He shou wu (Fo-Ti/ Ho Shou Wu/etc)

I found this article interesting as to why those that have tried Fo-Ti have not see any great benefit. It notes that proper "preparation" of the herb is key. Also take note of the dosage. While I want to give it a try the price per dosage makes ALA/ALCA and Fibroboost look like a deal.

http://dragonherbs.com/prodinfo.asp?number=542

It definitely looks legit but boy, $57 a month basically @ 10 capsules a day. I may give this a try at some point for a few months.

This brand looks very good. Will try it out, possibly next month.

I have put Fo Ti back in my regimen. It is just too important not to take this herb every day (for reasons other than hair loss).

The Natural wrote:This brand looks very good. Will try it out, possibly next month.

I have put Fo Ti back in my regimen. It is just too important not to take this herb every day (for reasons other than hair loss).

Can you elaborate?

I am an active person. And I like to compete athletically whether its on the course or on the court. This activity, however, has taken a toll on my knees. I find that only Fo Ti is helpful for me in this area.
It's amazing.

And let me add that my experience with Fo Ti, namely Shen Min, as a hair loss treatment has been from very good to moderate to no change on three occasions.

Finally, I recommend taking Fo-ti separately from your other supplements. Presently, my schedule is as follows:

mornings: curcumin, resveratrol, vitamin D3
afternoons: MSM, magnesium citrate, vitamin C
evenings: Fo-ti extract
nights: MSM

Fo Ti does look promising for hair loss and the condition of hair in general (as well as overall health), but I have had no first hand experience with it.

I'll definitely be following it though, as it has very much caught my eye!

how long did it take for you to notice a benefit from the curcumin or do you have to take the combo before you notice?

If you want to see a benefit "hair-wise," I would suggest that you take curcumin with resveratrol (and vitamin D3), hours apart from Fo-ti extract (if you ever decide to use it too).

sublime9 wrote:I found this article interesting as to why those that have tried Fo-Ti have not see any great benefit. It notes that proper "preparation" of the herb is key. Also take note of the dosage. While I want to give it a try the price per dosage makes ALA/ALCA and Fibroboost look like a deal.

http://dragonherbs.com/prodinfo.asp?number=542

http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Fo-Ti-Ho-Shou-Wu-560-mg-100-Capsules/1107?at=0

There are some very good reviews on this product. It's also under five bucks. I'm thinking about giving this a shot...

I thought fo ti is mainly phytoestrogens, and that PM is superior.

Just ordered some NOW Fo-Ti. Dragon Herbs is actually close to my house, and I have good experience with their products, but I'm going to try out the lower-cost brand and see what it does before I invest. Excited.

I am interested as well. The reviews for NOW's seem genuine-no fluff. And I have a pretty good nose for that, I think.

Been using Natrol's (Shen Min) Fo ti extract. But I have been really curious about Dragon Herbs, so I ordered some, and will try it this week. The thing that bothers me about Shen Min's formula is that before Biotech company was bought out by Natrol, you could clearly see written on the bottle how much root extract there was included in each pill. Now, it's just like "He Shou Wu (Fo-ti) Powder and He Shou Wu ((fo-ti) 12:1 Powdered Extract (Polygonum multiflorum) (root)." Who knows how much is actually in there.

Been taking about 1500 mg. of Fo ti for almost two months now. And there is a noticeable difference in the hair around my crown. Yes, it is still a bit lighter than the rest, but this hair has been cut and blended in such a way that now my loss is barely noticeable.

I would be remiss without stating that the effects of Fo ti are much more pronounced once you have been able to get your hair loss under control. Meaning that: I have tried Fo ti in the past (three times). The last being four years ago, and I didn't see much improvement, probably because I was relying on it to do too much (i.e. stop my hair loss).

TN

How does the mechanism of fo-ti differ from pueraria mirifica?

Will I get hepatitis if I take this? I know nothing can be said for certain but I guess my chances of developing hepatitis will go up a great deal with this product?

The Natural wrote:Been taking about 1500 mg. of Fo ti for almost two months now. And there is a noticeable difference in the hair around my crown. Yes, it is still a bit lighter than the rest, but this hair has been cut and blended in such a way that now my loss is barely noticeable.

I would be remiss without stating that the effects of Fo ti are much more pronounced once you have been able to get your hair loss under control. Meaning that: I have tried Fo ti in the past (three times). The last being four years ago, and I didn't see much improvement, probably because I was relying on it to do too much (i.e. stop my hair loss).

TN

Sounds great!
Which one of the two solf in iherb is it you are refering to?
Also, they mention that by taking this supplement you are exposed to lead. What is your opinion in this concern?

Wow, talk about my less knowledgeable years. Thanks for resurrecting this post, it brings back some memories.

For the most part Fo-Ti is useless for our needs and purposes. To be effective for hair Fo-Ti must be prepared with black beans and some other items as required in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I am sure we are all familiar with the story of Mr Ho and his long black hair. Well he consumed his Fo-Ti prepared in the proper manner to bring out the key essence of the herb in order to give it its restorative properties. Unprepared Fo-Ti works more as a directic. When prepared it works on the kidneys and stimulates the thymus gland amongst other things. So when selecting Fo-Ti/Ho Shou Wu, make sure to buy it prepared otherwise it is not doing what you think it should be. Most prepared supplements are called Ho Shou Wu, but be wary and check with the manufacturer on its preparation.

There is a drink called Sho Wu Chih that is supposed to be very effective at getting the active ingredients of Ho Shou Wu into your body. It is an alcohol tincture with other TCM herbs.

Through experimenting I have found whole herbs extracted in the traditional way to be more effective than powders in a capsule. I am not saying the capsules are not effective, they are, but to me they do not seem as potent or powerful.

Interesting Lin us to some recommendations?

M&M wrote:Which one of the two solf in iherb is it you are refering to?
Also, they mention that by taking this supplement you are exposed to lead. What is your opinion in this concern?

M&M,

I am taking Dragon Herb's (and Natrol's, until I finish my last bottle).

With respect to lead exposure: "The lead content of this product is lower than the FDA standard for lead in bottled water." So I am not too concerned. It also states that "daily breathing in California" will expose you to lead...

what is the method of action for fo-ti? is it a growth stimulant, follicle heal/repairer, or anti-androgen?

I just ordered 2 bottles of this and my dad has ordered 3. My dad is bald but his hair is also going grey, I recommended he try it for his grey hair more than his baldness. For myself, I am hoping it will thicken up my thinning hair more than stop hair loss. It's cheap and is generally safe so may as well try it for 3 months.

I ordered the Nature's Way Fo-Ti

goten,

I like Nature's Way. And their fo ti has a lot of positive reviews. But you should know that this particular supplement is much less potent than the other more, expensive fo ti extracts. Hopefully, you will see some benefit nevertheless. Do keep us posted!

TN

Read somewhere that to get the full potency of Fo Ti, one needs to find the drink they sell in chinese supermarkets. Can't remember what is called but if your city has a chinatown, it's worth having a look.