work like an antibiotic but spare the complications to your digestive system. Could be you have a floating infection. Google this product: zyflamend It is a major anti-inflammatory for the prostate and is touted even by the AMA to REVERSE cancer growth. But really - get a homeopath and good luck to you. Gene

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