Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto extract is derived from the berries of the Serenoa repens tree, a plant native to North America. Saw palmetto inhibits the binding of dihydrotestosterone (a potent form of testosterone) to cellular receptors in the male prostate gland and has been used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. Saw palmetto can also be useful in treating male pattern baldness, known as Androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

AGA is caused by an overproduction of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is found within the hair follicle and slows down or shuts off hair production. An enzyme produced in the prostate, adrenal glands, and scalp, called 5-alpha-reductase, metabolizes the male hormone testosterone into DHT. Saw Palmetto extract acts as a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, which blocks the conversion of testosterone to DHT in the hair follicles.

In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study, male subjects with mild to moderate AGA were treated with saw palmetto extract and beta-sitosterol (a phytosterol found in many plants and grains). Findings revealed that 60 percent of the participants experienced improvement in hair loss.

Advecia is an all-natural nutritional supplement formulated to help slow or even stop the effects of hair loss. Advecia contains botanically-based nutrients such as saw palmetto, that block the damaging effects of 5-alpha-reductase and stop the production of DHT. Advecia can reverse the damage caused by DHT and promote the growth of new hair, making hair healthier, stronger and thicker. Advecia is a hair loss solution for both men and women.

Procerin is a nutritional supplement containing 17 natural ingredients, including saw palmetto. Procerin is formulated to block the production of DHT and reverse its effects. However, women are not likely to experience improvement with Procerin unless their hair loss is caused by DHT.

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1. Burke KE. Hair loss. What causes it and what can be done about it. Postgrad Med. 1989 May 1;85(6):52-73, 77.
   

2. Life Extension eds., Disease Prevention and Treatment, 4th ed. (Hollywood, Florida: Life Extension Media, 2003).
   

3. Prager N, Bickett K et al. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of botanically derived inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. J Altern Complement Med. 2002 Apr;8(2):143-52.
   

4. "About Procerin." AskDocWeb.com, online:
   http://www.askdocweb.com/procerin.html