Saw Palmetto for Hair Loss

Disclaimer: This article is not be taken as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor.

Tired of taking synthetic medicines that gives you unbearable side-effects? Why not go natural? Saw Palmetto is a fruit which extract is rich in fatty acids and phytosterols. It has been used as an alternative medicine for the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy or in simple terms, enlargement of the prostate. It has been one of the most famous herbal medicines as its benefits have been known way back in history.

It was traditionally consumed by Native Americans as food and as a cure to various urinary and reproductive system problems. It is a tonic drink for the Mayans and the berries were used by the Seminoles as an antiseptic and expectorant. But the extract is a licensed product in some European countries.

Still, centuries ago, the extract was utilized for various diseases such as asthenia (weakness), laryngitis, asthma, chronic bronchial coughs and other irritative coughs. It is said to control irritants in the mucous tissues, clear chest congestion, improves digestion and appetite.

Research also shows that it stimulates breast enlargement, undo impotence and is sometimes used as an aphrodisiac. New evidences were also collected showing that the extract may also be helpful for thyroid deficiencies. It has been observed that it encourages the maintenance of normal conditions. It tends to reduce parts which are ill-fully enlarged and enlarge the parts which are abnormally shrunken.

Only a few instances of allergic reactions and side effects were associated with the use of saw palmetto extract. Mostly, gastrointestinal but can be minimized by taking the extract with food.

It should not be taken if you are already using another drug with similar effect. It is also not advised for people who are hemophiliac and for those with breast cancer. The extract has beta-sitosterol, a chemical comparable to cholesterol.

High concentration of this chemical in the blood may promote the gravity of heart disease in men who have previous incidents of heart attack. With caution, proper use and dosage, these side effects can be avoided. No serious side-effects have been documented to discourage the use of saw palmetto.

The question is, will it affect our hair too? Yes, but only to our good advantage. There had been reports that saw palmetto prevents the effect of excessive testosterone and thus reduces the risk of Male Pattern Baldness or scientifically called Androgenic Alopecia.

It is possible because it regulates the hormonal balance of both male and female hormones. But further studies are needed before it can be recommended for this purpose.