palmetto really isnt an effective dht blocker anyway
Saw Palmetto: It's not an Alternative to Propecia
Saw Palmetto is not a "natural alternative to Propecia". There are two types of 5 alpha reductase that combine with Testosterone to form DHT. Propecia blocks one of them most effectively, reduces serum (blood stream) DHT levels, and has shown to stop hair loss in 83% of men. Well what about Saw Palmetto? It actually has been shown to block both types of DHT, and this is where all the confusion centers. Just because something can block DHT in a test tube, does not mean it can reduce levels of it in the bloodstream, or stop hair loss. In a clinical study, Saw Palmetto was given to test subjects, and it had no effect on their serum DHT levels. This means it didn't inhibit DHT in the bloodstream effectively like Propecia does. This is the key. As a result of this study, many have hypothesized that Saw Palmetto works for the prostate by some other mechanism than DHT reduction. Propecia and Saw Palmetto are similar in some ways, but completely different where it matters most. As such, they should never be considered "alternatives" to each other.