Re-Grow Your Hair with Saw Palmetto

In England there was a hair growing competition over the course of a year (no, I’m not kidding), the winner was a fella who had been taking freeze dried saw palmetto berries every day. Apparently he had pretty good hair re-growth.

Judging by hair loss forums and chat rooms saw palmetto appears to be one of the most popular “natural” hair loss remedies. Freeze dried saw palmetto berries are one option, another is to buy the extracted form in pills from your local health store. But before you rush out and stock up let me introduce you to…

…Saw Palmetto’s Big Brother, Beta Sitosterol

The main active ingredient in saw palmetto that is thought to stop hair loss is beta sitosterol (beta sitosterol hair loss article here which also explains the mechanisms how both substances work). And then consider that a typical serving of beta sitosterol has more active ingredient than 3000 capsules of dried saw palmetto berries…

One capsule of beta sitosterol usually contains 300 mg of pure beta-sitosterol. You would have to eat 2 lbs. of saw palmetto to get the same amount of beta-sitosterol one 300 mg capsule. This is 3000 times more potent than saw palmetto.

So Should I Forget About Saw Palmetto?

The logical solution seems to supplement with beta sitosterol rather than saw palmetto. There are substances in saw palmetto other than beta sitosterol including stigmasterol and campesterol, but nearly every beta sitosterol supplement I’ve seen also includes these anyway.

But, (there’s always a “but” isn’t there!) some people actually report good results with saw palmetto – and hey, if it works, it works. Saw palmetto might be strong enough to have the desired hair saving effect for certain people. On the other hand beta sitosterol might be too strong, with some people their scalp becomes unbearably oily and itchy. Again saw palmetto may be good enough in cases like this.

Also there may be other ingredients in saw palmetto that may also be beneficial for hair loss, that aren’t in a beta sitosterol supplement. It’s really a case of suck it and see. Some people like to combine the two, which might not be a bad idea. A study reported the results of men suffering from hair loss after using 50mg of beta sitosterol and 200mg of saw palmetto berry extract (standardized 85% to 95% liposterolic content) — sixty percent of them reported new hair growth with the rest reporting that hair loss had at least ceased. Whilst the placebo group many of them had continual hair loss.

If you do decide to try saw palmetto then read the label carefully, just because it says 200mg doesn’t mean there that’s much in there, you need to check the “standardized” percentage. If it’s standardized 1% then you can be sure your not getting very much.

Personally I’m giving saw palmetto a miss for a while as I’ve just started supplementing with beta sitosterol and want to see how that goes for a few months. I may well chuck it into the mix a bit later though. If you’ve tried saw palmetto, what have been your experiences…? Post a comment below. Go on!

Responses to This Article

Jo said on December 6, 2006
Some great articles there, esp my respect to WindowsPeak.
I’m a 40+ male with very noticeable thinning top and crown areas and very receeded hairline.
My regimen so far:
300mg 85-95% Saw Palmetto extract (2 months) eve.
120mg Beta Sitosterol (1 month) morn.
Nioxin Cleanser type 1 shampoo daily (since 3 months).
Nioxin Cytonutrient Actives leave-on foam daily (3 months).
The last two contain S(Laureth)S and propylene glycol respectively. I’m a bit concerned about these kind of products, and might give “grunge” a shot. Thought about using Nizoral shampoo as it got good reviews against MPB but it also has SLS!
I’ve had good results so far, can see little @2mm hairs, also vellous hair, among the normal growth on top. My hair is growing faster and stronger, people have noticed.
Any comments? Thanks!
Tony said on December 11, 2006
I tried Saw Palmetto but it killed my libido. How much Beta Sis should I use per day?
Chris said on December 12, 2006
Jo — Your regime looks good, well done on sprouting some new hair.

Tony — I take 350mg beta-sis a day.
Jo said on December 12, 2006
Thanks Chris and how is it going? I’m going to up my beta-sis intake to around 350mg and continue with morn and eve supplementation so that intake is evenly distibuted over 24hrs. Also i’m going for less shampoo, to about once or twice a week. I was using it daily, leaving it on for about 5mins, although i can’t complain about the condition of my scalp with Nioxin as it’s impeccable. However i’m considering opting for Revivogen shampoo and topical as they seem more specific.
The more i’m reading about hair loss the more i am convinced the problem should be tackled on different levels for effectiveness, namely, DHT inhibitors, hair stimulants (growth), SOD’s, anti-androgens, and anti-inflammatories. I’m sure there are products which can fit into more than one category… any suggestions for a natural all-rounder package?
My diet is vegetarian and i take multivitamins religiously, i’m trying to be as natural as possible. I also believe in cycling most supplements, 25 days on, 5 days off. Forgot to mention, since around 1 month i’ve been taking 200mg Gerovital GH3 (Procaine HCL). I’m not sure if this has had an effect on hair growth. Cheers.
Bletsu said on January 12, 2008
Before mankind, before the coming of the light, there was COSTCO. And in COSTCO there was TRUNATURE Saw PALMETTO. 85-95% fatty acids with active sterols.

I have had multiple hair transplants and scalp reductions. The reductions worked because moving entire scalp around is less invasive than one hair at a time transplantation, and, although the reductions worked, supplemental 3500 plugs was unfortunately, taking a hike at the rate of 100-150 hairs per day. That’s a lot when you start with 50% left to begin with. Not to mention the 18 grand it set me back.

Rogaine and Propecia did nothing. I then happened upon internet folklore about Saw Palmetto, and six pills morning and evening, and my hair just quit falling out. In three days it quit falling out. Stopped. Nada. Zilch.

Now, no new hairs came in but, funny thing, since 20% hairs are “always” at rest, if you aren’t losing the 20% those hairs are supposed to replace, in about two year, voila, you have 20% MORE hair. I stop taking the pills, five days later hair starts to fall out, so cycling the regimen for me won’t work.

I wish I’d known about this eons ago. And yeah, I am going to try a dual course with the concentrated derivative, and see if that “gooses” any dormant hair.

By the way, don’t believe overly frequent washing doesn’t make you lose hair. It does. They can transplant now, merely by PULLING the donor hair from the site. What killing do you might think is going on, when you tug away at wet chemically weakened hair with combs and such? That’s right, you are literally killing off hairs by tugging them out of your scalp.

I follow my shampoo with simple detanglers, like Johnson’s baby shampoo, and hold the hair while detangling so as not to pull on the root.

That’s intelligent procedure to me.
Alex said on February 2, 2008
Hi!

Just wondering if the Saw Palmetto at vitacost.com is good enough?

http://www.vitacost.com/productResults.aspx?ss=1&previousText=apple&Ntk=products&Ntt=saw%20palmetto

The thing is, they have two kinds of Saw Palmetto. One is the Saw Palmetto 540mg, taken once a day, the other is the Saw Palmetto EXTRACT, 160mg taken twice a day. This also has pumpkin seed oil, 160mg. What is the difference between EXTRACT and non-extract?

Also, have you guys heard of Rene Furterer’s Vitalfan pills? They claim that the pumpkin seed oil in their pills can inhibit DHT.

I’m currently using the Hairmax lasercomb. Definitely thickened my hairs, grew some new hairs (but not enough even after 7 months), and it’s not stopping my hair loss. Either that or it needs a full year to kick in..? Ha. But I’m also taking Vimax, which contains Saw Palmetto, concentration unknown. I needed Vimax after Propecia killed my libido (and strength of ejaculation). And truth is, Vimax DOES help. I’ve stopped taking Propecia.

Thanks!
Smith said on February 27, 2009
okay so ive been taking provillus and its says that it has 1000mg of saw palmetto per capsul. ive also read that they water down ecrything and its a scam. is this true. any information on this?
will said on June 4, 2009
How much essential oils (saw palmetto / black pepper oil) to add to standard size shampoo (i will use Faith in nature seaweed type)??

Will use a hair tonic of pressed olive oil and Vit E

and take those beta pills!
Matt said on July 1, 2009
I am only 18 and unfortunately loosing hair is hareditary, so I decided to do something about it.
I use:

Avalon Thickening Biotin Shampoo and Conditioner
5000 mg biotin 2x daily
silica supplement 70mg 2x daily
1000mg MSM 2x daily
500mg Lysine 500mg 2x daily
MSM cream before bed
multivitamin
and will start Saw Palmetto Extract and Beta-Sis soon 2x daily in ~300mg doses

before ordering all this Iwas just taking the berry not the erxtract and actually have about 2 inch baby hairs starting which is good news as the extract is more potent
this is really giving me hope and even though I still look a little thin if I miss a hair washing, my hair looks good after drying, I have naturally oily hair anyway. MSM gives you more energy and bloodflow so I’m also a more awake teenage! hard to find I know!
Matt said on July 1, 2009
onyl taking the silica and biotin supplement and conditioner for about a month and already loose less than ~10 hairs per washing which is normal
Kelly said on July 19, 2009
Less than 10 hairs per washing is extremely ABnormal. The average human loses 100 hairs a day, give or take 25. Next time you take a shower, plug up the shower drain, let the bathtub fill while you’re taking a shower…I have a feeling you’ll find more than 10 hairs.

But you have a good point about biotin and silica. There’s a great liquid silica supplement called Biosil, that works great…much better than pills.

Anyway Matt…hope you don’t think I’m calling you a liar, just very surprised that anyone only loses 10 hairs a day. I’m going to up my dose of Saw Palmetto after reading these posts, and hopefully I can come back with the same statement.
Javier said on July 30, 2009
I’ve been taking saw palmetto 2,500mg once a day for three to four months now and the results have been great! hair loss has stopped and I have seen new hair growth. existing hair is much thicker and the hair that was thinning is now becoming thick as well. My scalp was itching, so I tired DR. Hotting thickening shampoo and conditioner and then applied Softee herbal gro formula Maximum strength. this petroleum base application with natural herbs has helped a lot with the dry and itchy scalp. I will post again in about six months from now and let you know if I have more hair growth. Chao’
Chris said on July 30, 2009
Hey Javier, glad to hear the SP is working for you

I look forward to hearing your 6 month update!
Eric said on August 5, 2009
Ive been using saw palmetto and biohair capsule its good and my hair less hairfall and now im using biohair soluiton with minoxidil and biotin i laso taking jason biotin shampoo
Eric said on August 5, 2009
my Daily Regimen
biotin capsule 5000 mcg
Saw palmeto 520 mg
Jason biotin shampoo
Biohair solution topical lotion minoxidil and biotin ingredients
try myezshop.mall u see biohair product
Sunny said on August 19, 2009
I have already started using saw palmetto since last week and also plan to incorporate beta sitosterol from this week.
E-man said on August 28, 2009
I’ve been taking 500mg saw palmetto berry powder (tablet form) and beta sitosterol 450mg daily and noticed my libido went down (guessing 25%) and erections are less stronger. However, my hair is growing faster. No new sign of growth yet; I might take a break from these to see if libido increases.
E-man said on August 28, 2009
I’ve been taking these for about 2 months. Remember guys, not that it will happen, but if you see any side effects, consider your most precious gift (penis) over anything else body-wise.
Chris said on August 29, 2009
E-man – I’ve eard of a few people suffering from lack of labido taking high levels of saw palmetto. Try laying off the saw palmetto for a while but stick with the beta-sis and see what happens.
nick said on September 10, 2009
the thing about Saw Palmetto is that it reduces Testosterone levels, thus preventing the hormones that are responsible for hair loss, acne and prostate cancer from developing. However, please go to a doctor and get your Testosterone levels checked before taking Saw Palmetto because if your Testosterone is already low, Saw Palmetto will only bring more harm! Because hair falls out in both cases, when your testosterone is TOO LOW and when your testosterone is TOO HIGH!!! If you go to a doctor and find out that your testosterone is normal, DO NOT take Saw Palmetto. There are other factors as to why your hair may be falling out. Try more research. Besides, there are so many other natural herbs and vitamins you can take .
Joe said on September 24, 2009
Hi

Im using:

Minoxodil 5% solution day and before bed
Saw Palmetto tablets
Revivogen shampoo and Conditioner
Revivogen lotion in evening

After 3 moonths hair is very thick, the revivogen definatly gave the minoxidil a big boost as I have been using minoxidol for nearly 2 years and I was starting to loose hair again, so added revivogen, it started making a difference within the first momth of use.

Regards
kieth said on October 8, 2009
Hi Joe,

I’m very interested in your formula for the hair loss treatment. I have been using Minoxodil 5% solution for about 10%. It does help to slow down the hair loss. But, the hair growth is very slow lately. I can only see very fine tiny hair growth. Does Revivogen help to boost the benefit of Minoxodil? I’m not sure about your condition. For your case, is your hair growth has become thicker and more dense? You mentioned that you apply Revivogen lotion in the evening. Then, you apply Minoxodil 5% before sleep, right?

thanks and regards.
Patrick Taylor said on November 16, 2009
Ive been taking:

Procerin which contains 1500mg of Saw Palmetto
1000μg of Biotin x2
100mg of B6 x1
Iron (14mg) and Vitamin C (60mg) x1
Choline & Inositol (500mg) x2

Nisim Shampoo & Condition daily wash.
Nisim Extract twice a day

Ive notice hair thicker and change in texture. But as of late, ive noticed a vast amount of shedding. This morning i lost 40 hairs, while doing my hair, which worries me alittle, when i shower, i barely lose anything. Not to sure if..

“Shedding” of the hair after taking a hair loss preventive product such as PROCERIN, CAN happen. It can happen with any hair loss preventative product and this is why; Hair grows in three phases, with obviously the third being a “fall-out” or release (Telogen) stage. With only 1/3 of the follicles growing hair at any given time the process must recycle itself to allow growth to previously dormant follicles. When you take a product such as PROCERIN and your hair starts to fall out faster that is NOT necessarily a bad sign. That means in some studies that I actually came across and looked into, that the hair that was SUPPOSED to fall out at the end of it’s cycle in the first place falls out at an accelerated rate. This is the scalp’s response to the product in order to stimulate “dormant” follicles. Many men discontinue their hair loss prevention products when this starts happening to them when this sign MAY actually be a good thing. I urge you to look into this study. “Shedding” has happened to people using Propecia, Minoxidil, Saw Palmetto and Ginseng scalp cleansing agents (Shampoos/Serums), AND orally taken internal DHT inhibiting supplements ASA “hair vitamins” which is the category that PROCERIN falls into. Why this happens is because again at any given time you are in one of the hair’s three phases (Anagen, Catagen, Telogen). Those in the third stage who start taking a DHT inhibitor or using a cleanser are more likely to notice an accelerated loss rate for up to 4 weeks (1 cycle). I again urge anyone interested to look this up for themselves. “
Hair man said on November 23, 2009
Stop taking everything and go with the flow!!!..Shave that head make it clean…
Ed said on November 29, 2009
I took Propecia for 5 years. It worked for stopping hair loss, but it eventually started giving me the feeling of having crossed wires in my head. So, I got off of it like 6 months ago and my brain feels fine again. I did lose hair once I got off of it so now I am looking for more natural hair loss prevention methods.
Norwich_Tiger said on January 1, 2010
A very informing site and article. Perhaps a recommended supplers / product page. I myself have since been looking at using Saw Palmetto but no suppliers (at least in the UK) seem to be stating what the standardized percentages are, which means I would have to go lucky dip as to their efficacy.
Jose said on February 2, 2010
so what’s the correct dosis for was palmetto to use daily?
DB said on February 9, 2010
Saw Palmetto users…how long were you using it before you noticed any positive results? Thanks!
Hmmm about saw palmetto said on February 10, 2010
I tried the liquid form of saw palmetto and did not notice any difference! I guess I have to try the pill form, also I have been taking MSM in powder form and noticed little hairs growing back and now they are thick and long and wow MSM works there is also a MSM shampoo that is in health food stores and I sweat it works too and it has all natural stuff none of the bad things, I also use a shower filter, I never notice anyone using a shower filter! THIS IS GOOD TO DO! And I take biotin pills but the MSM powder(tastes nasty!) and shampoo is what got hair growing back for me!
saw said on February 16, 2010
I used saw palmetto for 6 months. have been off for 11 months. side effects are very serious. I have completely lost my sex drive and have become impotent. Not only that I have got many other serious health issues and fighting for my life. Please use saw palmetto with great caution. Naturatl does not mean safe.
Joe said on February 16, 2010
Okay

to clarify,

I use the minoxidil extra strength lotion in the morning first thing and before bed.
I use the Revivogen Lotion in the afternoon, say 6 pm, after the gym (as I work out during the week after work), leave it in for at least 3 hours, preferably more, wash it out and apply minoxidil before bed.
( also sometimes i do they other way and apply minoxodil after the gym and revivogen at night before bed, it doesnt really matter which way, as long as you use both products and wash the scalp before each one)
I use Revivogen shampoo, but im sure any good DHT blocking shampoo is good as long as it has saw palmetto, dont use a normal shampoo, use a good hair loss one . I think they work better with minoxidil, gives it a boost.
I take saw palmetto tablets morning and lunch, ones from chemist or healthshop, the ones they advertise for prostate, nothing special, but i noticed they work well
I also use a scalp scrub shampoo at least twice a week, i notice this works really well to help clean the scalp and open up the pores, which helps minoxidil to penertrate the follicles, then apply minoxidl, youll feel the minoxidil working when you do this, as i noticed that if your scalp is not cleaned properly the monoxidl will be less effective, i think this may have been one of the causes that resulted in the minoxidil being less effective for me, so use the scalp scrub, it will clean the build up.
I think combining an FDA approved product with a DHT blocking herbal product is the best thing you can do.
I may consider a laser comb later if i need to, as they are supposed to work well with minoxidil as it increases absorption.

My hair is thick and you cant see through it at all, the revivogen work really well and quickly, but that also could be due to the saw palmetto tablets, not sure as i started both at the same time. I also started the process early as soon as i noticed hair loss 2-3 years ago, i panicked and started with the FDA option which worked well for about 2 years, then went onto herbal which worked even better, but i did catch it early on.

regards
Joe said on February 16, 2010
yes I also agree that shedding is a normal phase

so dont panic it grows back, stick to the program
Martin said on February 18, 2010
hi i wanted to know where i can get beta and saw palmetto in one pill? or can someone link me to the saw palmetto and beta pills theya re using (either one in one pill or separate)?
Rob said on February 23, 2010
How much saw palmetto should you use when you start? I’ve seen people say they take anywhere from 160mg a day to 2,500mg a day.
Rob1 said on March 7, 2010
i used saw palmetto for about 4 months it was in my multi vitamins it wasnt much mgs any way my hair loss slowed alot i was losing over 150 hairs a day but it lowered to about maybe 50 hairs a day then i ran out about 5 days later my hair fell out more than maybe 200 hairs a day so i started on a new regimen it has saw palmetto beta sitosterol pumpkin seed and some other stuff i got it at the health food store go to one and you can find these pills there for prostate health but prostate and hair loss are linked. oh and my hair is falling out less every day
Rob1 said on March 9, 2010
i also read that an unhealthy liver will cause hair loss look into milk thistle its a herb i read no more than 450 is good for liver function to help it and also look for a dht blocker to get rid of excess dht ill post soon after i try the milk thistle because i have been using dht blockers and so far i notice just one hair regrowth but shedding is still happening but not as much
Palomino said on March 10, 2010
I have been taking a combination of Saw Palmetto and beta sitosterol for over 2 months. Not only have I seen no improvement, I have actually had increased shedding. Before I had a receding hair line but now I am thin all over. Is this typical? I’ve heard regrowth sometimes follows shedding. Also, if I decide to stop now and call it quits will the additional hair that I shed grow back?
Rob1 said on March 12, 2010
palomino, i took saw palmetto for months i didnt notice a difference in my hair but when i stopped taking it my hair was falling out like crazy so i went back to it and apparantly theres a 4 week shedding part after that theyl grow back so they say i dont know im currently 2 weeks into it again ill let you know soon but i have noticed some new hair in my temple area but still shedding alot dont give up man
Ryan said on March 14, 2010
Ive been using Saw Palmetto and Beta Sitosterol for 3 months now and the results are fantastic. Within 2 weeks new hairs started growing around my hairline. And now the middle of my hair is filling in nicely. I have also been putting 100% Aloe gel in my hair after i shower every day. It made a huge difference and boosted the thickness and look of my hair. I recommend it for anyone.
andrew said on March 16, 2010
hey so ive been using saw palmetto around 1000mg a day with a multivitamin and omega 3 fish oil which i take 3 times a day of 1000mg. i am 17 years old and caught my hairloss early when i noticed receding and slgiht thinning through out scalp. after seeing this website i am definitely going to try beta sistosterol to aid my combatance of hair loss. hair loss definitely is not fun at the age of 17 lol, but i am glad to see my hair becoming thicker while using my regimen. also, i stopped my regimen for about 2 months and i noticed hair started to become a lot thinner. saw palmetto, fish oil, and a multivitamin definitely work and now i will start beta sis and a dandruff fighting shampoo to cleanse my scalp and i may start using rogaine with that. ill post back in a few months to state my progression.
Rob1 said on March 18, 2010
sounds good guys ya im 23 i started receeding at 19 but im glad to say saw palmetto and beta sis is working for me growing in new hair and i also put 100 percent aloe gel in my hair after i shower it does work and itl fight with dandruff
Rob1 said on March 23, 2010
so im almost at my one month mark with saw palmetto and beta sis mixture still shedding alot im going to add more to my regimen saw palmeto extract oil ill apply this over night after i apply aloe gel after my shower and after it dries im also gonna start up on silica, msm, and milk thistle(for your liver) to help get rid of toxins in my body also 35 grams of whey protein in a glass of milk with 2 tblsp of flax seed and 1 tbsp of pygium fibre and once a month do an egg mask for my hair ill post back in another month possibly the end of april also im starting on a multi vitamin oh and some shen min i heard thats good stuff too if any one got questions dont be afraid to ask.
Ken said on March 31, 2010
Palomino, i have also been taking saw pal and beta sis for the past 3 months, and have noticed increased shedding like you since i have been on these pills, now i have stopped as my hair has thinned out alot at the left frontal area and have had low libido, and some mild acne on my face which i never had before.
i too would also like to know if my hair will be growing back in my frontal as it was before i was even on this regime.
i have read on forums that shedding is a sign that treatment is working, in my case i did notice slight improvement in the thickness of hair on my right side but was terrible for my left side, but im thinking now if stuck with the regime another 2 or 3 months those shed hairs would grow back thicker, but didnt want to risk it as this was making me balder at a faster rate (and due to the low libido side effect)so stopped it a couple of days ago.

Now i dont know if those hairs will grow back or not, but from what i have gathered they most likely should grow back to how it was before as what saw p and beta sis has done is increased the natrual shed/growth cycle like propecia does in the first couple of months of taking them.
i have come to the conclusion that the hairs will grow back after 2 or 3 months once my natrual shed/growth cycle is restored.

But i have this doubt in the back of my mind that i have just increased/aggrevated my mpb by taking saw p and beta sis???!!! (if thats even possible) i wish i had never started taking these pills, i was starting this regime as i noticed only slight resession on my left temple area(which wasnt too bothersome for me ) and was being pro active to prevent it from getting worser!!!
For all i know that would have been the only baldness to hit me for the next 4 or 5 years (who knows now??!)

does anyone think my hair will go back to the way it was before i started taking these pills? once my natrual growth/shed cyle is restored, would be gratefull for the input.
Rob1 said on April 1, 2010
hey ken ya man ur hair will grow back my hair shedded alot when i first started saw pamletto and slowly it grows back thicker too so dont worry man that sucks how it gave u low libido in my case it made it high i say stick to it dont let it get u down my hair sometimes sheds alot too but returns to normal also look up emu oil for hair loss and aloe vera
Ken said on April 1, 2010
hey, ive stopped taking the pills now, i just hope the hair grows back asap as my frontal are is pretty diffuse. in about 2/3 months, it should grow back as it was before i started the pills.
andrew said on April 11, 2010
can taking this Beta Sitosterol cause hair loss in the beginning? because ive been taking it for around a week now and i noticed for some reason my hair line on my right temple is improving tremendously but my left hasnt much; and my frontal hairline has thinned a bit more. my libido has actually gotten even better though then what it all ready was. i was just wondering if at first use of beta sitosterol this happens and then it gets better. is this true? or is it actually causeing me to lse my hair?
Rob1 said on April 11, 2010
andrew yes ive heard that starting a hair loss remedy will cause a hair shed/fall out but after a couple of weeks to maybe even 3 months itl all grow back stronger and possibly regrowth what it does is all the hair that is in the dormant fase will all fall out due to the hair loss remedy same with saw palmetto and even those over the counter drugs they do the same i also experianced a huge hair shed when i started taking beta sis and saw palmeto also look into emu oil ive been using it for about 3 weeks and ive noticed alot of peach fuss on my hair line and no more flakes and multi vitamins once i ran out of my multi vits my hair shed like crazy after 5 days hang in there man i feel ur pain im 23 my head looks like an M lol. but yeah look into emu oil trust me its expensive 22 bucks for a small bottle but it works do a google search take care!
andrew said on April 14, 2010
hey man thank you! i mean im 17 years old lol and unfortuantely balding is just part of my genetics as all of my brothers and my father all started losing hair around 18. i was just wondering because ive been taking saw palmetoo consistently for round 3 months and it seems as if i go through a phase where a lot of hair falls out and then it grows back in a lot thicker and it amazes me. so now that i am supplementing saw palmetto with the beta sis i noticed an even greater increase in hair shed during these first two weeks about. but as with saw palmetto that ive noticed it does grow back stronger and since they are both phytosterols (plant sterols) and both basically do the same thing with a few minor exceptions i expect my hair to be even thicker when it grows back versus before when i was only using saw palmetto. so my regimen is around 1000 mg of saw plametto with around 500 mg of beta sis a day spread through out the day evenly and also a multi vitamin and omega 3 fish oil, 2000mg a day. i was wondering do you think my beta sis dosage is too much/too little or just right. thank you!
ricky said on April 16, 2010
hi, just been reading your comments.very interesting. i started losing my hair about 10 yrs ago,i used minoxidil for 1st two years and it worked a treat.then due to lifestyle i didnt bother and used it now and again for about another 3 years, then i discovered finasteride and have used it more or less constent to the present day but not always religiously, it worked really well at the start but during periods where i didnt use it hair loss kicked in.its shaved short now but still has hope i hope as my head still has hair but its just fading away but still covered. mostly !the propecia is holding on but not getting any growth gains, anyway i have been thinking and researching and i am sure that finasteride is bound to have ill effcts long term and its served me well but i reckon that saw palmetto and beta sis i worth a go. any sugestions or advice would be much appricated, thanks
Tony from Melb said on April 17, 2010
Too bad in Australia there isn’t much Saw Palmetto product let alone Beta-sis…maybe it’s just i haven’t looked for them hard enough. So when it comes to dosage, I might need to chop the tablets into parts …since it says this

“Each capsule contains:
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa serrulata) extract,
equiv. to dry fruit 1.6 (1600mg),
standardised to contains fatty acids 144mg.”

So when u guys talking abt the dosage in mg, are u referring to dry fruit or the fatty acids ?
work4me said on April 23, 2010
Go to vitamin world guys you’ll find sawpalmetto and beta sistosterol just use as directed no more no less … and use biotin shampoo dht inhibitor. . I use nexxus biotin shampoo from Amazon.com
sawpalmetto sufferer said on May 11, 2010
use saw palmetto with caution. I used only for 6 months and now regret for the rest of my life. I have completely destroyed my life.
1-100% impotent
2-sever depression
3-sever ulcer
4-low to nil apetite, lost 20 – 25 lbs
5-got very bad gyno (male boobs)
6- very bad fatigue.
7-poor eye sight.

Even after stopping after 13 months I have same conditions, no improvements.
Rob1 said on May 13, 2010
ok so i am doing an update im on my third month using saw palmetto beta sis and pumkin seed oil twice a day and on multi vitamins the last 2 months its been nothing but shedding so i cut my hair off but now its back to an inch long and ino more hair fall out i also massage emu oil mixed with saw palmetto extract in my scalp every night before bed i have alot of tiny hairs on my receding hairline some have colour (black) and most are translucent any questions just ask !!
andrew said on May 13, 2010
Now a month into beta sitosterol use i am noticing a lot of shedding still but more hair growth along my hair line (a lot of blonde vellous hairs!). i am definitely excited about this stuff and i hope this continues and i never have to worry about hair loss again. however, the shedding kind of sucks as of now but i assume that will continue to happen. I dont care though considering i cut my hair short anyway.
Ken said on May 17, 2010
any sides for you guys?
andrew said on May 17, 2010
well libido sure as hell would not be a problem for me considering im 17 lol. But i have not noticed any side effects at all and i take around 1000 mg of both beta sitosterol and saw palmetto extract daily along with about 2000 mg of omega 3 fish oil and a daily multivitamin. i have been using saw palmetto for about 3 months but it didnt seem to do much alone although it seemed to halt excessive hair loss. but now that i am taking all of these other supplements as well i noticed in the last month a tremendous amount of hair shed which i was skeptical about. Now a month into taking beta sitosterol i am still noticing hair shed but a lot more growth along only my right temple but my left temple receded actually a little bit more which seems kind of odd, but now seems to be growing back. from what i hear hair shed for around the first 3 months maybe even longer is normal due to the growth cycle of hair. so i am pretty pumped because i noticed my hair loss early. I can definitely see an improvement on my hair line. so no side effects or anything bad except a little bit of increased shedding the first few months which seems to be normal even with propecia.
andrew said on May 19, 2010
posting again. for some reason my right side on my temple is becoming much thicker in the last couple of months as it was receded a lot farther back then my left side. now my left side is further receded than my right and increased hair shed throughout my scalp has been happening for the past month and a half. this stuff must work though considering my right temple has almost completely come back to where it was just a year before i was losing my hair. so i have a feeling within a couple of months my left temple will come back as well after experiencing tremendous hair shed the first month and a half. i am going to stick with this stuff for atleast a year and i jsut hope htis shit works because im 17 and just recently starting losing my hair it practically came out of nowhere but i know its in my genetics so i hope this stuff slows it down or stops it or maybe even regrow some lost hair.i will keep posting monthly.
Ken said on May 21, 2010
andrew, is your hair loss diffuse at the front? also how short/long is your hair?
andrew said on May 21, 2010
my hair loss is pretty much diffuse throughout my scalp. my hair line has receded about a half an inch or so. my hair is fairly short probably about an inch long. i noticed my hairloss about 10 months ago and let it go on for about 6 months before doing anything about it. i fell victim to some of those stupid oil myths claiming to grow back hair if i rub them in…btw i rubbed rosemary,lavender,tea tree, and henna oil into my scalp for about 6 months and it did absolutely nothing. both of my brothers are balding, one is 24 the other is 28. so i have diffuse hairloss throught my scalp and slight recession of my hairline. i just dont want to waste more time on stupid shit that doesnt work so im going to stick with my regimen for about 6 months to a year depending on what results i see and if i see positive results i wont ever stop, but i just wish there was some clinical evidence of this stuff working(beta sitosterol and saw palmetto) as i take both daily with doses of 1000mg of saw palmetto and 600 mg of beta sitosterol. i mean ive definitely noticed my hairline on the right side start to thicken but my left temple hasnt improved and no sign of improvement on the top of my scalp.
rob 1 said on May 21, 2010
no sides for me well increased libido and andrew hang in there i sheded for 3 months on these things ul be ok by 3.5 4 months i also added saw palmetto extract to my shampoo sls free btw
work4me said on May 22, 2010
Andrew your doing a good job updating. . You make most of us excited about your result. … I been on saw palmetto and beta sis for month and half and i really see improvement guys lots of little hair coming out. I believe this is working but it will take some time for the ones been minitured or gone for a very long time. ..I’ll try to keep you guys updated see what’s up
andrew said on May 23, 2010
Yeah i mean for i am 17 years old so not too many of my hairs have been fully miniaturized. but my hair line has receded only slightly. i have been on this stuff for about a month and a half and it seems to work great; but im still seeing a lot of shedding a lot more than before i was on this stuff so im pretty sure thats a sign of this working because from what i understand propecia which is a DHT blocker works the same way this stuff is. i believe in this stuff and wont give up fo a very long time seeing that this is the only option i really have at my young age. im just a little worried about this shedding phase because in the past month i have shed a lot and its quite thin along my hairline and on the top of my head.
Ken said on May 24, 2010
andrew, how was your hair before you started saw pal and beta? what norwood were you?
Andrew Suarez said on May 24, 2010
i was at the beginnings of norwood stage 2. and recently with the regimen ive been using i noticed incraesed shedding but hair growth in those areasas well. my hair is diffuse throughout my scalp but very thick on back and sides. thank you wish me luck over the next few months
Pat said on May 24, 2010
Very interesting read guys!
Im 23 and started loosing my hair at the age of 17. Ive just gotten onto saw palmetto capsules (540mg) as ive herd of the great things this stuff can do. Im hoping to trial it and see how it works, however im getting more and more concerned about libido problems that this stuff can create.
Im only on day two of my trial but how many people experience a decreased libido??
Is there any tests i should do first to find out what effect saw palmetto will have on my libido?
Ken said on May 25, 2010
hope it works out for you, have you noticed diffuse hair loss in the frontal area? just behind the hairline area? i was hoping to hear from people who stopped sp/bs after a 2/3 months due to inccreased sheds and whether they regrew the hair that was lost after stopping?
andrew said on May 25, 2010
umm i mean i dont really know anything about stopping and then hair regrowing but i can tell you that honestly this about a week away from my second month and honestly i have lost more hair in these two months then i ever have and my hairline and frontal area has receded more in the past two months more than ever. this hasnt discourage me though because those are normal things to happen in the first couple of months and my older who started using an approved moethod for hair loss ( for some reason my post is considered spam if i use the actual treatmeant but it begins with a P so i think you know what it is) about two years ago had lost alot of hair initially from the start but ive all ready noticed a bunch of little blonde hairs that have never been there before since ive started losing my hair a bout a year ago. honestly i would reall suggest just keep using that stuff and if you have lost a tremendous amount of hair than thats even better because it shows this treatment is really working on you. honestly whats better stopping this and not knowing what it could potentially bring. or….continuing it and finding out if it brings what everyone is claiming and in the beginning dealing with a little more hair loss that would inevitably come anyway. i have chosen the second one because first of all hair loss isnt as rapid as losing most of your hair in 2 months so that is a sign that is working because in the 3 months following your 3 month shed you should experience thicker hairs as result. now no one,even including the scientists who made propecia, knows if the hair shed and then thicker regrowth is a cycle or a one time thing. for my brother his hair shed and then thicker regrowth was a cycle so do not be discouraged by that. i know it is working for me as i see more blonde hairs each week, and then some hair shed but then thicker regrowth. it is all a process good luck and i hope you choose to go back on some type of oral regimen for your hair loss as these are some of the most effective ways to combat hair loss
work4me said on May 27, 2010
I agree with Andrew .. think them sheds are the weak hair. .I believe the root get stronger. And wanted to grow new strong thick shaft hair pushes the weak thin hair out. All I know my hair is getting thick and I worry less and less. The little hairs ive seen before now are inch long and getting thicker.
andrew said on May 27, 2010
yeah i mean my hair hasnt gotten much thicker but yet again im only about to start my second month using this stuff and i still am seeing very tiny hairs growing in new places
work4me said on May 27, 2010
Those new tiny little hairs you see I believe was ones long and healthy when you was probably 14 …. 16 years old!!!you are getting your full hair back. !!
Brandon said on May 28, 2010
would just taking saw palmetto help block the DHT? or would it be good to take the other stuff too?
Ken said on May 28, 2010
brandon, combination of beta sis and saw palmetto would be a pretty potent dht blocker, although saw pal alone would be ok as well.

I stopped because i couldnt handle the sheds as i was losing lots and lots of hair while i was shedding and my scalp was becoming visible i only started for minor temporal recession and now it pretty diffuse on the left side and can see my scalp and temples have receded more, although i FULLY believe that had i carried on treatment those hairs would grow back thicker.
Another reason why i stopped was i had some sides, and thought to myself, i cant live with these sides forever lol!

its been nearly 2 months off sp/bs and i can see tiny hairs on my right temple growing back, although nothing has happened in my diffuse area yet, it will most probaly take another few months for it grow back there, i just hope it grows back to how it was before i started, cause it wasnt that bad at all, was hoping to see if anyone stopped halfway through, to see what thier experience was? whether the hair grew back, and after how long.

but good look to you guys, will come back and post an update on my situation.
work4me said on May 28, 2010
It should grow back. Im pretty positive
andrew said on May 28, 2010
i just want to know how long these shedding phases can last because i have been shedding for a month and a half and its not that bad because my hair is thick naturally and i can hide it to some degree and i usually shave my head in the sumemr so its no big deal. i just want to know when the shedding stops and my hair starts to regrow consistently and get back into its normal routine
Richie said on May 28, 2010
Hi guys have been reading this thread with considerable interest. Am 24 and started balding at 19. Tried rogaine a couple of years ago but gave up on it as the itch was out of this world. Anyway I lost a considerable amount of hair (mainly on my crown) and about a year ago I decided to start using saw palmetto. While I havent noticed any hair regrowth I can genuinely say that my hair hasn’t receded any further. My big regret is that I didnt start using this stuff sooner, although better late than never I guess. Also just wanted to say that have experienced absolutely no side affects whatsoever
Ken said on June 7, 2010
andrew, you were on saw palmetto at the beginning right? did the saw palmetto only contain saw palmetto and not other ingredients? and how much of it were you taking daily?
andrew said on June 7, 2010
i was taking softgel extracted saw palmetto caps for about a month or two and than added Beta sitosterol. but yes my saw palmetto pills only contained saw palmetto.for the first two months of saw palmetto i noticd no more thinning but no regrowth i also did not experience a shedding phase. for the first 3 weeks about on beta sitosterol plus saw palmtto i noticed no shedding phase and slight regrowth along temples.but for the past two months my hair has thinned drastically and i am getting a little discourage because my hairline receded a little bit more and the hair on top of my head thinned out a little bit more. for the last two months it has been nothing but shedding and i am going to give it a few more months and than stop if the shedding doesnt stop because its killing me
Ken said on June 8, 2010
i see, when you first ever started saw palmetto did you notice after a 2/3 weeks the hair felt as if it was much more stronger by the roots? also how much of saw pal did you start off with? what mg?
andrew said on June 9, 2010
i started off taking around 1000mg of saw palmetto and after about one month i noticed the hair was stronger at the roots. It continued for the next month while i was just on Saw Palmetto at 1000mg to stay strong at the roots. than after the second month i started taking beta sitosterol at about 1500 mg but i cut down Saw Palmetto intake to about 500mg and about 3 weeks after adding beta sitosterol to my regimen i started to notice increased shedding all over my head even the sides and back, but especially my scalp. now ive been experiencing this shedding for almost 2 months
Ken said on June 9, 2010
this exactly what i noticed as well, i was on saw pal at first and i pretty much instantly noticed my hair was much stronger at the roots id say about 2 weeks taking saw palmetto. i dont think i expereineced any sort of shed when i was on saw palmetto, but as soon as introduced beta sisterol with red yeast rice i noticed massive amounts of hair loss.

when i bought my beta sis, it had other ingredients in it like red yeast rice, this is similar to a statin drig for lowering choleterol and this CAUSES hair loss!!! i didnt know of this until last week! but anyhow the beta sis/red yeast rice definetely caused a shed, cause i was thinning in my hair line as weel as the frontal area.

ive been off both sp and beta just over 2 months now, and ive noticed smal tiny hairs growing back on my temples but its still abit diffuse i reckon it will take some time for it to grow back out again.

im just thinking whether i should start sp again?, cause i defintely noticed an instant effect when i took saw pal, it stopped my shedding to virtually zero when i FIRST took it. i think the beta sis is to powerful and saw pal gradually gets rid of the dht where as beta sis is much like propeica and gets rid of dht pretty instantaneoulsy inducing a shed.

have you noticed any acne? incresed sex drive, scalp pimples, oily face?
andrew said on June 10, 2010
i have noticed slight increase in oil on my scalp and face a little bit of acne that i really never had some scalp pimples have showed up and increased sex drive. i know though that ill definitely keep taking Saw Palmetto and i am goign to give Beta sitosterol a few more months because this stuff seems to work amazing and if i have to suffer a shed here and there ill deal with it. however my Beta sitosterol does not have any other ingredients except for the phytosterol blend and no Red yeast rice in it. also i have noticed alot of tiny hairs growing along my temples more than i ever had so it seems to working just like propecua would except maybe a little less. i think you had sucha sever reaction to it because you probably do not have as much DHT in your body as i do honestly my father lost his hair practically all gone by the age of 24 as well as both of my brothers and in fact my one brother was almost completely bald before starting propecia at age 26. so beta sitosterol may be too strong for you but the dosage i am taking of about 1.5 grams which is 1500 mg works fine for me
Ken said on June 11, 2010
if you are suffering increased sex drive, facial oil/acne then you should look up reflex hyperandrogenicity in google, i think this combined with the red yeast rice caused me to lose hair.
i didnt relise red yeast would have such an impact on my hair and at the time it was the only high dose beta sis i could find so bought it and stuck with it.
anyway hopefully my hair will get back to normal in a coupld of months. im thinking of startin inneov homme anti hair loss pillls, but im not sure yet. ive got my hair loss under control and not losing much hair these past 2 weeks, im on MSM and biotin.
but one this for ssure when i started saw palmetto, i did not experience a shed and pretty much within 2/3 weeks my hair felt stronger, this leads me to belive that starting off at a low dose and then gradully working your way up will be much more beneficial. i dont know why as soon as i started beta sis i started losing hair at my temples.
keep us updated anyway mate.
andrew said on June 11, 2010
yeah man beta sitosterol has initially cause my temples to recede as well but now ive been noticing pleanty of new hairs growing in so ill stick with it and keep you posted
HateHairloss said on June 13, 2010
Hi guys,
I am thinking about starting Biotin and MSM powder. Just wondering does MSM cause hair shed too? Thanks
Ken said on June 14, 2010
no msm, biotin do not cause sheds they may cause hair to grow faster.
Qs said on June 15, 2010
Hi,
Does everybody experience shedding with Saw Palmetto? I am thinking about starting it.
tks in advance
Nathan said on June 15, 2010
Hi I’ve read all of these posts and am getting a lot of hope from you guys. I will be starting taking sp today, not sure what dosage, I haven’t gone to the store yet. I have a receding hair line and recently noticed some thinning on my scalp, but the sides and back are thick. I have dreadlocks and am worried that If I shed a lot of hair some
may detatch. I really don’t want to cut them
off, I’ve only had them for 10 months.

Right now my regimine is a multivitamin and 5000 mcg biotin. I had been on 600
mg of Alfalfa as I read it promotes hair growth and overall general health. I have noticed small blonde hairs starting to grow ony temples, but they stay at about 1
cm.
andrew said on June 15, 2010
yeah i had extremely thick curly hair that when it was long i had an afro and my hair thinned out to the point where my hair became a lot straighter and thinner where i can see my scalp and my temples receded about 1 inch. now that ive been on saw palmetto for almost 4 months and beta sitosterol for almost 3 months ive been noticing more blonde hairs along my temples that stay around 1cm as well. i am hoping over the next 3 months those blonde hairs become thicker ill keep eevryone posted
rob1 said on June 17, 2010
i have been on sawpalmetto and beta sis for about 4 months the first 3 months was a bad shed then in the middle of the third month it stopped then i only shed tiny hairs i am now on my 4th month and am noticing regrowth at temples and the back of my head is thicker than ever all i have to say is stay on ur regimen and be patient the first 2.5 months were hell for me i was depressed and crying but as soon and the shed stopped i was happy again also i put sawpalmetto in my natural shampoo i will not be writing here anymore because i have found success my hair is slowly growing back especially my tempals and frontal hair line it used to be so thin where you can see through but not anymore week by week i see new hairs my hair started off with peach fuss then grew thicker i also take a multi vit with herbs in them im sure you can find it in ur helth food store. good luck to all i hope we all beat this bald curse. ps look up emu oil and apple cider vinager good luck everyone
Andrew Suarez said on June 17, 2010
it has been 2.5 months for and still shedding i have noticed the shedding slightly decreasing though. i really hope by the end of the month my hair starts growing back fully again because like Rob1 said it has been helll for me!
rob1 said on June 17, 2010
oh believe me andrew my hair never looked worse before my shed but now its pretty thick i still shed 1 cm hairs but not too many and my hair is mostly 1.5 inches long im a nw 3 but my left temple is fixing up pretty good slowly but surely my left temple would br nw 2 and my right nw 3 and while i shed the crown of my head looked very thin but its ok now just stick with it trust me
Ken said on June 18, 2010
rob1, did you notice an increase in libido, acne, facial oil at all?
Andrew said on June 19, 2010
yeah man im sitcking with it. also what should help me is the fact that im 17 and i caught my hairloss within the first year of it but i was all ready about to be a norwood 2. since starting beta sis and saw palmetto over a 2.5 months period i went from norwood 1-2 to a norwood 3 practically. but now i see a bunch of little hairs growing along my hairline.
JazzyJay said on June 20, 2010
I’m wondering if any of you noticed any changes in body hair after starting saw palmetto? Either more or less body hair?
facebones said on June 21, 2010
I’m another 40sumthin guy who was losing hair in typical fashion.
Being somewhat experimental I decided to create a regimen to see what would happen.First,I made an infusion of saw palmetto berries with nettle and rosemary.
I kept this herbal beverage in a big jar in my fridge.Every morning,before I went to work,I would chug a big glass of this stuff mixed with 100% pure cranberry juice.
Results were favorable.I felt better,had more energy,could think clearer,and it stopped my hair loss.I even had more energy to start lifting weights again.
I really felt like my quality of life really improved.I stopped for awhile but I think I’m gonna start again.Hooray!
facebones said on June 21, 2010
O yea,I also keep some in a shampoo bottle in my bathroom and use it as a toner/scalp conditioner.First,I foam up a Few Drops of shampoo in a cup under the shower head,massage lightly,thoroughly into scalp,brush through,then apply herbal toner.Rinse with cool water.Sometimes I apply pure Aloe Vera gel to moisturize.
I still got hair,my 2 younger brothers are completely bald.(Ha Ha).
Good Luck All!
Jim F said on June 21, 2010
I started Saw Palmetto about 2 weeks ago and I am already noticing a huge difference. My hair seems thicker and more robust that before. I have noticed small hairs starting to grow in the frontal area also. I also added in MSM to my daily regimen to see how that goes as well. Very pleased with the results so far.
Ken said on June 22, 2010
jim f how much saw palmetto do you take? did you start msm as the same time as saw pal?
Jim F said on June 23, 2010
I am taking 160 mg extract twice a day. I started the MSM about a week into the saw palmetto because I was immediately able to tell the difference in how my hair felt after starting the saw palmetto. I think as hair loss goes I was in the early stages of it. I still have most of the hair on top of my head it is just thinning a lot. After starting the saw palmetto, It started feeling more thick and full when I would run my hand through it. No shed when drying after a shower. Stuff like that. I need more time to see if the thinning fills in, so I will post again after I have had enough time to evaluate.
andrew said on June 23, 2010
jim f it will atleast be 4 to 5 or maybe 6 months for you to really be able to evaluate the effects. i have been on saw palmetto and beta sitosterol for almost 3 months now and i take very high doses. i take around 1000 mg of saw palmetto and around 2000 mg of beta sitosterol and i went through i tremendous shed meaning my hair thinned out in the past two and a half months more than it ever has. now i am starting to notice less of a shed and more tiny hari growth along my temples. this stuff really works i was so skeptical and still sort of am because i almost cant believe it but ill still need more time to really notice if it fully turns my hair loss around. btw i am 17 years old and was between a norwood 2-3 so i was on my way to three. except my hair loss wasnt the typical bald spot in the back and receding hairline. mine was receding hairline with overall hair loss throught my scalp.
Sam said on June 27, 2010
I have been experiencing hairloss for quite some time now. Intending to take Saw Palmetto pills…. http://www.gnc.com.sg/product/00900930.aspx?category_id=
Can some 1 tell me if dis saw palmetto supplement is good for hair regrowth…
Thx
andrew said on June 28, 2010
no one can really say you jsut have to try out different things i am taking beta sitosterol soft gel capsules from the vitaminshoppe and they work great but i am sure GNC brand is very credible
mojo said on July 5, 2010
Hi, bit of advise required from you folkes. I have been using Saw Palmetto (320g, standardised extract) for approximately 3 months, shedding had stabalised and I even saw regrowth. Then I heard some wonderful news about Beta-sitosterol. So, in addition I started taking 392g per day (the capsule also contained campesterol (200mg) and stigmasterol (144mg). I noticed lots of shedding, which freaked me out. Therefore, I quit taking Saw Palmetto, but continued with Beta-sitosterol (consumed for approx 1 month). Now I am contemplating on whether to restart Saw Palmetto along side Beta-sitosterol. Any suggestions?
Ken said on July 5, 2010
how old are you?
if saw palmetto was working and shedding had stabilised why did you not just drop the beta sis instead of dropping saw palmetto?

this happened to me also, as soon as i added beta sis, and a whole bunch of other sterols, stigmasyterol including, my hair shed bad. but while i was on saw palmetto my hair stopped shedding within 3 weeks of starting it.
Ken said on July 5, 2010
have you still been shedding while still on the beta sis/stigmatsterol etc?
hmm said on July 5, 2010
Hi guys,
I am starting Saw Palmetto (Std Extract) from tomorrow. I am thinking about taking 160 mg twice daily. Currently i am on biotin and B complex but havent seen much improvement. I have been suffering from hair loss for about 10 yrs now. thinning on my crown is very noticeble now. I hope SP can help stop the hairloss and regrow some iof my hair. I will keep you guys posted.
I
mojo said on July 6, 2010
I am 30 years old. I dropped Saw Palmetto because there were numerous rewiews about Beta-sitosterol and how it performs better than Saw Palmetto.
With Beta-sitosterol I still shed hair, I would say I was probably shedding approx 100-120 hairs per day. I am now waiting to see a reduction in shedding. On a positive aspect I’m trying to be optimistic in thinking that Beta-sitosterol is speeding up the shedding process in order to push out the unhealthy, weaker one’s and regrow new hair.

Are you currently using Saw Palmetto or Beta-sitosterol or both?

So, should I stick to Beta-sitosterol or revert to Saw Palmetto or both?
Ken said on July 6, 2010
read my comments above, i stopped using both beta sis and saw palmetto due to excessive shedding but andrew is using both sp and bs and sounds like he is having good results.
James said on July 10, 2010
Just wanted to comment. I’ve been reading this for a while. 4 months ago i started taking saw palmetto extract, i also started taking beta sistosterol. Saw is 320 a day standardized and beta is 120 every other day. I was scared originally that taking the beta and saw might cause some sides so thats why i went with it every other day.

So far i have had really good results. 4 months in i’m seeing new terminal hair and alot of blond hairs in the hairline area as well. I feel if i keep up with the treatment these will turn as well.

The only thing i have gotten though is occationally i feel some body weakness, overall. Its usually only when i use the beta sis and saw on the same day. I know sometimes sides can happen early on, but with continued use the body adapts. I’m thinking maybe by using every other day, or using the beta slighly inconsistent maybe i’m not allowing the body to adapt like its supposed to.

Just other notes, i weightlift consistently every week, and exercise as well. I also take multivitamins daily which seem to help as well. Overall i’m happy with what it has done. Ohhh i will also add i use nizoral shampoo as well. I figure a good internal and something up top will attack the problem in 2 ways.
andrew said on July 11, 2010
james good post man i must say thatthe body does adapt because i am taking a high dose of about 1.5 grams of beta sitosterol daily and about 1 gram og saw palmetto extract daily. it has been 3 months and one week since i started using beta sitosterol with my saw palmetto. for the first 3 months on beta sitosterol and SP my hair shed was insane probably around 200 hairs a day but than some days i would see very minimal hair shed but than it would go back the next day. my body has definitely been adapting to the high dosage because i felt very weak some days and am now overcoming that and in fact i feel as if i have more testosterone because i am a weightlifter and i noticed that in the time i have been taking this stuff i went from bench pressing 225 pounds 2 times to 10 times and i can feel the extra strength. honestly im not trying to say beta sitosterol is giving me these amazing benefits but i can say i notice regrowth.i shaved my head down to the skin about two weeks ago and along my hairline and throughout my scalp where i was noticing hair loss there are a bunch of blonde hairs growing at the same rate as the rest of my hair, and also smaller blonde hairs along my hairline. ill keep everyone posted as i have been the past 3 months.
GoGuy said on July 13, 2010
Do you guys only do SP and BS or have you tried Prop, Min, Niz (The Big three). Propecia induced sheds and still does for me but the hair seems to come back stronger, plus adding in a few small Hair Transplants and combining it with Nanofibres gives me back my confidence and that is afterall what we are trying to achieve more then anything else, I share your pain especially as you are so young most of you guys Im now nearly 33 years old but I tell you it doesnt matter if you are 17 or 65 Hair Loss affects everyone the same but I do appreciate how hard it must be coming out of college where woman are less understanding and not so open to a partner who is balding whereas women in my age bracket seem to be ok with it in general
Andrew said on July 15, 2010
yeah i mean since i am 17 propecia is not recommended for me but this will do for now because it is working very well for me going on 3 and a half months i have seen a lot of tiny hairs growing but yes i use nizoral once a week like it says
Andrew said on July 23, 2010
sooo i am now on 3rd month and 3rd week of taking beta sitosterol and saw palmetto. i take dosages of around 1.5 g of beta sitosterol and around 1 g of saw palmetto. i have noticed around 2 weeks ago hair was growing great and that lasted a week but than i shed a bunch of hair again. so it seems to me that when taking the herbs hair growth and shed phase is sped up from my observations. it seems that from the start of taking these herbs the growth and shed phase was shortened and sped up tremendously. so now it seems that the longer i go on with this stuff the faster my hair grows but the phases seem to be getting longer. so i assume that with some time well into taking this stuff my hair will be on the same track as it was a year ago when i had hair so thick i could grown an afro and now my hair is straight and has no life at all. ill keep updating
works4me said on July 24, 2010
Im on beta and saw palmetto for 3months and 1week. Now. … so far I like it. ..I think how it works is first day you take it. It works almost immediately stops the shedding. With oily hair, skin. ..after a week then your head starts to itch. Because hairs are growing these are the ones that shed before taking beta and saw palmetto. Just growing back rapidly. …then.somewere.to 2or 2 AND half months you start to shed again i think new and strong shaft are pushing the weak and thin miniature hairs to make way for a new stronger hairs. ….. do you notice when now shedding while your on beta and saw palmetto you only see the thin weak hairs? I do…. i believe it works but it will take sometime to get to the normal thickness of the hair. ..remember this is natural. ..i shed last couple weeks but the ones that grew when i started stayed and getting longer!
Andrew said on July 25, 2010
screw taking 1.5 g of beta sitosterol lol i have noticed that my sperm count decreased tremendously and i dont exactly know if it is from beta sis or not but i am not taking the chance. i am going to reduce the intake to 1 g. ill keep updating
Andrew said on July 26, 2010
yeah i mean i have noticed the cycles start to become more normal such as the growing phase is becoming longer again. i noticed after i shaved my head i noticed my first real regrowth where i could really notice new hairs growing again. it lasted for abotu two weeks and than shed. its been about 3 weeks or so since the last shed and i think i am still in the shed phase.i am sure that after this shed phase my growth phase will be longer than the last one and it will probably continue on that pattern until its normal again. it will probably take up to a year and a half. im on 4 months almost but im happy with my progress
James said on July 27, 2010
Yeah i am def seeing progress as well, new terminal hairs. Some are dark, some are intermediate, and in the right lighting i can see the longer vellus hairs actually growing as well. I’m about four months in taking beta and saw palmetto. I know in an interview with the widows peak guy on here, he said that those vellus hairs showed up, and then about half year later they started turning terminal. So i believe its a great sign.

I think the shedding is good as well, i see alot of small hairs when i shed, alot of them intermediate or vellus. Which tells me that my hair is shedding and then coming back stronger. the weak hairs turning intermediate, then the intermediate turning to very strong hair.

Andrew i think you could have had those side effects cause of the very high doses your taking, but if your body can tolerate it then so be it. I’m just taking 320 of the saw standardized and also 120 of the beta per day. So far things seem great. I’ll truely be able to evaluate how much better prob in another 3-4 months.

Its a process, but its def working. I hope it continues. We will see.
James said on July 30, 2010
I will say that my progress has been good as well. I’m still taking saw everyday 320 standardized extract, and beta sistosterol every other day 120. I think for me the saw was working, so i didn’t wanna overdo it on the beta sistosterol. Thats not to say eventually i may not add it everyday. Actually im kinda of going 2 days on, 1 day off with it. It varies a bit.

However i’m def seeing results. New little hairs popping up everywhere. Some of them are vellus hairs, some of them are intermediate, and some are really thick hairs. Andrew i think your right, that maybe those hairs that you saw, and are now shedding could have been intermediate (between vellus and thick hairs) and once they shed theyll grow even thicker. It all depends on how long the follicle has been sort of dormant. Needless to say though, if theres a vellus hair, the follicle is still active. Those hairs obviously will take the longest to grow back, as they may have to go through a cycle or two, but give it time.

Also andrew some of your side effects could have been due to the fact you were taking very high levels of the stuff. Maybe it was having a negative impact somewhat, but like you said you toned it down a bit, and as long as your body can take it you should be good.

Idk if this combo will work for everyone, but from what i’ve seen its getting alot of positive reviews. Tell you the truth, alot of people will be scared off by it (i almost was as well) and go with the prescription stuff because its been proven to work in clinical studies, where as this stuff has not. And ppl don’t want to waste time when it comes to hair. I can’t say 100 percent whats going to happen in the future, but things have been positive so far in the first four months. The next four should be equally as interesting.
Andrew said on July 30, 2010
yeah i agree that i have had great success so far with this regimen. i hope it continue to work as effectively as it has been because being 17 with hair loss blows haha but i will continue this and hopefully over the next additional four months things should look better. i have been posting on this site for about 6 months or so and at first i was only taking saw palmetto but than stopped because i ddint think it was working( i was only taking it for about 2 months) but than i decided to start taking beta sis and perfectly like a match made in heaven the two together wroked like a charm. i am currently taking dosages of 800 mg of saw palmetto extract and 1 g of beta sis a day. its working great on my hair. ill keep updating

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This article was written on May 19, 2006 was posted in these categories DHT Blockers, Hair Nutrition, Hair Products .