Beta Sitosterol — Nature’s Hair Loss Supplement

Could Beta Sitosterol be the cheapest most effective natural male hair loss supplement? One fella going by the nick name of WidowsPeak thinks so — using beta sitosterol not only has he halted hair loss, he’s actually regrown new hair. I’ve mulled over whether or not I should give beta sitosterol a whirl for a while. Initially the slightly scary name put me off, but on further inspection there is not much to be worried about, in fact quite the opposite.

All Natural Goodness

Beta sitosterol belongs to a group of plant extracts called phytosterols. Chances are you eat it every day already as it’s found in rice, wheat germ, avocado, various oils and other plant based foods. An old study showed that unless we get fresh beta sitosterol daily our body will become depleted of it. The study concluded that beta sitosterol should to be taken daily for “optimal functioning” (Metabolism of beta-sitosterol in man. J. Clin. Invest., 49, 952-967, 1970).

Commonly beta sitosterol is sold as supplement for a wide range of health benefits in particular to help reduce cholesterol levels and for prostate health, but it has been shown to have anti cancer effects and it also gives the immune system a helping hand. Sounds like good stuff, but how will this help re-grow hair?

Beta Sitosterol To The Rescue

Exactly how beta sitosterol helps prevent hair loss is not totally clear. Studies seem to indicate that it works by stopping the enzyme 5 alpha reductase dead in it’s tracks (J Altern Complement Med. 2002 Apr;8(2):143-52.). This enzyme converts testosterone into another hormone called DHT, and if you didn’t know DHT is bad news for hair. So if beta sitosterol can stamp out the action of 5 alpha reductase then a major cause of male pattern hair loss can be fended off.

*UPDATE* Just found a study, perhaps the only study, looking at the effect of beta sitosterol on androgenic alopecia (male balding). The study tested 26 males aged between 23 and 65 with mild to moderate hair loss. They were given 50mg of beta sitosterol a day for four months. The outcome…

On the basis of the investigative staff assessment of change in the patient’s scalp hair growth from baseline, treatment with the active study formula demonstrated 60% of the subjects rated as “improved” at the final visit as compared to baseline. In contrast, only 11% in the placebo group were rated as improved. Further, the Subject Assessment analysis of the appearance of the bald spot at the final visit compared to baseline showed that in the treatment group, no subjects deteriorated. In contrast however, the placebo group reported three subjects as deteriorated.

(Nelson Prager, Effectiveness of Botanically Derived Inhibitors of 5AR in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia: Alternative and Complimentary Medicine, Volume 8, Number 2, April 2002)

Not the biggest study ever done, but one certainly gives me more confidence in beta sitosterol. And then consider the best results with beta sitosterol comes from over 12 months of use, yet 60% of the test subjects noticed an improvement after just 4 months. At the worst it may be enough to stop any more hair shed at the best I may be able to spark new life into hair follicles that were nearly dead.

The study also makes some interesting points comparing natural substances like beta sitosterol with synthetic ones like Rogaine and Propecia…

These botanicals have not been linked with the spectrum of negative side effects, adverse reactions, or teratogenicity, associated with the pharmaceutically derived alternatives.

Not only does it appear that beta sitosterol may prevent new DHT being made, it may also prevent hair loss by stopping any existing DHT binding to androgen receptors, but I couldn’t find any studies to confirm this. And that’s not all…

It is thought that beta sitosterol has estrogen blocking effects. High estrogen levels in men are strongly linked with balding and a whole host of other nasties (prostate problems and man boobs!).

Another study revealed that beta-sitosterol may possess anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation is also a significant factor in hair loss, so if this can be limited too then there may be protection against hair loss from several different angles.

And finally beta sitosterol has been shown in numerous studies to have a variety of anti-microbial, anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal actions. Having micro creepy crawlies on your scalp is certainly not good for you hair. All in all beta sitosterol sounds like a potent hair loss supplement.

What to expect, are there any side effects?

WidowsPeak used 350mg a day of the product, this seems a safe level, especially when you consider some Doctors recommend up 5000mg a day. Roger Mason author of the book “The Natural Prostate Cure” states 300mg supplement is more than safe.

As for side effects, the odd beta sitosterol user has reported a decrease in libido, if this happens to me I will cease using the product – hair is good, but not THAT good. Generally people have reported an increase in libido. Also, for the first couple of weeks you may experience an oily itchy scalp, apparently this is a “pre-cursor to regrowth”.

Another possible problem with beta sitosterol is that it can interfere with how the body absorbs beta-carotene and vitamin E and, but taking a decent multi-vitamin should balance that out.

I’ll need to stick with it for an extended period, WidowsPeak reported new small baby like hair initially, but it took months to see thick new hairs…

5 months is nothing, took me 12-18 months to really start seeing overall thickening, takes a LONG time for velous hairs to turn terminal, but the fact that they are there means the follicles are not dead. I think some of the terminal new hairs you saw were hairs on the way to dying but the sprang back to life. They were not so far gone that the first thing to sprout is peach fuzz. Be patient, just stopping the fallout etc is great. Regrowth takes time.

This would indicate that beta sitosterol would probably work better on people who have only just started losing hair, rather than those who have been bald for years who’s follicles are more likely to be dead.

I’m giving beta sitosterol 18 months use at 375mg every day. I’ve been on it for 7 days, no side effects to mention as yet. I’ll be taking some “before” pictures soon so I can make an accurate comparison. I brought my supply of it from vitacost, it’s fairly cheap… Beta Sitosterol Supplement

On a final note, if your wondering why this supplement isn’t more popular for hair loss you have to consider that it is inexpensive and a natural substance so the big drug companies cannot claim exclusive rights to it which means very small profits.

I’ll be writing updates and posting pictures every few months, hopefully I’ll be reporting back with a few more hairs on my head.

Responses to This Article

Chris said on May 16, 2006
Interesting both the results and the fact it may help women too….

Anyway, I began taking one 375 mg Beta Sitosterol tablet along with a Saw Palmetto gelcap twice a day (in the morning and in the evening) back in November 2005. Almost IMMEDIATELY, I stopped seeing the shedding – in my brush, on my shoulders and clothing, on my pillow, in the shower, etc. My hair is growing back, particularly the hair that frames my face, and I probably see ONE hair every two days in the places I used to find lots of my hair. NEAR ZERO SHEDDING.As far as I’m concerned, forget all the expensive so-called miracle cures: if you are a woman suffering from male-pattern baldness, Saw Palmetto and Beta Sitosterol (in high concentrations) will make you forget you ever had a hair loss problem.
Jim said on May 29, 2006
That is impossible. Sheds occur in cycles, and hair that is shed has been released from the follicle approximately 3 months earlier. Thus, one needs at least 3 months (and preferrably 6 months to a year) to really notice the effects of any hair-loss treatment.
Chris said on June 7, 2006
Hi Jim…that report does seem a little too good to be true. The only thing I can think is that dormant or hair/follicles that were in the process of “dying” have been revived in some way by the beta sitosterol. I’m a few weeks in a not noticing anything as exciting yet.
estee said on June 15, 2006
hi there, been following your stories, I have also tried beta-sitosterol for “female-pattern” baldness and hopefully to get acne under control. I have been told by my endocrinologist to take this as it suppresses the adrogens responsible for both problems, I stated taking it in June 2005 till Jan 06, during this time there was a definite improvement in acne and a noticable improvement in hairloss, however I stopped taking it and have found my skin flaring up again, hairloss also regressed, so I’m about to start taking it again. Hope to see your comments on your treatment in future again.
Chris said on June 15, 2006
Hi Estee. Basically it seems that beta sitosterol is efficient at regulating hormones in men and possibly women – unbalanced hormones can lead to a whole host of problems hair loss, acne (as you mention), prostate problems etc. Glad to hear your success with beta sitosterol, let us know how it goes!
PHILIP said on August 27, 2006
The only thing that bothers me about this treatment is that it seems to be used mainly as a means to reduce cholesterol. If a person already has low cholesterol and takes beta sitosterol to stop hair loss, might he not then be at risk of reduicing his cholesterol to too low a level?
Chris said on August 30, 2006
Hi Philip, very good question. This also concerned me and was something I researched before supplementing with beta sitsosterol. BS works by… “locking to the fat molecules eaten and by blocking the fat molecule absorption gates in the intestines. The fats and cholesterol are then excreted rather than absorbed. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed a 42% decease in cholesterol absorbed when taking beta-sitosterol before eating scrambled eggs.”

If you have high cholesterol levels then taking BS 20 to 30 mins prior to meals will reduce your cholesterol levels, but you will lose some of the hair growth benefits as it will excreted rather than absorbed into the body.

If you don’t want BS to mess with your cholesterol levels then don’t take it prior/with meals. I’d guess an hour either side of a meal you should be fine, go for 2 hours if you want to make absolutely sure.

Hope this helps!
Tony said on December 11, 2006
What foods in BS found in naturally. I would rather supplement that way. WidowPeak says he does not have sex seemingly as part of his regimen. Is this neccesary, I do not know if i can comply.
Chris said on December 12, 2006
Tony — Avocado and wheat germ are high in levels of beta sitosterol.
Greg said on April 24, 2009
To actually reduce hair loss, I don’t know if you can get the amount of Beta Sitosterol necessary without taking a supplement. I do know that in spite of the single placebo controlled study using Beta Sit to treat hair loss, there are numerous other studies that demonstrate Beta Sit can help treat Benign prostate enlargement. This is important, because prostate enlargement is closely linked to male pattern baldness.
Mike said on June 18, 2009
Beta Sitosterol is on the way to becoming a cure for enlarged prostate. I had SERIOUS problems with my enlarged prostate. Started taking BS 2 1/2 years ago, enlarged prostate problems gone after one week on BS. Although dihydrotestosterone is the cause of both enlarged prostate and hair loss, BS only slowed hair loss.
Jerry said on July 17, 2009
Generally beta-sitosterol refers to a phytosterol complex. Nutritionists recognize two classes of phytosterols: (1) sterols, which have a double bond in the sterol ring; and (2) stanols, which lack a double bond in the sterol ring . A mixed Phytosterol complex contains the following distinct plant sterols:

1) Beta-sitosterol

2) Campesterol

3) Stigmasterol

There are distinct structural differences between the above three plant sterols.
In the case of prostate health, and the conversion of testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone)it is the beta-sitosterol that has been studied and reported to provide relief with respect to the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate. A 200 mg capsule of saw palmetto contains approximately 20 mg of actual beta-sitosterol. Therefore to get close to the dosage of 300 mg a day or more you would have to consume 20 plus capsules per day. Now if you are a strict vegetarian you are getting 400 to 600 mg of beta-sitosterol daily. To approximate the desired dose of beta-sitosterol with diet alone would mean a life on the porcelain throne so to speak. It should be noted that the FDA allows the lower cholesterol health claim when the minimum daily dose is at least 1.3 grams (1200 mg) of beta-sitosterol daily. In addition the beta-sitosterol should be taken .5 to 1 hours before the meal in divided dosages. All beta-sitosterol prostate supplements have this phytosterol complex. The percent beta-sitosterol would depend on which supplement you purchase. Most common is a 50% beta-sitosterol complex. Some like Best Prostate actually use a branded beta-sitosterol Vegepure FTE by Cognis Health & Nutrition that is 80% beta-sitosterol. Note the following side effects of beta-sitosterol have been reported at dosages of 3 to 4 grams per day. These side effects may include: Nausea, Indigestion or heartburn, Diarrhea or constipation. There may be additional side effects that have been reported at higher dosages so this list is not all inclusive. To learn more about Best Prostate visit http://www.bestprostate.com

Note: The statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Any products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Any medical concerns should be directed to a qualified health care professional.
Sunny said on August 19, 2009
Thanx for the information……I shall be ordering mine from Amazon tonite.
DEEN said on September 17, 2009
hi there,
i have heard that Beta Sitosterol is good for regrowth, i have a shiny scalp shaped in the “u” which is bald, the rest of my head grows hair abundantly, if i use this, will it generate even hair growth on my sculp?
Aaron said on November 1, 2009
Very interesting article! will be trying beta sitosterol soon
rich said on November 17, 2009
So is it better and ok to take it twice daily or is once enough and recommended?
Matt said on November 22, 2009
How’s the beta Sitosterol working for you chris?
Adam said on November 29, 2009
I’ve recently begun to bald, mostly in the front, but what is alarming is how rapidly it has progressed. I see significantly less hair week to week– I only started noticing any loss about 6 months ago. Whereas just 2 months ago I still had a thick plume that I could run my fingers through in the front center, I now have almost nothing. I began taking the BS last week and hope to see the loss stop or at least slow soon. I’m fine if it just stops– i’d be thrilled if it stays the way it is, and i’m hopeful that it will be more effective since I only started losing hair recently.
Aaron said on December 3, 2009
Beta sisterol reduced my Libido. Only a little. I ain’t using it anymore
Dexter! said on December 14, 2009
I started taking saw Palmetto no immediate results but i am getting the “oily” scalp my hair loss isn’t bad so i’m trying to catch it early. I jack off almost everyday so i know i havent lost any of my LIBIDO bahaha chi chi chi cha cha cha!!
Steve said on January 20, 2010
I just stumbled on here by chance for research on my own MPB problem. There are a few things I have tried and have shown improvement with. #1 Get rid of the wife. Stress playe’s a huge role in MPB. #2 Go in to the gym or get involved in some sort of sport. The reason most of the teststosterone is going to your head and forming into DHT is because its not getting directed to your mucsle groups as it should be. #3 Have you ever heard of the food pyramid. Eat and drink rite with plenty of natural water to flush the impurities out. Have you heard the term you are what you eat. It is about as real as it gets. Your body is not unlike a motor when it comes to what you put in it and how it performs. Hopefully you can understand some of the sarcasim here, but seriously if you wish to make a change you have to change what you do and how you do it. O’ , and you dont have to get rid of your wife BTW. If you look at how long it took for you to notice your hair was missing then take that times three and if you make the rite adjustments you might just see some real improvement that will last a lifetime but its just a thought. Im not getting a check for you being healthy just you getting you back is what its about. Hair in the rite places included. Unless you have a parisite, disease, or some other illness then you should seek treatment. That usually cause you were unhealthy to begin with too though. Be smart and make it real. Not patchwork!!!!!
Steve said on January 20, 2010
One more thing! Dont forget to wash it with the good shit and not put a bunch of retarded stuff in it that will damage it. Maybe a little tlc would make the difference. Theres also a little thing called balls that most men have if those fell of too then grow a pair cause if you dont have balls to change then you wont get change. DNA doesnt go anywhere niether does the hair follicles. Babies are born bald too. As long as you are kickin and screamin your body will continue to produce what is in its DNA makup so if you can grow some nuts and make a few or alot of changes then you will see perminant results. If you wonder why theres other people out there that dont have to go through all this then theres some that say the same about obesity or addictions we all have a week spot somewhere. Just yours might be in your hair.
Scott said on January 30, 2010
I stumbled across beta sitosterol while researching the nutritional benefits of avocado and found how it helps with cholesterol which was of importance to me. Thus I decided to look into it further. Then I ran across it’s benefits for hair loss, another problem I have.

The writer of this article mentioned a few things which triggered some connections for me with compatible treatments to enhance the effect. One was that inflamation can cause or worsen hair loss. This inflamation is caused by free radicals. The right antioxidents will help fight inflamation along with BS. They include such products as Astaxanthin and fulvic acid. For the first I like the product marketed by Vitacost under the proprietary name of Bioastin. Vitacost has a downloadable book that goes into detail of how Bioastin helps and includes supporting research. Fulvic acid works on both positively and negatively charged free radicals so it’s also an excellent scavanger of them. A warning about fulvic acid. It’s also a fantastic chelator which helps cleans the body of toxins. The problem with this is it might also bind with the materials in plastic containers which can be harmfull. Make sure any fulvic acid you buy is packaged in glass. I like the products from optimallyorganic.com not only because it’s packaged in glass but also because it’s available in a concentrated form and in bulk quantities for a better value.

It was also discussed how it revived nearly dead folicles. Another aid in this area are certain Amino acids which support the mitochondria, the energy plant of the cell. For this you might wish to try CoQ10 and/or Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Alpha Lipoic Acid is being used as support for a treatment for cancer which is having great success. The core research for this is at the University of Alberta. It was found that the mitochondria shuts down from several forms of cancer. The drug being researched reawakens the mitochondria and the alpha lipoic acid helps support the health of the mitochondria. The mitochondria also controls the life cycle of the cell so once reawakened it seems to realize the cell has outlived the lifespan it was intended for so the cell commits suicide. This treatment only affects cancer cells so it’s not nearly as toxic to the body as conventional treatments.

I would not recommend this drug for hair regrowth because it does have side effects and requires a prescription though it is off patent and now generic in the USA. This treatment isnt getting much attention in the USA because, like BS, it’s cheap and the drug companies can’t make a profit off it though they are trying to create other drugs that do the same thing. You’ll pay much more for them if they’re ever developed. In case you’re interested for anyone you know with cancer it’s dichloroacetate (DCA).

Back to the point. If you’re going to try BS for hair loss as I will, it might be a good idea to combine it with one or both of the amino acids and the Asataxanthin, which by the way is fairly inexpensive. The fulvic acid can be a bit pricey unless you buy it in bulk and remember, buy it only in glass bottles.
Scott said on January 30, 2010
For the reader that asked the question about BS lowering cholesterol in people with at healthy levels, in my reading I ran across a study which said yes it does affect the levels of cholesterol in healthy people as well. It was a short term study so it did not determine how much it could lower cholesterol levels in this situation but maybe you should be concerned about using BS for hair loss. As for how effective BS can be in reducing cholesterol overall, there have been reports in people with very high cholesterol their levels being reduced by as much as half. I’d say wait for more research if you have healthy levels or monitor your cholesterol to ensure it doesn’t drop too much.
Chris said on January 31, 2010
Awesome posts Scott, thanks. Never heard of fulvic acid… will look into it.
Dave said on February 11, 2010
Has anyone used Beta Sitosterol for more than 4 months? I’ve been using it for about the last three to combat hair loss & thus far I’ve noticed no positive effects. My hair loss has been continuing and I’ve lost a slight bit of libido. I intend to try for at least a year, unless my libido and more lethargic body get the best of me. I’ll try to keep ya’ll updated.

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This article was written on May 15, 2006 was posted in these categories DHT Blockers, Hair Nutrition, Hair Products .