Zinc! Zing!

[StressedToTheBald]

Thanks Stressed. Curious if you've observed any improvements in your hair condition since taking saw palmetto or any other supplement for that matter.

I'm roughly ending my 1st month. What I am after is regrowth and regrowth in the bald spots.. I'm not after keeping what I already have or getting stronger hair, I want to see new hairs where I never had them before.. thats my goal. I have in that sense noticed several tiny new hairs on the spots where I never recall seeing any hairs in the past. These fine hairs are small and weak in colour.. but if they keep coming out in and I do need much more of them.. then that would be real deal brilliant achievement.

I've read that beta sitosterol should be given 6-12 months for visible improvements to be seen, and beta is much more potent than saw. In that sense saw alone should also be given at least that much time, if not more.

[chrisis]

Are you taking beta sitosterol too? Perhaps you could provide a list of what you take and why? I know many dismiss your views here but I'm listening to all

I assume because saw palmetto can't be patented there are fewer trials testing its efficacy, and also fewer people interested in promoting it because they can't make any money. Propecia on the other hand has been trialed more extensively and made billions of dollars, despite it being a mere afterthought of a medicine for the prostate.

It would be interesting if a study were done to compare the effectiveness of saw palmetto against finasteride and a control group.

[StressedToTheBald]

Are you taking beta sitosterol too? Perhaps you could provide a list of what you take and why? I know many dismiss your views here but I'm listening to all

I assume because saw palmetto can't be patented there are fewer trials testing its efficacy, and also fewer people interested in promoting it because they can't make any money. Propecia on the other hand has been trialed more extensively and made billions of dollars, despite it being a mere afterthought of a medicine for the prostate.

It would be interesting if a study were done to compare the effectiveness of saw palmetto against finasteride and a control group.

Yeah, from more recently I'm taking both.. One product I use contains only sterols and beta sitosterol, while other is intended for prostate health and it contains a combination of saw palmetto, beta sitosterol, pygeum africanum etc.

Saw palmetto I believe is much more popular for treating enlarged prostate - BPH. But You probably know that for the same condition more powerful dutasteride/proscar/5mg finasteride is prescribed as well. In my post about the studies, it even says SP is more powerful than 5mg finasteride. I 100% agree that saw palmetto cannot be patented and sold at some really heavy price.. therefore no powerful corporations push the advertising, studies etc. Besides that, FDA does not regulate natural compounds.. and doctors by default only prefer and describe chemical drugs.

I'd very much like to see an extensive comparison study of saw palmetto/beta sitosterol vs. propecia, both in terms of effectivness and comparison of dosages as well.

I use plenty of stuff ... Its too long to write again so I'll quote my list from another thread:

- Green tea. Grand stuff(antioxidants, catechins). I drink it, but extract is better, much more potent - actually up to 7 times more potent as far as I recall, so I am planning to add extract soon as well.
- ACV. Used it on and off, orally even up 3x daily dissolved in water. Used it topically as well. ACV should play a role most likely for fighting inflamation plus boosting circulation. Also research praises B2 procyanidin, I hope ACV contains it, at least some. Anyway, I'm starting on it again, been to the store yesterday, got myself 4 bottles of ACV, 2 with nettle extract, 2 with garlic extract (stinks like hell itself to be honest).
- Pumpkin seed oil. Used it, currently out, but I have stripped pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin oil is reported to block DHT.
- Biotin. Don't expect miracles. I used up to 10,000 units(a lot!) for a good amount of time, no miraculous results. Now I use it still, but in much lower doses, purely as an addition to the rest of the stuff.
- Inositol. Used it a bit. Still have some left, would like to use much more but its hard to find or order where I am. I'd go with 1000mg + daily.. Caffeine kills inositol btw, if You drink lots of coffee, maybe take even more.
- MSM. Use it, several grams daily. Also I have a topical 10% MSM warming balm, with herbs, vitamin E and what else not. What I'd really like to add is DMSO - and use it topically, but again its not available here and its a problem to order. Anyway, folicles are said to accept only DMSO form of MSM.
- Emu Oil. Never used it, never will. I'm a hardcore vegan, so nothing animal derived is an option for me.
- Saw Palmetto. Use it, 300mg daily. Not sure what my concentration is.. its not on the label. Beware - 300mg of 95% extract is not the same as 300mg 45% extract.
- Beta Sitosterol. Use it. 510mg daily. Plus I try to include some rare foods that include beta sitosterol.. avocados go with 75mg per 100g, pistachios go with nearly 200mg per 100g etc.
- Stinging nettle. Used it, use it on and off as tea, I guess 1000mg+
- Pygeum Africanum. Use it, 200mg daily. Its another reported DHT fighter.
- Curcumin. Use it, roughly once daily via my curry spice powder.
- Resveratrol. Haven't used it. But I'd like too. Also I need grape seed extract, which I have used in the past.
===
I've been out of some things, been shopping, finally more proteins. Anyway heres some more recommendations I use on and off:
- Arginine. Now will use 3500mg+ daily, via protein shakes. Boosts nitric oxide and blood flow to hairs !
- Cysteine. Now will use 1000mg+ daily, via protein shakes. Hair growth and structure protein I think.
- B100. Complex of all B Vitamins, each at least 100mg, also contains blend of green foods(alfa-alfa etc.)
- Vitamin C. I use 1500mg now, its time release + 200mg of bioflavonids.
- Full Spectrum Minerals. Its all minerals, 1000mg calcium, 500mg magnesium etc.
- Advanced Nutrition Complex (Multivitamins + Minerals)
- Black Pepper. Underestemated spice.
- Silica. Use it on and off via tea.
- Green, Black, White Tea. They're brilliant actually, very rich in antioxidants, plus reported for DHT blocking.
- Ginko Biloba. Used it in the past. Just bought a bottle of liquid alcoholic extract. Good both to drink and put on scalp.

Coming soon.. I plan to include ganoderma lucidum(reishi), ging seng etc.
I have great faith in ganoderma, I've seen study and graph - it blocks up to 50% DHT. Ain't cheap but might be the part of the TOP 3 along with beta sitosterol and saw palmetto.

[chrisis]

Thanks Stressed.

I feel totally overwhelmed with information right now... it's like being thrown into a pitch black room and having to find keys to a locked door. Gonna take a break and come back to this later

[jpm]

I just take zinc as a general supplement, not specifically for my hairloss.

I've heard to can be good for your immune system and general cell function, so as long as you don't OD on it, I figure it can hurt. Though I wouldn't recommend just taking zinc to fight hairloss, that won't work! I take fin and use nizoral too.

[StressedToTheBald]

Thanks Stressed.

I feel totally overwhelmed with information right now... it's like being thrown into a pitch black room and having to find keys to a locked door. Gonna take a break and come back to this later

You're very welcome chrisis.

I know how You feel.. Its a mountain of information all right. Just try to focus and digg out what might be crucial and most beneficial for You. On and off, I get tired of both information or mixing and drinking herbs and teas, sticking to it daily, I often fall out from the routine.. It is all both stressing and overwhelming...... and then I see someone who eats junk, drinks worse, does absolutely nothing - and yet has the best full set of hair in the world.. now thats a proper motivation killer. But what can we do, if we keep pushing and digging for answers, we might find a way, never give up - thats whats important and what I keep telling to myself. Sad reality is also that hair regrowth and testing of regimens takes time.. I used to take some stuff for a few weeks and when no results show up, I used to quit.. Never quitting is essential.. visible improvement takes 6-12 months minimum, regardless of the treatment..

Forgot to ask.. what is the daily intake of zinc Your father uses ? You mentioned that it helped him with skin condition. I use plenty of zinc, but I think I've read zinc might even be more beneficial if used topical.. I don't know if there is such a think as liquid zinc, as a separate supplement liquid.. but I do have zinc in one of my shampoos.

[khan]

So I went to visit my parents today and talked about my hair loss and future options. Luckily they were very supportive On a side note, my Dad told me he'd been taking zinc for his psoriasis and had experienced the welcome side-effect of thickened hair on his scalp. He pointed it out and I did notice it was thicker than I'd seen it for awhile.

Anyone else supplementing with zinc? I'm thinking of adding it along with saw palmetto since I'm discontinuing finasteride for the moment. If anyone has an experience with these or other supplements, please comment

Saw Palmetto isn't exactly safe. There are accounts of people that claim low libido and gyno from taking it. You try a simple google search. It blocks both Type1 and Type2 alpha reductase enzyme. A doctor I spoke to told me its particularly dangerous since the FDA has no regulation over it.
Perhaps its "safer" than finasteride, I really don't know, but its definitely not safe in the absolute sense. Actually, nothing is safe in the absolute sense which is what most people have been trying to say on this forum.

I personally took saw palmetto (along with some other natural stuff) for around 9 months. It didn't stop my hairloss. Although I didn't have any change in libido/performance, at the very high dose of 640mg of the extract I started getting the occasional headache and slight nauseau. But if you are sure you want to quit Finasteride, than Saw Palmetto is worth a try, I know I gave it a shot just as a last attempt to avoid Finasteride, after reading stories of irreversible side effect.

[StressedToTheBald]

Saw Palmetto isn't exactly safe. There are accounts of people that claim low libido and gyno from taking it. You try a simple google search. It blocks both Type1 and Type2 alpha reductase enzyme. A doctor I spoke to told me its particularly dangerous since the FDA has no regulation over it.
Perhaps its "safer" than finasteride, I really don't know, but its definitely not safe in the absolute sense. Actually, nothing is safe in the absolute sense which is what most people have been trying to say on this forum.

I personally took saw palmetto (along with some other natural stuff) for around 9 months. It didn't stop my hairloss. Although I didn't have any change in libido/performance, at the very high dose of 640mg of the extract I started getting the occasional headache and slight nauseau. But if you are sure you want to quit Finasteride, than Saw Palmetto is worth a try, I know I gave it a shot just as a last attempt to avoid Finasteride, after reading stories of irreversible side effect.

I personally have never had problems with saw palmetto and studies claim that compared to finasteride it is safe - safe in the sense that it will not cause significant nor permanent side effects. There are people out there who take both propecia and saw palmetto combined.. it might be them who end up blaming saw palmetto for side effects which are actually caused by propecia.

FDA doesn't regulate any natural compounds.. which I agree doesn't make all natural compounds in any doses absolutely safe. But the fact is - FDA regulates propecia and still latest findings link it to permanent ED, cancer and depression. Instead of accepting the blame.. Merck directs damaged people to report their cases to FDA.. so much of taking responsibilty, and initial safety guaranteed by the FDA.

[2020]

But the fact is - FDA regulates propecia and still latest findings link it with permanent ED, cancer and depression. Instead of accepting the blame.. Merck directs damaged people to report their cases to FDA.. so much of taking responsibilty, and initial safety guaranteed by the FDA.

you just don't give up...

[khan]

StressedToTheBald,

Maybe you can argue FDA regulation is not perfect, but surely some form of regulation is much more safer than no regulation at all, which is the case for Saw Palmetto.

[jpm]

you just don't give up...

he is a massive fearmongering hijacking troll!

Our only hope is the report abuse button.

[khan]

he is a massive fearmongering hijacking troll!

Our only hope is the report abuse button.

How can a Finasteride-fearmongerer push Saw Palmetto?
It also blocks conversion of DHT and both Finasteride and Saw Palmetto are used to treat the same issue (i.e prostate enlargement), if SPH is effective, than thats because it is very similar to Fin.

[jpm]

How can a Finasteride-fearmongerer push Saw Palmetto?
It also blocks conversion of DHT and both Finasteride and Saw Palmetto are used to treat the same issue (i.e prostate enlargement), if SPH is effective, than thats because it is very similar to Fin.

The vast majority of his posts just spout nonsense about the side effects of fin, which aren't true!

[StressedToTheBald]

StressedToTheBald,

Maybe you can argue FDA regulation is not perfect, but surely some form of regulation is much more safer than no regulation at all, which is the case for Saw Palmetto.

Of course, that should be the case and it theory it is, but in the case of finasteride the FDA regulation failed big time.. they've only recently upgraded risk labels and now with the latest 2 studies coming out.. they'll either have to upgrade risk labels again and to the highest level, either that or to ban the drug completely. Both ways its a big failure of regulation.. the seriousness of risks should have been evaluated properly at the very starts, and not in the middle or the end of this drug's existance on the market.. because the damage is already done.

[Kirby_]

The natural line of inquiry then is, has anyone reported side effects taking saw palmetto?

I got awfully low libido, ball-ache, nipple pains, bit of shock-loss from SP. Awful awful stuff, I'd never advise anyone to take that crap. (Added to which, there's no proof that is helps treat MPB.)

My dad tried saw palmetto for his prostate problems, and got nasty side effects too.