Question: Can herbs like Dong Quai or Saw Palmetto cure baldness?
Answer: Dong Quai contains phytoestrogens that have been known to stabilize and even reverse genetic hair loss. Scientists believe phytoestrogens work by blocking androgen-receptor sites and reducing the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, or DHT. (Androgens are produced by the male sex organs and are a major factor in inherited baldness.) Saw Palmetto's active compounds - free fatty acids and phytosterols - are also thought to reduce the effects of DHT by inhibiting the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that contributes to androgenetic alopecia.
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