| Saw palmetto has been getting a lot of attention | | | | growth of thicker, darker bodily hair; this strange |
| recently as a natural cure for hair loss. Is there any | | | | side-effect ballooned into a marketing opportunity. |
| evidence that it works? While it is true that saw | | | | Certainly, many men and women are happy for this |
| palmetto is a natural product and an herbal | | | | unusual side-effect, but I think it's wisest to stick |
| supplement; I think it's important to discuss the | | | | with tested treatments. I wouldn't want to be the |
| dangers behind what I call the "herbal mentality." It's | | | | man who takes saw palmetto for hair growth and |
| easy to fall into the belief that plant extracts are | | | | discovers that it also increases breast tissue! |
| "natural" and that substances that are plant-based are | | | | In the case of saw palmetto, there are claims that it |
| naturally healthier for us. However, many of our legal | | | | inhibits dihydrotestosterone or DHT (the androgenic |
| (and illegal) drugs are based on plant extracts! | | | | hormone that leads to hair loss). However, |
| Although we tend to think of natural substances as | | | | manufacturers mostly advertise it as an aid in urinary |
| being harmless and good for us, there are some | | | | function and men's prostate health; it has been |
| dangers to consider-for example, if someone told | | | | specifically tested for its effects on the urinary |
| you that "poppy seed extract" was a great "natural" | | | | symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland-however, |
| way to get a good night's sleep, they would only be | | | | according to the National Center for Complementary |
| telling part of the story. | | | | and Alternative Medicine, there has been no |
| Many narcotics, poisons, and even legitimate medical | | | | conclusive evidence of any real benefit for that |
| treatments come from leaves and roots, rather than | | | | condition either. |
| laboratories. Unfortunately, the wave of new-age | | | | A final consideration with any treatment containing |
| medicine and do-it-yourself healing has given more | | | | herbal extracts is that the manufacturing process for |
| people the opinion that they can cure themselves | | | | herbal supplements is not as stringent as it is within |
| with a pamphlet and a few drops of essential oils. I | | | | the pharmaceutical industry. It is likely that different |
| strongly believe that natural remedies can work, and | | | | batches or brands of an herbal supplement can have |
| that is exactly why I believe that people should really | | | | very different concentrations or levels of |
| know what they're doing before they start to throw | | | | effectiveness. This can be a troubling concern when |
| back a bottle of something that claims to grow hair | | | | it is combined with the fact that, without clinical trials, |
| (and shrink an enlarged prostate, and grow breast | | | | no one knows exactly what amount is a |
| tissue, and cure pelvic pain, and regulate a menstrual | | | | recommended dosage and what level would lead to |
| cycle-assuming that you are even designed to have | | | | an overdose. Overall, although there may be a |
| one.) | | | | connection between saw palmetto and hair growth, I |
| Moving on to my second concern-if it does one thing, | | | | wouldn't feel comfortable recommending it to anyone |
| how do you know that's all it does? Minoxidil (one of | | | | without clinical trials, FDA approval, and government |
| the only FDA approved hair growth medications) was | | | | regulation. This will sound harsh, but until it is |
| originally developed as a treatment for high blood | | | | government-proven, you're essentially running a trial |
| pressure. Researchers discovered that it created the | | | | using your own body and your money. |