5 Natural Methods to Improve Hair Growth

If you’re like most guys, you’re not exactly crazy about what’s happening–or not happening–to your hair. What was once thick and full is, to put it politely, thinning. In the past, you might have scoffed at the wide array of products geared toward those desperate men willing to spend whatever it took to bring back their lost locks. However, now that a disturbing amount of your own scalp is showing, you’re wondering what all of these hair re-growth products are all about.

What Causes Hair Loss in Men

Let’s start by calling it what it is: androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern baldness. This condition affects half of all men in the United States by age 50, Europeans more than Asians or Africans. It is triggered by a powerful hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), although exactly how this occurs remains a mystery. What scientists do know is that DHT damages the hair follicles of those people who are genetically destined to be bald. By causing shrinkage and stunting the hair’s growth phase, it keeps hair from maturing and becoming deeply rooted. Over time, the follicle becomes totally dormant.

Researchers looking into solutions for hair loss wondered if blocking DHT in balding men would might stop or even reverse the process. So they began finding substances that would prevent DHT from connecting to the follicle. They even learned that some prevented it from being produced at all.

Once they had a few anti-balding weapons in their arsenal, scientists finally were able to offer natural treatments. Until this point, most guys thought that propecia, a chemical-based medication, was their only option. These days, you don’t need to attack your body with tons of destructive, man-made chemicals. There are several natural dht blockers to help minimize your hair loss.
 

1. Saw Palmetto, an herbal DHT blocker, is probably the best known in this category. It works by blocking the cell receptor sites that absorb DHT. It also thwarts the enzyme that transforms testosterone into DHT. A key advantage of saw palmetto is that it has minimal side effects. If you feel a little queasy, try taking it with food and that should help a lot.
2. Another option is pygeum extract. Its active ingredients block DHT production. This extract minimizes DHT in the blood and reduces the sites where DHT can attach. Combining it with saw palmetto seems to make it work even better.
3. Stinging nettles have also proven effective in treating men with noncancerous enlargement of the prostate, a condition that also contributes to DHT-related hair loss. Combining nettle with both saw palmetto and pygeum have been shown to reduce prostate swelling, increase urine volume and flow, and reduce the effect of DHT on follicles.
4. Pumpkin seed oil has been shown to inhibit DHT production. It also breaks down DHT in the liver.
5. Green tea, a well-known anti-oxidant, has numerous beneficial effects. Among other things, it reduces cholesterol and DHT. Green tea contains substances that have been found to have a marked ability to fight microbes, treat tumors, and reduce inflammation. Many men also report that it has actually helped them to re-grow their hair.

Hair loss is a hot topic, one that is keeping researchers busy. Although they haven’t found the perfect solution yet, natural DHT blockers are definitely a step in the right direction. Give them a try and you might start to notice some very positive changes.