Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a palm plant found mostly in North America along the Atlantic coast in Georgia and Florida. Saw Palmetto is used in treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as BPH, in many countries and considered to be a herbal alternative medicine to treat BPH.

Saw palmetto is very popular as a herbal hair loss remedy and is used to treat male and female pattern baldness which is also known as androgenic alopecia. The role of saw palmetto in treating hair loss could be compared to Finasteride, the most popular medicine used to prevent hair loss.

However, how saw palmetto works in treating hair loss is not clearly known. There are no acceptable clinical trials or studies that suggests saw palmetto for treating hair loss in men and women. Saw palmetto is known to have side affects that include nausea, vomiting, erectile dysfunction, diarrhea, constipation and stomach pain. This herbal supplement may not be safe for you everyone to use and needs caution.

The effectiveness of saw palmetto in women, pregnant women and children has not been determined. Therefore, pregnant women are strongly recommended to avoid using saw palmetto and rather consult a doctor if experiencing hair loss.

Conclusion: Saw palmetto is believed to treat hair loss in men and women but has no clinical studies to call it safe for treating hair loss. Effectiveness and safety of saw palmetto for hair loss treatment is not yet determined, so avoid using it.