Saw Palmetto For Hair

BACKGROUND: Hair loss/thinning is a common side effect of tamoxifen in estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer therapy. Some nutraceuticals known to promote hair growth are avoided during breast cancer therapy for fear of phytoestrogenic activity. However, not all botanical ingredients have similarities to estrogens, and in fact, no information exists as to the true interaction of these ingredients with tamoxifen. Therefore, this study sought to ascertain the effect of nutraceuticals (+/- estrogen/tamoxifen), on proliferation of breast cancer cells and the relative expression of ERα/β...

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a dermatologic condition with no current cure. Treatments such as minoxidil have been proven to be effective; however, the side effects can be unpleasant. As a result, the utilization of natural remedies for treatment has increased over the years. There is limited scientific evidence that addresses the efficacy of these supplements in combating AGA. METHODS: A review was conducted of the effectiveness of popular complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) in adult patients experiencing AGA...

PURPOSE: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss in humans, affecting self-esteem and emotional well-being. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of VISPOTM , a standardized saw palmetto oil (2-3% β-sitosterol), in subjects with mild-to-moderate AGA. METHODS: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, four-arm clinical study, 80 healthy male and female subjects aged 18-50 years were randomly allocated (1:1:1:1) to receive either 400 mg capsules of VISPO or 5 mL of a topical formulation containing 20% VISPO or the respective placebo once daily for 16 weeks...

Background and aim Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a well-known hair loss disorder in both men and women affecting approximately 80% and 50% of the population, respectively. Various treatment options for AGA are available with varying efficacy. Combination therapy is a new dictum to combat AGA. Hence, this study aimed to compare the efficacy of commonly used topical therapies such as Procapil with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and redensyl, saw palmetto (SP), and biotin (RSB) with PRP. Materials and methods This was a randomized controlled trial conducted on 54 male patients with AGA attending the outpatient department in a tertiary care hospital...

Pattern-type hair loss is a highly prevalent condition affecting the majority of men and women at some point in their lifetime. Although genetics and androgens are instrumental in the pathogenesis of this type of hair loss, it is increasingly recognized that inflammation, stress, and environmental factors play a central role. The few and widely used monotherapies approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, such as minoxidil or finasteride, are not efficacious in all people and cause adverse events that prevent patient compliance...

Teens and young adults increasingly utilize social media for health information. Dermatologic supplements, advertised on social media, may be pharmacologically active and risk adverse effects. Instagram was searched, and 100 posts from March 2021 were evaluated for ingredients, health claims, account verification status, and endorsements. Only 4% of posts were made by verified accounts, and 1% of posts contained a visible Supplement Facts label. The Food and Drug Administration does not regulate dietary supplements...

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common cause of hair loss in men, often requiring medical attention. The US FDA approved topical minoxidil and oral finasteride to treat AGA. Topical minoxidil requires a long-term application to observe improvement; oral finasteride may cause undesirable side effects. Therefore, natural products may be an alternative when patients are skeptical about these two conventional treatments. Physicians may also suggest natural products in conjunction with topical minoxidil or oral finasteride to enhance clinical outcomes...

Liposomes represent, among the nanocarriers, the most useful ones for dermatological use, and their composition, charge, size strongly influence their performance in topical drug delivery systems, with possible accumulation of the loaded drugs in the hair follicles. Recently, a saw palmetto carbon dioxide (CO₂) extract has been reported useful for the treatment of hair loss because of the inhibition of 5 α -reductase enzyme, responsible of the conversion of testosterone to the most potent androgen, the 5 α -dihydrotestosterone...

Saw palmetto (SP), a botanical extract with antiandrogenic properties, has gained commercial popularity for its purported benefits on hair regrowth. To summarize published evidence on the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of supplements containing SP in the treatment of alopecia, we conducted a PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane database search using the following terms: (saw palmetto and hair loss), (saw palmetto and androgenetic alopecia), and (saw palmetto and natural supplement and alopecia). Five randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and 2 prospective cohort studies demonstrated positive effects of topical and oral supplements containing SP (100-320 mg) among patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and telogen effluvium...

The second most common alopecia-Androgenetic alopecia (AGA)-occurs due to hormonal imbalance. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) an androgenic hormone is a sex steroid, produced in the gonads. The target sites of DHT are similar to that of testosterone, and it attaches easily remaining bound for 53 minutes as compared to 35 minutes of testosterone. Excess of DHT causes miniaturization of hair reducing the anagen phase and increasing the telogen phase leading to hair loss. Normally up to ten percent of testosterone in the body irreversibly gets converted into DHT by the action of enzyme 5-alpha-reductase...

Serenoa repens, commonly known as saw palmetto, is the sole species currently classified in the genus Serenoa. The plant is a low shrubby palm that is native of West Indies, and it grows in the coastal lands of North America and other European mediterranean countries. Its fruits contain high concentrations of fatty acids and phytosterols. S. repens extracts have been studied for the symptomatic treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Recently, they have been proposed to treat androgenic alopecia and other hair disorders...

We report a 24-year-old woman with androgenetic alopecia who became sensitized to topical minoxidil following use of an extemporaneous preparation of minoxidil 4% with retinoic acid in a propylene glycol base. She subsequently also became sensitized to saw palmetto (Serenoa repens), a topical herbal extract commonly promoted for the treatment of hair loss.