A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial to Determine the Effectiveness of Botanically Derived Inhibitors of 5-Alpha-Reductase in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia

April 2002 in “ Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine ”

Nelson Prager, Karen Bickett, Nita French, Geno Marcovici

5-alpha-reductase androgenetic alopecia liposterolic extract of Serenoa repens ß-sitosterol 5AR inhibitors 5AR AGA LSESr beta-sitosterol saw palmetto

Studysummary This study suggests that botanical 5AR inhibitors like Serenoa repens and β-sitosterol may improve symptoms of androgenetic alopecia, with 60% of treated subjects showing improvement compared to placebo.

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This study aimed to test the effectiveness of botanically derived inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase (5AR) in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). The liposterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESr) and ß-sitosterol were tested on males between the ages of 23 and 64 years of age, in good health, with mild to moderate AGA. The results showed a highly positive response to treatment, with 60% of study subjects dosed with the active study formulation rated as improved at the final visit. This study establishes the effectiveness of naturally occurring 5AR inhibitors against AGA for the first time, and justifies the expansion to larger trials.

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Research cited in this study

4 / 4 results

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