Comments on: Saw Palmetto: Is It As Effective As Finasteride? https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/ The science of hair loss Fri, 30 Sep 2022 14:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.1 By: Rob English https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-104864 Tue, 21 Sep 2021 21:54:43 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-104864 In reply to Slye.

Saw palmetto doesn’t have perfect mechanistic overlap with finasteride, so it’s entirely possible that saw palmetto + finasteride could have additional benefits to DHT reduction in scalp tissue versus finasteride alone. As far as using saw palmetto to combat ED-related side effects from finasteride – it’s really hard for me to weigh in here… because the side effect profile of saw palmetto changes (libido enhancing versus libido reducing) depending on the population being studies (Native Americans versus Europeans) – with no real evidence at a genetic level to explain the differences (suggesting the effect may be psychosomatic).

]]> By: Slye https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-104639 Fri, 17 Sep 2021 21:26:30 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-104639 Would it be harmful to take both finasteride and saw palmetto at the same time? My thinking is if saw palmetto also helps with “ED” and other sexual dysfunctions could it help any percentage that finasteride has that side effect on your body/ blood flow.

]]> By: Chris https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-100319 Sun, 02 May 2021 04:29:33 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-100319 Would it probably be better to start off with saw palmetto instead of finasteride? My hair has very slight recession that started almost ten years ago and if it has gotten any worse, it’s not by much. Id say I’m at a norwood 2, maybe 3, and only hair stylists noticed the slight recession. I would hope that saw palmetto would be the better choice and that I don’t need to significantly decrease DHT to keep my my hair. And tbh with you, id probably just let it go as opposed to any health risks of taking medication even if it takes more than 20 years or so for the hair loss to become noticeable. I’m just looking for healthier solutions to either stop the hair loss or just slow it down.

]]> By: sai https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-92121 Mon, 07 Dec 2020 23:42:38 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-92121 HI There,

Looks like food based DHT blockers are not effective in preventing the pattern hair loss and if the hair loss is due to the DHT, there is no cure for it.

Thanks

]]> By: Deude https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-91498 Sat, 21 Nov 2020 18:51:13 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-91498 Has someone used a topical saw palmetto extract treatment yet?

]]> By: Rob English https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-91346 Thu, 19 Nov 2020 07:50:28 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-91346 In reply to Nathan.

Hey Nathan,

There’s some mechanistic evidence that progesterone cream may act as a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor in skin tissues:

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11558590/
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1828548/
    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7432488/

Oral progesterone-based therapies are also used in the treatment of female pattern hair loss. See our article here:

https://perfecthairhealth.com/hormonal-birth-control-hair-loss/

Having said that, I wouldn’t jump on a progesterone cream just yet. Progesterone-based medications have actually been considered as a male-based contraceptive measure. See this study here:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15707556/

The bottom line: we don’t really have any clinical data on using progesterone creams for hair growth in men. While mechanistic data supports this possibility, data also show that progesterone may also elicit similar side effects as finasteride. Without more evidence, I wouldn’t want to make myself the guinea pig here.

Best,
Rob

]]> By: Nathan https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-91341 Thu, 19 Nov 2020 05:15:26 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-91341 Hi what about progesterone cream instead of finasteride? Could it work the same way as the drug?

]]> By: Rob English https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-86787 Mon, 29 Jun 2020 16:29:53 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-86787 In reply to Baptiste F..

Hey Baptiste,

Saw palmetto is a much “gentler” 5-alpha reductase inhibitor versus finasteride. So, you could certainly try saw palmetto first and see how you respond.

As far as gradually increasing your dose of saw palmetto – the evidence we have (so far) is that 320mg daily of saw palmetto extract, standardized o 85-95 fatty acids, is no more effective than 960 mg daily (at least for treating BPH). So, there’s probably no need to gradually increase dosage after 320mg. In fact, if it were me, I’d probably just start at the 320mg dosage and see how you respond over the course of 1-2 months.

Best,
Rob

]]> By: Baptiste F. https://perfecthairhealth.com/saw-palmetto-is-it-as-effective-as-finasteride/#comment-86662 Fri, 26 Jun 2020 20:58:33 +0000 https://perfecthairhealth.com/?p=4296#comment-86662 Hello ! Could it be a good idea to start Saw Palmetto before finasteride to see if side effects are occuring? As gradually increasing the dose! Or do you think it’s dangerous to switch from one to the other ? Thanks in advance !

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