BOTANISCH INGREDIËNT BIJ ERFELIJKE HAARUITVAL

Saw palmetto and hair loss

Saw palmetto, ook bekend als zaagpalm, is een botanisch ingrediënt dat wordt gebruikt in supplementen voor erfelijke haarverdunning. Het is relevant bij alopecia androgenetica omdat bepaalde bestanddelen mogelijk invloed hebben op 5-alpha-reductase: het enzym dat testosteron omzet in DHT. Onderzoek laat interessante resultaten zien, maar het klinische bewijs is nog beperkt. Lees wat bekend is over de mogelijke werking, het onderzoek, de veiligheid en realistische verwachtingen.

Man met erfelijke haarverdunning naast bladeren en donkere bessen van saw palmetto

In brief

Saw palmetto wordt gewonnen uit de vruchten van Serenoa repens.
Het wordt bij alopecia androgenetica gebruikt vanwege de mogelijke invloed op 5-alpha-reductase en de vorming van DHT.
Kleine klinische studies laten positieve resultaten zien, maar het beschikbare bewijs is nog beperkt.
Saw palmetto is geen geregistreerde medische behandeling tegen alopecia androgenetica en resultaten kunnen per persoon verschillen.
TRIX Basic Alpha bevat saw palmetto, gecombineerd met andere zorgvuldig geselecteerde voedingsstoffen voor het haar.

Saw palmetto bladeren en donkere bessen worden onderzocht in een laboratorium

BOTANICAL ORIGIN

What is saw palmetto?

Saw palmetto is the English name for saw palmetto, botanically Serenoa repens. This small palm naturally grows in the southeastern United States. Supplements mainly use its ripe, dark fruits.

Extracts can differ in solvent, fatty acid composition, and concentration. Therefore, products are not automatically comparable, and research on one specific extract cannot simply be applied to every supplement.

POSSIBLE MECHANISM

Why is saw palmetto associated with DHT?

Certain fatty acids and plant sterols from saw palmetto are being studied for their potential effect on 5-alpha-reductase. This enzyme converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, better known as DHT. In people with genetically sensitive hair follicles, DHT may contribute to follicular miniaturisation and androgenetic alopecia.

This potential mechanism explains why saw palmetto is often used in supplements for hereditary hair thinning. How strongly the enzyme and the DHT pathway are actually affected in humans likely depends on the extract used, its composition, and the dosage.

Read about follicular miniaturisation

Wetenschappelijke illustratie van de omzetting van testosteron naar DHT door 5-alpha-reductase

Vergelijking van een normaal en androgeengevoelig haarzakje

WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?

Does saw palmetto work against hair loss?

Several small studies have investigated saw palmetto in men and women with androgenetic alopecia. Some of these studies observed improvements in hair growth, hair density, or hair loss. This makes saw palmetto a relevant and interesting ingredient in this context.

However, the studies differ in preparation, dosage, study duration, and outcome measures. The groups were also often small. The results are therefore promising, but not yet strong enough to present saw palmetto as a proven or guaranteed treatment for androgenetic alopecia.

REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

What can you realistically expect?

Saw palmetto is mainly suitable as part of a broader approach to supporting hair in cases of hereditary hair thinning. Do not expect immediate results: because of the slow hair cycle, any change may only become visible after several months.

Results vary from person to person and are not guaranteed. If desired, take photos under the same conditions to track changes. In cases of rapid or progressive hair loss, professional assessment remains important, and prescribed treatment should not be replaced without medical guidance.

Opeenvolgende stadia van folliculaire miniaturisatie door DHT-gevoeligheid

Dermatoloog beoordeelt patroonhaaruitval met een dermatoscoop

SAFE USE

Is saw palmetto safe?

Reported side effects include gastrointestinal complaints, headaches, and dizziness. The composition and dosage vary by product, so safety is not entirely uniform either.

Discuss use with a doctor or pharmacist if you take blood thinners, hormonal medication, or other medicines, or during pregnancy, breastfeeding, when trying to conceive, or before a planned surgery. Have hair loss with bald patches, rapid worsening, or scalp problems professionally assessed.

Belangrijk om te weten

Saw palmetto is relevant bij DHT-gerelateerde haarverdunning, maar extracten verschillen sterk in samenstelling, concentratie en kwaliteit. Resultaten uit onderzoek naar één specifiek extract zijn daarom niet automatisch van toepassing op ieder supplement. “Natuurlijk” betekent bovendien niet automatisch risicovrij. Bespreek het gebruik met een arts of apotheker bij medicatiegebruik, zwangerschap, borstvoeding, zwangerschapswens of een geplande operatie.

Vragen over saw palmetto en haaruitval

Saw palmetto is an extract from the fruit of Serenoa repens, also known as saw palmetto. It is used in food supplements and studied for its possible effects on the androgen and DHT pathways.

Not definitive. Small clinical studies suggest that saw palmetto may have a positive effect on androgenetic alopecia. However, the overall evidence is still limited, and results are not guaranteed. Saw palmetto is therefore not a registered medical treatment for hair loss.

Because of the slow hair-growth cycle, any potential change can only be assessed after several months. No fixed timeframe or guaranteed result can be given. Preferably compare photos taken under the same conditions.

Not automatically. Possible side effects include gastrointestinal complaints, headaches, and dizziness. Product quality and dosage vary, and there may be interactions with medications.

Discuss combinations with a doctor or pharmacist, especially when taking blood thinners, hormonal medication, or other medicines. Do not independently replace a prescribed treatment with saw palmetto.

Have hair loss assessed if you have a receding hairline, a widening part, a more visible crown, rapid hair loss, bald patches, or scalp problems. A proper diagnosis should come before choosing a supplement.

FIND WHAT SUITS YOU

What support is suitable for hereditary hair thinning?

The TRIX Hair Check helps you better map out your pattern of hair loss and shows which TRIX Basic products may be suitable for you. TRIX Basic Alpha contains saw palmetto, combined with other carefully selected nutrients for hair.

Start the Hair Check View TRIX Basic Alpha