Many nowadays prefer a natural hair loss remedy rather than treat their hair loss with drugs and medication. If you are looking for a natural hair loss remedy for male pattern baldness, you can try saw palmetto.
Saw palmetto is a particular type of fruit that has been shown to help in hair loss according to some studies. Having some information about saw palmetto, its use and its benefits can help you decide if this natural hair loss remedy is the type of treatment that you are seeking for.
Saw palmetto is a red fruit that grows in warmer climates throughout the world. It is most often seen in South Eastern regions of the United States. Studies into the use of saw palmetto was first done for research on prostate health. However, it was also noticed during the clinical trials that this popular fruit have positive benefits to those with male pattern baldness.
Male pattern baldness is a hereditary condition that afflicts more men than women. Hair loss in male pattern baldness is characterized by a receding hairline and that continues in a horseshoe pattern. Hair on the sides and back of the head are mostly unaffected. The exact reason for male pattern baldness is still not very clear. Some studies suggest that excessive conversion of testosterone to another hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) may be an underlying cause. In the studies for prostate health, saw palmetto was shown to block the production of DHT in men suffering from enlargement of the prostate.
So how much saw palmetto should you eat for your hair loss? Unverified sources say that if you are eating the fruit, then one per day would in most instances be effective with treating your hair loss. However, if you are taking an extract, then a dosage of three hundred and twenty milligrams per day is recommended. Supplements containing nutrients of saw palmetto are also available to help with hair growth.
One of the advantages of taking saw palmetto is that there are no known side effects. This is obviously better than taking synthetic drugs or medication that may have potential adverse results. In fact, these side effects include fast heart rate, headaches, impotence, and decreased libido.
Saw palmetto should preferably be taken with other foods or substances. Otherwise, you may end up with a headache or stomachache. In addition, if you observed that you are getting allergic reactions, you should stop consuming saw palmetto immediately.
In addition, if you are fe male and pregnant, then you should not use saw palmetto without medical supervision.
Is Saw palmetto used for male pattern baldness? Currently, there is no known cure for male pattern baldness. Both conventional and natural treatments can help control the hair loss as long as one maintains the treatment. However, once the treatment is discontinued, there is the chance of recurrence. Saw palmetto may be the answer to providing your body with the necessary balance of the hormones and enzymes beneficial for combating hair loss. Do research more into this option if you are looking for a natural hair loss remedy for mild to moderate male pattern baldness.
As a man I have always found the balding process to be uncomfortable at best, and I am sure most people feel the same way. For me at least accepting the balding process as an inevitable part of aging has never really been something I was willing to do, and probably explains why over 15 years after starting to lose my hair as a result of male pattern baldness I still consider myself to have a relatively full head of hair with no bald spots.
In this article we will walk through the basics of what is thought to cause male pattern baldness along with a simple three step treatment plan that has helped me to hang on to my hair all these years. It is my hope that anyone reading this article who has a real desire to keep their hair for many years to come will be able to benefit from the advice given.
What is male pattern baldness?
In a nutshell male pattern baldness is nothing more than thousands of scalp follicles shrinking to a point where they are not longer able to replace lost hair. It's beginnings normally go unnoticed for years simply due to the large numbers of scalp hairs hiding the ongoing problem (100,000 or more). In order for balding to become noticeable around 10,000 scalp hairs will need to impacted.
The bottom line cause is a hormone known as dihydrotestosterone or DHT which is a supercharged form of testosterone that attaches itself to receptors deep within the hair follicle. Scalp receptor patterns vary slightly from person to person and are dramatically different in the genders, with men's male pattern baldness presenting in a M shaped pattern with a receding hair line and women often simply seeing a general thinning which becomes more severe over time.
Knowing the enemy has allowed me to formulate a plan to combat this foe straight on by through a combination of DHT blocking, scalp stimulation, and specific vitamins that have been shown to promote healthy hair growth.
If you have a few minutes why don't we walk through each one of these.
*DHT blocking: If you can keep dihydrotestosterone from binding to your follicle receptors you will at least be able to stop the rapid progression of male pattern baldness. For men the answer can be found in the herb saw palmetto, for women nettle root will produce similar results. I take two saw palmetto tablets with my evening meal. You should be able to notice a difference in the texture of your hair in a 7 to 10 days if the saw palmetto is having the desired effect.
*Scalp stimulation: For me the answer for reopening closed, or rapidly closing, follicles was found in the 5% minoxidil topical solution sold under the brand name Rogaine. Once applied you will feel a fresh sensation on your scalp that lasts a few seconds as you massage the topical into the scalp. Minoxidil must be used twice a day to be effective and if it is producing the intended results you should see some hair re-growth in 4 to 6 weeks.
*Vitamins: Certain B vitamins have been shown to promote healthy hair and circulation. Biotin, vitamin B6, vitamin 12, and folic acid all seem to have a positive effect. They also neutralize homocysteine amino acid which have been linked to circulatory problems and even heart disease. My rational is to nourish the hair and improve scalp circulation by talking a B vitamin complex supplement each morning with breakfast.
Male pattern baldness is the most common type of hair loss impacting over 70 million men and women in United States alone. Male pattern baldness is most often seen in men with that unmistakable receding hair line and a balding pattern resembling the letter M. While it is not as common in women, it does comprise about 25 percent of cases. With numbers like these, differing opinions and results of hair re-growth treatments, it comes as no surprise that many people are thinking out of the box and trying unconventional treatment methods such as diet for reversing balding.
The idea that we might be able to reverse male pattern baldness with diet is one that some experts do believe. The most often mentioned foods to reverse male pattern baldness are soy, milk, egg yolks, liver, cheese, butter, chicken, cauliflower, walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, pecans, bananas, peas, beans, oat bran, salmon, sardines, and brewer's yeast.
What do all the above foods have in common?
It is difficult to generalize too much but for the most part all or most of the above foods are high in biotin, choline, folic acid, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Additionally, many are high in omega 3 oils.
For me the idea that it might be possible to reverse male pattern baldness with diet is compelling one with optimism grounded in a undeniable array of intertwined facts. First of all the B vitamin complex is essential is metabolizing carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Secondarily it is a universally accepted fact that biotin is a natural nutritional supplement helpful in maintaining nail and hair health. Biotin is often found in shampoos and at least one expert in the field of balding suggest taking 2mg of biotin per day.
As mentioned above some of the foods listed such as sardines, salmon, mackerel, and nuts are high in omega 3 amino acids. While there is no direct link between omega 3 and balding what we do know is that foods high in omega 3 reduce inflammation in the body thus producing a myriad of health benefits. One certainly could make the argument that less inflammation, especially in the scalp, could facilitate hair growth.
Can we reverse male pattern baldness with diet? While diet may be vital to producing healthy hair growth it is difficult to see how diet alone can do the trick due to the follicle damage normally experienced from male pattern baldness. But by combining the benefits of the B vitamin complex and omega 3 rich foods with other ingredients designed to reinvigorate damaged follicles (minoxidil) and block harmful balding hormones (saw palmetto, nettle root) we just might be able to reverse this progressive condition.
What Next? There are currently a handful of hair re-growth products (specially formulated for both men and women) which have been proven effective both in blocking harmful hormones and bringing the all important dead hair follicles back to life. These specially formulated treatments can be used both as a preventative tool, starting before hair loss becomes severe, or after loss of hair has become noticeable. Whatever the level of balding or thinning you are experiencing these products could be just what is needed to overcome this latest life challenge.
It seems that treatments for male baldness are never ending. This makes it near impossible to decide on the correct treatment for your baldness. Knowing the cause of male pattern baldness is key to knowing which treatment is the most suitable. If it is hereditary then it is in your genes and more of a challenge to combat.
What you need to realize is that there are ways to cure baldness and regrow hair. The fact of the matter is that losing hair is an event that occurs everyday to everyone. This hair loss usually runs about 100 hairs daily.
This would mean that if you ran your fingers or comb through your hair, you'd remove very little hair. On the other hand, there are people who see significant hair removal. Losing more than 100 hairs daily should through up a red flag.
When you experience losing a lot of hair after grooming then you had better start looking for a cure for male pattern baldness. Acknowledging that you are balding is essential to taking measures to prevent further shedding. Hair loss can be a signal that you have some illness that must be attended to as soon as possible. If you become aware that your hair loss is excessive, it could be a symptom of more serious medical condition such as diabetes.
You would be wise to seek advice from a doctor. Many men turn to medication as a method to deal with their receding hairline. Some of these hormonal drugs can have nasty side-effects that can produce psychological problems. Using prescription drugs to treat male pattern baldness is a dangerous road to take.
These drugs may slow down the hair follicle deterioration but have little influence on hair regeneration. Another option for some men is surgery. However, this can be hazardous to your health and may damage the scalp. What comes to your mind when you hear the words "hair transplant"?
A hair transplant is not a simple procedure in the slightest. This surgery has nothing to do with hair regrowth or fixing up or resurrecting follicles.
Here are 3 questions concerning hair loss:
1. Is it possible to resurrect hair follicles?
2. Can hair follicles regenerate?
3. Can diet reverse baldness?
All of the above questions can be answered with a resounding YES.
Taking vitamins is a very good way to grow back your hair. Diet can reverse male pattern baldness. Male baldness is best remedied by an intake of various vitamins. Taking proper care of your scalp and your diet will get your hair growing again. Hair is produced in the follicles so don;t neglect them.
A well-balanced diet of vitamins and nutrients can start you on the road to a full head of hair. This might be the best remedy against baldness by preventing hair loss. Never give up and always try your hardest to cure hair loss naturally. It may seem unbelievable but it's true.
If you're looking to understand the cause of male pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia), all of my research has led me to believe that it can be distilled down to just one primary root cause, and that is follicle starvation. This is quite a simplistic answer, however, so let me elaborate a bit.
Male pattern baldness is a condition in which our hair follicles are deprived of certain nutrients, such as magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, vitamin b6, and biotin. And the leading cause of this nutrient deficiency is an androgen (male sex hormone) called dihydrotestosterone (dht), which some of us are genetically predisposed to produce more of than others.
Are you with me so far?
We produce an excess of this nasty hormone, and it binds itself to our hair follicles, choking them off from the scalp's blood supply, and therefore the essential nutrients contained within. Simply put, if we have male pattern baldness, then dht is starving our hair to death!
Two More Causes of Follicle Starvation:
In addition to an excess of dht, two other factors that contribute to the root cause of male pattern baldness are vitamin & mineral deficiency and poor scalp circulation. Let's address all three of these factors so we know exactly what can be done to give us the very best chance of total hair restoration without surgery.
Quick note... not all male pattern baldness is treatable via non-surgical means. It is possible that your condition has gone untreated for too long, and is now past the point of no return. This is true if you have patches of scalp with absolutely zero hair cover. In other words, my friend, you're totally bald! If this describes you, then you may want to look into hair transplants.
Otherwise, this three step outline will offer you the very best chance of full hair restoration.
Cause of male pattern baldness #1 - DHT:
To combat the production of this wicked hormone, you can use either the drug finasteride (Propecia) or its all-natural alternative, saw palmetto. Many men prefer the saw palmetto option, so as to avoid the potential sexual side effects associated with finasteride.
Cause of male pattern baldness #2 - Nutrient Deficiency:
It's quite simple. If your hair follicles are to be nursed back to health with high quality forms of the nutrients we discussed above, then these vitamins and minerals absolutely must be available. If you're nutrient deficient, then they're obviously not. This is why taking an all natural multivitamin supplement is so essential in fighting this condition. And if you can add some healthy oils to your diet, such as flax seed and fish... you will be way ahead of the game!
Cause of male pattern baldness #3 - Poor Circulation:
I don't care how many vitamins you take or how much dht you block, if your newly optimized blood can't reach the hair follicles, you will experience virtually no benefit. In other words, we fed the blood, cleaned the blood, and rid the blood of attackers. Now we must deliver the blood! This is where a 5% topical minoxidil solution comes into play. Applying this FDA approved topical to the affected area(s) of your scalp each morning will complete the trifecta, skyrocketing your potential for success!
Dealing with male pattern baldness is a bridge that virtually all men will have to cross (and some women) at some point in their lives. One out of four men start losing their hair due to male pattern baldness before the age of 30 another 65 percent by the age of 60. So if you fall into that select five percent that are not impacted you should feel fortunate.
Dealing with male pattern baldness effectively includes gaining a better understanding of this condition. Probably the most overlooked fact concerning male pattern baldness is that it generally takes from 5 to 10 years to produce the amount of hair loss necessary to produce noticeable balding.
This phenomenon has to do with both genetic predisposition to hair loss, the androgen hormones testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and the damage ultimately done to the all important hair follicles. It goes something like this, for those susceptible (most men and some women) testosterone is converted into dihydrotestosterone in the hair cell which then binds with receptors deep within the hair follicle. Over several hair cycles (a hair cycle lasts from 4 to 6 years) an excess accumulation of DHT in the follicle causes it to start to shrink thus reducing nutrient rich blood flow. Some follicles will eventually die while others will be stripped of their ability to produce new healthy hair growth.
Now that we know what causes male pattern baldness we are armed with the information needed to make the best decisions for dealing with male pattern baldness.
To reverse or halt this condition we must be able to do two things; block or restrict DHT and keep existing follicles from shrinking. The product that currently does the best job of this is minoxidil. While it is not know exactly how it works or whether it interferes with DHT what we do know is that minoxidil enlarges follicles, prolongs the growth phase, and stimulates dormant hairs to grow. It is especially effective in protecting existing hair but only moderately effective when new growth is the goal. So likely if you are looking for the best way of dealing with male pattern baldness minoxidil should be on your short list of solutions.
What Next? There are currently a handful of hair re-growth products (specially formulated for dealing with male pattern baldness) which have been proven effective both in blocking harmful hormones and bringing the all important dead hair follicles back to life. These specially formulated products can be used both as a preventative tool, starting before hair loss becomes severe, or after loss of hair has become noticeable. Whatever the level of balding or thinning you are experiencing these products could be just what is needed to overcome this latest life challenge.
Are you terrified by the prospect of approaching baldness? Is estimated that around half of all men will have some form of baldness in their lives, and most will hate it. Even know some try to make baldness fashionable by shaving their head the truth is that for most men going bald is terribly embarrassing. If you have thinning hair and are worried about it what can you do?
The cause of the vast majority of cases of thinning hair in men is known as pattern baldness or to be technical, androgenetic alopecia. This is an inherited condition. You inherit the genes for male pattern baldness (and there is also female pattern baldness) from those in your family who came before you and this predisposes you to some degree of thinning hair throughout your life.
When the thinning hair will start, where it will manifest itself, how much hair you will lose and when it will stop are all difficult to tell.
Baldness in men is a social embarrassment. Most men hate the prospect of going bald. If you choose to shave your head then that is a choice you can reverse but if you're balding due to male pattern balding then there is nothing you can do about it unless you are able to find a hair loss product that works for you.
If you search on the Internet their hair loss products you'll find dozens of them, all claiming to be a miracle cure for baldness. While some may be a miracle cure it is unlikely, the truth is that if there was a product out there that reversed male pattern baldness and restored men who suffer from it to a full head of hair it would be front-page news and everyone would know about it.
However that's not to say that there are no effective hair loss treatments. In fact men have 2 treatments choose from that are approved by the FDA as a baldness treatment for men and which have been shown in studies to be effective. However as is the case with many products they are not effective for every person who uses them.
One of these products, minoxidil, is also the only product approved by the FDA for use as a thinning hair treatment for women.
The major cause of hair loss in cases of male pattern baldness is the operation of a male hormone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone). This slowly strangles the hair follicle by depriving it of nutrients and it is thought that minoxidil works to restore hair growth by improving the flow of blood to the hair follicle thereby increasing the supply of nutrients. Minoxidil has been shown to restore hair growth though it is probably unreasonable for men experiencing serious baldness to expect a return to a full head of hair. However it does, as has been shown in studies, restore some hair growth.
One clever company has seen an opportunity here. If minoxidil improves blood supply to the hair follicle thereby improving the supply of nutrients then if the sufferer of male pattern baldness has all the essential hair nutrients available in the blood this will maximise the chances of the hair loss reversing. This company has combined minoxidil with a wide range of essential hair nutrients to maximise the chances of restoring maximum hair growth.
To find out which company has an improved hair loss product by combining minoxidil with essential hair nutrients visit my website.
