CS & Others - Opinion on Natural 5ar Inhibition Products

I've never addressed the 5ar / DHT component head on and want to give this a shot.  Reaching a point where I need to halt progression of MPB and am shooting for some re-densification.

While this approach seems far from perfect, based on previous posts, I'm going to try out a Beta Sit / Saw Palmetto combo for a while and see what happens with hair, mood & libido. I understand this is a temporary fix.

Can't decide on which product to go with, so here's what I'm considering:

Source Naturals:
http://www.iherb.com/Source-Naturals-Mega-Strength-Beta-Sitosterol-375-mg-120-Tablets/2451

- Cheap, good collection of reviews on iHerb.  High potency Beta Sit that I would probably cut in 1/4's or halves.  Saw at least one review mention reversal of MPB as well.

LEF:
http://www.lef.org/Vitamins-Supplements/Item01695/Ultra-Natural-Prostate-with-ApresFlex-and-Standardized-Lignans.html?source=search&key=prostate

- Very comprehensive formula, but not many iHerb reviews.  Super-critical extracts Saw Palmetto, aromatase inhibition, 26% free Beta Sit (180mg)

New Chapter:
http://www.iherb.com/product-reviews/New-Chapter-Supercritical-Prostate-5LX-120-Softgels/96/?p=3

-Good reviews, but expensive and is just a general prostate support supp that is lacking Beta Sit.


Any comments or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.  Will be trying one of these strictly for hair improvement.  Just turned 25 years old, so also a tad skeptical trying prostate supplements this young when my PSA levels are perfect.

Thanks all.

There's probably hundreds of posts on this topic. This is an approach I first tried in the mid, late 90's, and early 2000's.

Wouldn't really put too much money into this approach (less is more). Instead use only a very small amount of beta-S (50 to 100 mg), up to twice per day.

As far as PSA that's a typical sham from the medical industry. It's useful for measuring inflammation (this only good use), but it doesn't tell you where that is coming from and the cancer part is not reliable at all...just leads to unnecessary biopsy.

With the typical irony of the sickness industry (not health industry), lowering DHT fanatically can reduce protective measures. DHT is an anti-carcinogenic metabolite (lower it too much), cancers can be more aggressive.

Also, take too much Beta-S....all the problems will arrive...the worst part is that it can be subtle...and losing facilities can go on unnoticed.

Balancing thyroid health is far better than shifting 5-alpha reductase by direct suppression.

I use emu oil infused with saw palmetto oil, and on my next batch, was going to include rosemary essential oil blended in.

CS,

Understood, and I have read all of those posts and your replies are mostly all the same, probably because there isn't much else to say about it. However, that's the dilemma I'm in. I'm young and have officially reached a point in the progression of my hair loss that I need to not only stop it dead in it's tracks, but hope for at least some cosmetic improvement.

I'm having trouble placing full faith in the natural approach right now, simply because my time and funds are limited to continue all kinds of self experimentation at the moment. Therefore, I need a ban-daid fix just for the next few years until either a better treatment comes along, or at the very least, I am confident in an all-in natural approach I can stick to.

Have never been this close to jumping on Finasteride, even since the beginning of my hair loss battle roughly 5 years ago. If I were to try it, I really can't imagine being on it for longer than 5 years. Assuming I'm a good responder and don't get sides, I'm assuming this may not be all that terrible of a quick fix until a figure out something more comprehensive. Of course, I recognize this is a gamble with the endocrine system either way. Never thought I'd say this as I've been big on the natural approach, but I might actually roll the dice..

Ultimately if someone has an interest in going the pharma route, no one is going to convince you otherwise. I think its very important if you do go that route to stay very attuned to what your body is telling you. These drugs are dangerous for many. The people who are side-free are the minority. So just be very conscious of your body, stay in tune to things that are going on. If something doesn't feel right, get off the drug. At the end of the day, its up to you whether halting your loss is more important to you than the possible side effects. There's really no way to counter them, so at least being aware of them puts you in the power position to stop the drug if they begin to escalate. A lot of unaware people are probably put on the drug who do not even know what to expect, and hence they go years on it without even understanding whats happening. There is also the consideration that some of the sides will probably continue for a period of time after discontinuing the drug.

anthonyspencer54 wrote: I think its very important if you do go that route to stay very attuned to what your body is telling you.

I'd just like to add to this since I took propecia myself, at quite a young age actually which was very stupid (18)

A lot of people take the drug and can feel fine for a few weeks, even some months but you can still suffer side effects which is exactly what happened to me, at first all i noticed was watery semen but after a while it just went downhill fast. I'm lucky I didn't suffer permanent damage (hell maybe i have but just not aware of it yet)

Thanks for the heads up guys. If I decide to pull the trigger I will definitely be staying closely tuned to the feedback my body gives.
It's become increasingly difficult speaking to friends who have been on it for a couple years with no, or virtually no side effects. We'll see what happens, if it happens..

CausticSymmetry wrote:There's probably hundreds of posts on this topic. This is an approach I first tried in the mid, late 90's, and early 2000's.

Wouldn't really put too much money into this approach (less is more). Instead use only a very small amount of beta-S (50 to 100 mg), up to twice per day.

As far as PSA that's a typical sham from the medical industry. It's useful for measuring inflammation (this only good use), but it doesn't tell you where that is coming from and the cancer part is not reliable at all...just leads to unnecessary biopsy.

With the typical irony of the sickness industry (not health industry), lowering DHT fanatically can reduce protective measures. DHT is an anti-carcinogenic metabolite (lower it too much), cancers can be more aggressive.

Also, take too much Beta-S....all the problems will arrive...the worst part is that it can be subtle...and losing facilities can go on unnoticed.  

Balancing thyroid health is far better than shifting 5-alpha reductase by direct suppression.

But can we really rely on that just fixing thyroid will be enough to curtail 5-AR to get halting MPB processes if one has aggressive thinning. I mean I know you can inhibit processes that are trigerred by DHT (can't afford this approach...). My question is how potent approach is getting your thyroid fixed in fighting DHT? Yes you get prolactin lowered and SHBG rise, but still Beta Sitosterol directly inhibits 5-AR - probably to greater extend.

Focusing on DHT inhibition is going back to the 20th century. I've done this since the mid-90's...taking more saw palmetto and Beta Sitosterol for long stretches...it's not healthy.... It's an herbal way to devitalize the system.

It's not just the thyroid though...it's all of the glands and it can also be the gut. It just depends on which area or areas need the most attention.