Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that is characterized by enlarged ovaries that contain follicles (fluid) surrounding the eggs, causing the ovaries to malfunction, which can lead to hormonal problems. 10 Saw palmetto has been shown to interact with estrogen receptors 12 and can help support hormonal balance during menopause. While testosterone levels do go down with age, it does not see as drastic of a decline as estrogen and progesterone during menopause. This can result in a variety of physical and emotional symptoms leading up to and after reaching menopause. Chemically, menopause occurs because the ovaries stop creating reproductive hormones, namely estrogen and progesterone. A woman officially reaches menopause one year after her last period. On average, menopause occurs at the age of 45. Menopause marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. Topical forms may help to control DHT production on the skin’s surface and within pores and sebaceous glands, while oral forms of saw palmetto can help to regulate DHT (and sebum production) from the inside. If you suffer from hormonal acne, your doctor may suggest saw palmetto in oral or topical forms.
#SAW PALMETTO SKIN#
8 While sebum is necessary for protecting the skin and locking in moisture, too much of it can clog pores, resulting in the blackheads, whiteheads, and cysts characteristic of acne. This suggests that excess DHT could lead to an overproduction of sebum. DHT happens to be one of the most powerful of these androgens and can be found in sebaceous glands. Studies show that the glands that produce sebum are readily stimulated by androgen hormones produced in the skin. While there is no singular known cause for acne, science understands that hormones can play a large role in acne formation. 7 Saw palmetto’s potential to block DHT and regulate hormonal balance may help to prevent the growth of excess body hair in women. Women with a buildup of DHT may experience sudden excess hair growth in areas where men usually grow hair, including on the abdomen, face, and arms. It is believed to affect about 5 to 10 percent of women. Hirsutism refers to the presence of coarse hairs on the body. Where excess DHT shrinks the hair follicles in the scalp, it can have the opposite effect on hair follicles around the body, resulting in the excess body hair characterized by hirsutism. One study suggested that combining 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (like saw palmetto extract) with anti-inflammatory agents could offer an effective approach to reducing the symptoms of androgenetic alopecia. As mentioned, saw palmetto extract has been found to inhibit 5-alpha reductase in the scalp, preventing the conversion of testosterone into DHT. Saw palmetto for women’s hair loss may work the same as it does for men. Women usually experience thinning hair that starts at the part, where hair goes down either side of the head. In men, balding typically starts at the temples and the top of the head. Men naturally have more testosterone than women, but balding can still occur in women, especially as they get older. This shortens the hair cycle’s growth phase while lengthening the resting phase, resulting in lost hair. The excess DHT causes hair follicles in the scalp to shrink. Saw Palmetto for Women’s Hair LossĪs with men, androgenetic alopecia in women is caused by the conversion of testosterone into DHT.
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4 Take a look at some of the health benefits of saw palmetto for women. Saw palmetto can help to inhibit testosterone and other androgen hormone and maintain a hormonal balance in women.
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Women also produce testosterone, which plays a vital role in several bodily functions, but too much testosterone can cause hormonal imbalances that may result in a whole host of problems. The fact is, testosterone is not just a hormone found in men. 2 While DHT has its functions, excess DHT levels are known to contribute to the aforementioned prostate problems as well as androgenic alopecia, better known as male or female pattern baldness. In particular, saw palmetto is known to inhibit 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone into DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Studies and reviews of scientific literature have found that most of these effects are caused by saw palmetto’s interactions with androgen hormones and intermediaries. In men, saw palmetto is most prominently prescribed as a natural remedy for prostate issues, including symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (an enlargement of the prostate gland). Saw palmetto is a type of small palm tree featuring small berries that has been used medicinally for hundreds of years, but in modern times, the extract from saw palmetto’s berries have been applied to a wide range of medical issues. Read on to learn about the benefits of saw palmetto for women. Saw palmetto is one of the most commonly used natural remedies for men’s hormonal issues, but saw palmetto isn’t just for men.