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All About HGH Fitness And Anti Aging 
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Saw Palmetto for Overall Good HealthThe value of the small palm tree Serenoa repens –otherwise known as
saw palmetto- which is endemic to the south-eastern United States has been known
long before any records of it were available. The pre-Columbian peoples of
Florida –as well as the later Creek immigrants- made use of the plant as a
source for a variety of products such as oil, wax, fiber, medicine, food, as
well as for other implements such as fans and ornamentation. The fruit was
considered an important food source for its indigenous peoples, though not all
considered it palatable. In fact, in an account by Jonathan Dickinson, a Quaker
merchant stranded on Florida’s east coast in 1696, he and his companions
compared the taste of the fruit to "rotten cheese steeped in tobacco."
The most significant use of saw palmetto, however, is the production of remedies to treat a variety of ills. Among the various conditions herbal remedies from the plant are said to heal include urinary tract infections, renal disorders, prostate enlargement, diarrhea, bronchitis, asthma, and many others. The plant was listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia from 1900 to 1920, as well as in the National Formulary from 1926 to 1952. It was also found under the Extra Pharmacopoeia of Great Britain and the British Pharmaceutical Codex for its use as a treatment for chronic bronchitis, cystitis, and for stimulating the urinary tract. The value of saw palmetto as a treatment for hair loss in particular has been recognized in modern medical literature as early as 1898. Dr Edwin M. Hale of Chicago, in his monograph detailing the plant’s history, botany, pharmacology, and therapeutic applications, listed ‘alopecia’ among various conditions such as urinary incontinence and respiratory congestion that saw palmetto possesses medicinal use for. This early recognition of the plant’s potential to combat hair loss, however, did not immediately translate to intensive study and research on its aspect as such. This is primarily because the plant was known more for treating prostate enlargement. Saw palmetto and Benign Prostatic HyperplasiaIt was a fortuitous coincidence however, that much focus was given to saw palmetto as a treatment for prostate enlargement, because it led to further inquiry as to its ability to treat hair loss. The abnormal growth of the prostate gland due to benign prostatic hyperplasia is caused by an influx of high amounts of androgens to the gland. The androgen dihydrotestosterone binds itself to the prostate's cytoplasmic receptors, initiating RNA and DNA synthesis, inducing a proliferation of proteins which causes inflammation. The anti-androgenic properties of saw palmetto alleviate the inflammatory effects of BPH by inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase's capacity to transform testosterone into the more potent DHT. In addition to those, the plant's extract seems to have an antagonistic effect on testosterone receptors, compounding its efficacy in dealing with the condition. Both BPH and androgenetic alopecia are androgen dependent conditions. Moreover, BPH and AGA share common hormonal pathways, suggesting a connection between prostate problems and androgenetic hair loss. As such, it is speculated that saw palmetto’s effectiveness in treating BPH is what gives it its ability to treat alopecia. Saw palmetto and Androgenetic alopeciaAs in prostate enlargement in benign prostatic hyperplasia, dihydrotestosterone plays a key role in hair loss due to androgenetic alopecia. Though DHT is a natural by-product of our body’s growth processes –being a metabolite involved in our physical development- it also has an undesirable characteristic of attaching to and accumulating at our hair follicles. It interrupts our hair's growth processes, shortening the duration of the anagen or growth phase –resulting in continuously diminishing hair follicles. Each succeeding growth cycle will cause hair follicles to shrink and the resulting strands of hair will become finer and finer. Eventually, these will fall out, and will no longer be replaced, resulting in baldness. Certain individuals with a genetically predetermined sensitivity to DHT's effects are more susceptible to AGA. Saw palmetto extract –particularly the fat-soluble, liposterolic fraction of its fruit extract-combats hair loss by inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase’s ability to convert testosterone into DHT. It also decreases the uptake of DHT by hair follicles by blocking its testosterone receptors. Studies on Saw palmetto and alopeciaThough the number of studies on saw palmetto as a treatment for alopecia is limited, the findings of these studies are, nonetheless, generally supportive of the claims of its effectiveness. In 1999, Nelson Prager from the Clinical Research and Development Network in Colorado and his associates conducted a test to determine the effectiveness of botanically-derived DHT inhibitors in treating AGA. Their findings were later published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine three years later. In this randomized, double-blind, controlled study, a small group of men from 23 to 64 years of age with mild to moderate AGA were given either an active soft gel capsule containing 200 mg of saw palmetto extract (with a standardized liposterolic content of 85-95%) and 50 mg of beta-sitosterol, or a placebo simply containing soybean oil. After a period of about 5 months, it was found that 60% (6/10) of those who took the active capsule showed improved hair density, compared to the 11% (1/9) of the placebo group. Furthermore, when the participants self-assessed the condition of their bald areas, 0% (0/10) in the treatment group reported that their conditions worsened, while 33% (3/9) of the placebo group did so. A number of adverse effects observed were also included in the study. Complaints of light-headedness, frequent urination, and heightened sensations were reported by three individuals from the placebo group. From the treatment group, three subjects reported gastrointestinal distress in the form of appetite loss, diarrhea, and flatulence; while one subject reported worsened acne. The latter complaint from the treatment group was ruled out as irrelevant, however; while the former complaints on gastrointestinal distress were considered to be either possibly or unlikely related to the treatment. Despite the small subject population, the study of Prager and his associates nevertheless showed that an orally administered saw palmetto treatment was reasonably effective in improving hair quality and in suppressing hair loss due to androgenetic alopecia. Other studies have also been conducted to determine the efficacy of topically applied saw palmetto products in combating hair loss. In 2004, during the Fourth Intercontinental Meeting of Hair Research Societies held in Berlin, Germany, a study on the efficacy of saw palmetto extract in shampoo and lotion bases was presented by C. Fasculo. A subject population consisting of 28 women and 34 men, with ages ranging from 18 to 48 years of age, made use of the treatment over a period of three months. The results showed that the treatment accounted for a 35% increase in hair density, as well as a 67% increase in sebum reduction –suggesting that the topically-applied saw palmetto treatment can possibly reduce the likelihood of hair loss due to scalp infections by Demodex mites, as well. Antonella Tosti also presented a comparative study on topically applied saw palmetto treatments in 2008, during the 13th Annual Meeting of European Hair Research Societies –this time, held in Genoa, Italy. The study compared the effectiveness of a shampoo with a 0.5% concentration of ketoconazole, taurine, and saw palmetto extract with another containing simply a 1% concentration of ketoconazole in treating patients with dandruff and seborrhoeic dermatitis. The former shampoo containing saw palmetto extract was shown to give better results as compared to the latter, suggesting that it can help prevent hair loss caused by such conditions. T. Wilt, together with his associates conducted a test in 2000 to compare the efficacy of saw palmetto extract in dealing with benign prostatic hyperplasia with finasteride. It was found that incidences concerning sexual side effects such as erectile dysfunction, altered libido, and ejaculatory disturbance resulting from the use of the drug were less prevalent in the use of the extract, suggesting that saw palmetto extract might be a safer alternative to conventional medical products. Nevertheless, cases have been reported –however uncommon they might be- wherein the use of saw palmetto extract resulted in adverse effects ranging from mild gastrointestinal distress and muscle pain to reduced sexual performance and bleeding. Such incidents suggest that further research on saw palmetto ought to be done in order to ascertain its safety and efficacy. Is Saw Palmetto Worth Trying?Given all such benefits and detriments, saw palmetto remains a popular remedy in combating hair loss, and is available in several different forms, under several different brand names with varying degrees of efficacy and safety. Some are available in pill form while others are sold as liquid extracts; some are ingested orally while others are applied topically; some are marketed as herbal health supplements, and some are found as an active ingredient in various natural products. As with any and all treatments for hair loss, if ever one considers making use of saw palmetto products for treating hair loss, getting one’s self well-informed by reading up on related literature, as well as by obtaining informed opinions about the product from doctors and other reputable sources before deciding would be advised.
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