Female hair loss
I have been suffering from considerable hair loss over the past few years. I am female and only in my 30s and fear I will have no hair left by the time I reach my 40s. I have tried numerous measures, including changing my diet and exercising more to improve my overall health but all to no avail. Is there anything you think might work?
Although the most common form of hair loss is androgenic alopecia - known as “male pattern baldness” – this is also the most common form of hair loss in women as well.
The rate of loss is dictated by your hormones, in particular the male hormone testosterone, an excess of which is converted by the enzyme, 5-alpha-reductase, into a less welcome form called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This is the androgen or form of the male hormone, which is responsible for hair loss and, in women who suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thinning hair, facial acne and weight gain.
The key anti-androgenic herb is saw palmetto, which is also used to manage benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men, and this is the key ingredient in a new formulation called Superior Hair, which will work to prevent the conversion of testosterone to DHT.
It also includes Green Tea which, although better known for its antioxidant properties, also influences hormone levels by raising the amount of a substance called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) which helps lower testosterone by binding to any excess.
A third agent in the formulation is Gamma Linoleic Acid (GLA); an essential fatty acid that again, helps lower levels of DHT, by preventing the action of the enzyme that would otherwise trigger it production from testosterone.
Superior Hair by FoodScience of Vermont costs £19.95 for 90 veggie capsules from Victoria Health (0800-413596). Take three a day.