I just wanted to post about some (maybe) success I'm having with saw palmetto. I have high DHEA-S (everything else is normal) and the doc wanted to put me on BCPs, but I was reluctant after reading about people getting worse after going off of them, and also the thought of having to be on them until I was TTC or reached menopause.
I've been taking standardized saw palmetto twice a day, and also using Nizoral shampo for a few weeks (the shampoo for a bit longer - more like a couple of months). I'm getting regrowth in my temple area, and - and this is what I suspect must be the saw palmetto and not the shampoo - I am getting less regrowth in areas I've removed hair from recently. I epilated my underarms (yeowch!) and instead of the dark hair I usually get, much finer hairs are coming in at a very slow rate.
I also follow a relatively "low carb" diet in that I avoid "bad" carbs like processed sugars and breads and stuff. I also workout everyday - I lost a bunch of weight a year ago (which, from what I understand, might have triggered the increased hair loss to begin with) - and am a "thin cyster."
I just wanted to post about the saw palmetto since I see a lot of people asking if it works...if I have any more results I'll be sure to post.
It's been a week since I last posted the above. I haven't detected anything huge with hair loss/hair growth aside from what I previously wrote. However, I have noticed that my skin has cleared up A LOT. I used to have a lot of little bumps, mostly on my forehead and jaw, and some larger spots on my chin and along my jaw. My pores were also larger and my skin was oilier. I have definitely noticed a change for the better. I have been on Atralin (a topical retinol) for awhile, so keep that in mind...but it had been a few months and was barely keeping it under control. I really think the saw palmetto is making a difference.
I'm taking the Whole Foods brand saw palmetto - it says it's "standardized" and each softgel is 160mg. On the back it says that each softgel has 85-95% fatty acids and sterols, or 136-152mg. I'm taking two each day, one at breakfast and one at dinner. The other ingredients in the softgel are olive oil, gelatin, glycerin, and water. If you're not near a Whole Foods, I think Nature's Way brand makes something identical in formulation and active ingredients, such as this one.
Thanks for your update! I'm glad you've found success with Saw Palmetto.
I must report some success with Saw Palmetto as well, although I also have a no wheat, no dairy, no sugar diet, and have been drinking Spearmint tea every night. I also exercise about 5 days a week.
Anyhow, ever since I started my regime, my skin is CLEAR. I used to get lots of acne - small bumps, painful big bumps - but not anymore.
Also, my body hair grows back a lot more slowly, including my facial hair. I can't say that I've noticed any difference on my head, but I think that will take more time.
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Dx'd Oct 2008 & started alternative medicine route after stopping bc pill in June.
Current regimen:
ADHS Dietary Supplement
Testo Quench (w/ Saw Palmetto)
Spearmint tea - 2-3 cups/day
Cinnamon in unsweetened soy milk
No grains, dairy, alcohol, sugar & salt
30 min. cardio & strength training every other day
Yoga once a week
1 week in: acne clearing up, chronic dandruff GONE!, and ovulated for the first time in I don't remember.
I'm hoping for more updates as I just included this into my regime last week to try and take care of the facial hair and hair loss.
I'm doing a ton of other things but just noticed today and yesterday, a big slow down in facial hair. I've had these slow downs before but I think/hope this one is more dramatic.
The real test will be when my period comes. My PCOS symptoms seem to get a lot worse for that week and the week after for some reason.
I have good results as long as I diet low carb. The hair is much finer and slower in growth. I also have some new baby hair on my hair line. I use nexium also but I'm sure it's the saw palmetto and spiroactalone
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Since others noted it, I should add that for the past couple of months I took my already fairly healthy diet to a new level and started eating really "clean"...mostly veggies, lean protein, some fruit, some lowfat dairy (cottage cheese or greek yogurt) - I haven't touched anything processed or sugary in awhile. I'm also a workout maniac, putting in an hour in the gym everyday (weight training, some intense cardio). So that might be a contributing factor. Before, I was thin, but I had a lot of bodyfat. Now that I've reduced that, I think it's making an impact.
I've got some new little hairs growing in around my temple and forehead now, which is thrilling because I'd trade my hairloss for being hairy elsewhere (well, hairier than I already am) any day of the week. I haven't noticed a different in other hairy areas, but then I haven't shaved or done anything else to anywhere except my underarms, where I actually ripped the hair out using an epilator. I might wax a patch on my legs or stomach, and see what happens growth-wise.
I added a B-vitamin complex to my supplement routine and am thinking of maybe adding D3 since it seems like a lot of people are deficient and it might be linked to hairloss...
I'm with you. I can deal with the hairiness but cannot cope with the hair loss. I do seem to notice some link between my unwanted hair getting better or worse and my hair sheds following suit. Not always, but it's some measure of how my body is responding to my hormones.
I don't eat bad, and have been pretty good about kicking my sugar habit, or at least indulging it a lot less.
I have been slacking in the gym department. I have been dealing with some severe anxiety and for some reason don't feel like I can tolerate running right now, which used to be my favorite form of excersize. I'm thinner than I've ever been at the moment (5'2" about 109 lbs), but don't feel good because I know my fittness level isn't where it should be. Ironically though I've been a little fearful of weights lately because my arms are really muscular, despite not touching them! Geez. What's going to happen if I start hitting the weights hard?! I do mostly cardio right now, but need to kick it up about 10 notches.
I also have a ton of baby hairs everywhere but they don't seem to be filling in the thinner areas yet. The smallest ones are white or blonde (i'm blondish) so hopefully they're not dying and are good strong growth and will eventually make a difference.
I've been on 320 of saw palmetto for about a week and am also doing these other things (mix of meds and natural stuff)
- 3 tbsp of ground flaxseed per day since about sept or oct
- 1-2 cups of spearmint and nettle tea per day since summer
- 1500 of fortamet since oct
- 250 per day of flutamide since oct 07
- 1800 of NAC since I think sept
- 2 viviscal tabs per day
- bunch of other supps for general health
So far I've just managed to eek my total T down from 60 in aug to 52 in Jan with no change in free T yet.
frustrating....hopefully giving what I was doing more time and adding Saw Palmetto will help some.
I'm also going to get a little more diligent about my diet and kick my workouts up a notch.
Crossing fingers that I can post a success story about saw palmetto here too!
Thanks for your update! I'm glad you've found success with Saw Palmetto.
I must report some success with Saw Palmetto as well, although I also have a no wheat, no dairy, no sugar diet, and have been drinking Spearmint tea every night. I also exercise about 5 days a week.
Anyhow, ever since I started my regime, my skin is CLEAR. I used to get lots of acne - small bumps, painful big bumps - but not anymore.
Also, my body hair grows back a lot more slowly, including my facial hair. I can't say that I've noticed any difference on my head, but I think that will take more time.
If I may ask, what is your diet consist of? I'm trying to follow a similar diet but it seems as if everything has what, dairy, sugar. Can you list some of the foods you eat?
Also, I saw in your signature that you are ovulating again. How did you know you were NOT ovulating to begin with? Was it no periods? or TTC? I guess I am still trying to figure out whther I am ovulating or not. I do get my periods every month, thank God.
I was freaked out that I'd get bulky if I started doing weights, but I found that the key was doing some high-intensity cardio with it and keeping tabs on my diet. It's possible to gain muscle on top of whatever body fat you have, so it looks like you're getting a bit bulky...really, it's just fat padding your muscles (kind of like marbling in a cut of steak - gross, but it illustrates the situation)...so the key is to make sure to burn the fat and eat foods that will help you build muscle so you get lean. So sayeth the fitness gurus (the ones I consider legit, at least).
It seems to have worked for me, at least...but sometimes it makes me really sad to think that the each time I slip and eat a cookie or something, it directly correlates to how much hair I'll lose. It's upsetting to know that indulgence, for us, is punishable by more than just the potential for a "fat day," but hair loss and hair growth and skin problems and various other things that threaten to pop up without warning.
Spearmint tea? Do you drink it hot or iced? I am tempted to get some, but am wary of the taste.
This is what is all weird about me lately. In highschool I had that bulky thing going on because I was heavier and swam competitively. Now I just look stringy. My arms are actually kind of ripped and veiny looking (pretty picture huh?).
My body went through some really weird shifts after my last pregnancy and I'm a lot thinner than I've ever been and seem to maintain a lot more muscle. This is with no big change in eating habits (decreased snacking at night maybe) and reduced workouts (two kids = no time for self!) I shouldn't be complaining because I do like it to some extent, but seeing as my hair has never been worse, I wonder if there's a connection that I'm not finding.
I am 35 now though so I started back up with weights this week. If I do manage to lower my androgens, it will probably be harder to maintain so I should get a head start. I'm also feeling better now (antidepressant) so I think I will start forcing myself to run tomorrow again. I know I'll feel better when I'm back to my normal fitness routine.
I do think I need to be more diligent about my carb intake though. I'm not terrible, but do get "snack attacks" and have lots of room still for improvement.
Keeping it in my head that more carbs = more insulin = more testosterone should help keep me in check!
I just ordered a supp with not only saw palmetto but pygeum and nettle too. Other herbs that help stop the conversion of dht. I'll let you know if I see a big difference after starting.
As for the spearmint tea, I've been combing it with nettle and "sleepytime tea" for taste and drinking it hot. During the summer I was combining it with green tea and icing a big jug of it. Not crazy about the taste but I just knock it back like a medicine. There are worse things for sure. It does combine okay with other teas I'm finding, so that might help in the taste department.
This is what is all weird about me lately. In highschool I had that bulky thing going on because I was heavier and swam competitively. Now I just look stringy. My arms are actually kind of ripped and veiny looking (pretty picture huh?).
My body went through some really weird shifts after my last pregnancy and I'm a lot thinner than I've ever been and seem to maintain a lot more muscle. This is with no big change in eating habits (decreased snacking at night maybe) and reduced workouts (two kids = no time for self!) I shouldn't be complaining because I do like it to some extent, but seeing as my hair has never been worse, I wonder if there's a connection that I'm not finding.
I am 35 now though so I started back up with weights this week. If I do manage to lower my androgens, it will probably be harder to maintain so I should get a head start. I'm also feeling better now (antidepressant) so I think I will start forcing myself to run tomorrow again. I know I'll feel better when I'm back to my normal fitness routine.
I do think I need to be more diligent about my carb intake though. I'm not terrible, but do get "snack attacks" and have lots of room still for improvement.
Keeping it in my head that more carbs = more insulin = more testosterone should help keep me in check!
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I used to get very bulky before too. And I too have now the stringy arms but they are ripped and veiny looking too but have seemed to maintain muscle without even trying. I even started a post about it in another thread about my bulging veins but didnt get much response. I was wondering what you attribute the veiny look/more muscle to? I thought that it may be the fact that I have lost a bit of water weight but am not sure. Or is just the elevated Testosterone?
Also, can you post what your diet consists of? I too am trying to limit my carbs but its hard.
Possible saw palmetto success 
