| Saw Palmetto & Hair Loss, A Novel Use Of | | | | palmetto. |
| An Intriguing Botanically Derived Ingredient. | | | | So if saw palmetto represents a useful |
| Androgenetic alopecia (AGA), commonly called | | | | nutraceutical tool against hair loss, why is it not in |
| pattern hair loss shares a striking degree of | | | | wider use? Another interesting question is 'why |
| hormonal factors with other diseases including | | | | aren't all saw palmetto-containing hair loss |
| benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Over several | | | | treatments equally effective?'. Clearly, they are |
| decades, multiple European research studies have | | | | not --- and here's part of the reason why. To |
| examined the use of saw palmetto in the setting | | | | begin, the macromolecules which make up the |
| of BPH. Until recently however, saw palmetto was | | | | fatty acids and sterols in saw palmetto do not |
| not considered as a tool against hair loss. There | | | | lend themselves to easy transport across the |
| are several reasons for this disparity. | | | | gastric mucosa (stomach lining) or the stratum |
| To begin, a definitive biochemical connection | | | | corneum (outer layer of the skin). This tends to |
| between BPH and AGA was not fully worked out | | | | limit the utility of saw palmetto in the hair follicle, |
| until quite recently. Also, inasmuch as saw | | | | because one can either ingest saw palmetto or |
| palmetto is available in a number of forms and | | | | apply it to the scalp --- there's really no other |
| concentrations, it has been difficult to test its | | | | way to get it into the hair follicle. |
| activity in a standardized dose. For another thing, | | | | So, in order to deliver the key molecules to the |
| saw palmetto, in its most concentrated form, | | | | target tissue, carefully chosen |
| LSESr (liposterolic extract of Serenoa repens) is | | | | chaperone-substances must be used; and, indeed, |
| notoriously difficult to combine with hydrophilic | | | | these have proven to be extremely valuable in |
| (water loving) materials, such as those desirable in | | | | getting saw palmetto to work against hair loss. |
| hair treatment formulations. This limitation has | | | | Certain botanically-based hair loss treatments, |
| tended to render the available dosage forms of | | | | such as those successfully tested in |
| LSESr less than ideal. Finally, saw palmetto, when | | | | placebo-controlled research, have been formulated |
| exposed to the air, tends to oxidize readily, | | | | with this key understanding in mind. |
| leading to rapid inactivation. | | | | As has been learned through more than ten |
| Despite these caveats, saw palmetto extract | | | | years of hair loss related research, saw palmetto, |
| represents a genuinely exciting substance for | | | | while not an ideal hair loss treatment 'in and of |
| incorporation into hair loss treatment compositions. | | | | itself', constitutes a genuinely effective tool in |
| Saw palmetto extract is like a biochemical stew, | | | | careful combination with other substances. The |
| comprising multiple fatty acids and sterols, some, | | | | art and science is knowing how much of each |
| including betasitosterol, have been shown to block | | | | material to use, how to combine finicky |
| the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase (5AR) a key | | | | substances like saw palmetto extract with other |
| precursor of BPH and AGA. | | | | reagents, how to keep the admixture in solution, |
| Because 5AR is a critical feature of BPH and | | | | how to maintain potency, and other challenges. |
| AGA, it has represented a highly attractive drug | | | | The good news is that for the most part, these |
| target for both disorders. Pharmacologic 5AR | | | | challenges have been solved --- at least in our lab. |
| blockade has proven to be efficacious against | | | | Published medical research supports this assertion. |
| AGA as well as BPH. Unfortunately, 5AR inhibiting | | | | As time passes, newer and better hair loss |
| drugs like finasteride and dutasteride have been | | | | treatments will undoubtedly be put together in our |
| linked to quite serious negative side effects, | | | | lab and other dedicated facilities. For the |
| including feminizing birth defects. Fortuitously, this | | | | foreseeable future however, it is likely that saw |
| has not proven to be the case with saw | | | | palmetto will continue to play an interesting role. |