Biotin and Beta-Sitosterol for hair loss

Article by HairlossTalk.com

Many compounds make claims to “block” DHT by inhibiting DHT from blocking to its receptor, or by inhibiting enzymes in the pathway, but very few grow hair.

The most effective way to use any “androgen blocking or inhibiting agent” is in the earliest stages of hair loss. Once the hair is gone, or hair loss has stabilized, these compounds offer little benefit to regrowing the hair that was lost. Even finasteride/Propecia is limited in its regrowth of hair, depending on the duration and extent of hair loss in men. That’s why the search for better agents continues.

Biotin for hair loss

Biotin

This is a nutritional supplement that has been around for years and years. The whole concept of biotin was found years ago in the fur industry. Animals, such as minks and chinchilla’s were raised for their pelts in making mink coats. When these animals were fed raw eggs, the protein in eggs called, avidin, inhibited biotin in the vitamin pathway, hence the animals started to shed their fur and have very scanty pelts. Feeding raw egg whites was then omitted from the diets, and the animals recovered. So, unless you have a diet high in raw eggs/egg white, and have developed a consequential biotin deficiency from it, it is best to forget about biotin. The avidin protein is found in raw egg whites, and once it is cooked, the protein is denatured and not active.

Conclusion

The overall problem I have with herbal, nutritional products is that companies can make these products in any way they want, without any federal regulation governing them. So, “anything goes”. They are not regulated by the FDA or any government agency. As long as they watch their claims (even so, they still cross the line making outrageous claims at times), the FDA won’t come after them. I have found many of these products to vary in potency, purity, and consistency from batch to batch so that you don’t know what you are getting. This many times leads to real safety hazards, because they are considered as nutritional/herbal supplements and not thought to be harmful.

There have been cases where people get sick, and have bad side effects from taking these supplements bought at their local vitamin store or any other retailer. People also need to be aware of the drug interactions these products may have with any prescription drugs they are taking. Many herbal/nutritional agents are taken at high doses with multiple frequency thru the day, and they really haven’t been tested to their claims, not to mention, purity, concentration, consistency, any other additives from batch to batch.

For now, CAUTION is advised for any nutritional/herbal supplement you decide to take to treat your hair loss. For many, like biotin, they may not hurt you, but I doubt it will really help you.

Next issue will continue on herbal remedies and will discuss: Pygeum, Nettles, Green Tea, and Omega-3 Fish Oils.

Marty Sawaya MD, PhD

- Legitimate Proven Hair Loss Treatments for Men
- Legitimate Proven Hair Loss Treatments for Women

HLT

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