MPB and non-FDA approved treatment Myths

Myth: Herbal DHT blockers reduce DHT so you can resume your natural hair growing process.

Questionable. There aren't any studies to show that any of the herbal medications reduce the amount of DHT in the scalp. The problem with any herb or natural product for MPB is that we have a Catch-22 situation. In fact, there may be some very beneficial herbs and natural products. However, these 'herbs and natural products' are never prescribed in Western academic medicine, because they have never been tested or approved by the FDA. It costs in the hundreds of millions of dollars to obtain an FDA approval for a new drug. The FDA will not grant an exclusive patent for 'herbs and natural products'. The pharmaceutical company cannot recapture the cost of its research and development. As a result, we have no well-designed studies to prove the value of or to establish the optimal doses for "any herb or natural product for MPB". Herbal products for treating MPB often have multiple ingredients. These ingredients are often mixed together without any studies to determine whether or not they are compatible in the same solution or whether or not there are adverse interactions among them.

Myth: DMSO can enhance the absorption of minoxidil

DMSO hasn't been proven safe for human use as a solvent for topical medications. Here is an excerpt from an FDA alert of 1992 (http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia6206.html): DMSO is dimethyl sulfoxide, a solvent derived from wood, which has been the subject of considerable interest for its potential as a drug. Testing of DMSO as a drug began in the early 1960's but was halted in 1965 after experiments in animals indicated that it had adverse effects on the eyes. Experiments were resumed the following year with restrictions to assure that patients were adequately protected. At present, the only human use for which DMSO has been approved is for interstitial cystitis, an inflammatory urinary bladder condition.

DMSO is an excellent carrier for many topically applied drugs and is widely used in veterinary medicine, because DMSO can carry other drugs with it across membranes. It is more successful ferrying some drugs, such as morphine sulfate, penicillin, steroids, and cortisone, than others, such as insulin or minoxidil. What it will carry depends on the molecular weight, shape, and electrochemistry of the molecules.

Myth: MSM enhances hair growth

Questionable. The purported advantage of using MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl-Methane) is to provide increased amounts of sulfur to the tissues. However, sulfur deficiency is very rarely encountered in medical practice. Here's an excerpt from a website, which sells MSM: "Deficiency and toxicity: There is minimal reason for concern about either toxicity or deficiency of sulfur in the body. No clearly defined symptoms exist with either state. Sulfur deficiency is more common when foods are grown in sulfur-depleted soil, with low-protein diets, or with a lack of intestinal bacteria, though none of these seems to cause any problems in regard to sulfur functions and metabolism. (http://www.drlera.com/MINERALS/sulfur.htm)

There is no evidence of which I am aware, which suggests that increasing the amount of sulfur to the scalp increases hair growth or supports hair transplants. You can access the website (http://www.arthritis.org/) for more information on MSM and DMSO. I agree with the advice given: "Don't buy DMSO on your own: Ask your doctor to find a medical-grade source. Almost all DMSO available to the public is industrial grade - including most veterinary DMSO and products sold in health food stores and on the Internet – and may not be safe for medical use."

Myth: Taking L-arginine promotes hair growth

It's possible that L-arginine promotes hair growth, but there aren't any credible supportive studies. Unquestionably, L-arginine is essential to good health and it has been demonstrated to open up blood vessels throughout the body, including those of the heart by forming NO (nitric oxide), which dilates blood vessels. There is a popular mistaken idea that it is decreased blood flow that causes MPB and that minoxidil promotes hair growth because it dilates blood vessels (See A.3 Myth: Poor Blood Flow Causes Pattern Baldness), but that is far too simplistic an explanation. Other agents, such as nitric oxide, can also cause vascular dilatation, but they have not been shown to promote hair growth. For detailed information about nitric oxide, access http://www.pasteur.fr/applications/euroconf/nitric-abstracts.html.

Myth: Saw palmetto is a good treatment for MPB.

There is a popular misconception in regards to the pharmacological effect of saw palmetto. Since it is an effective treatment for men with enlarged prostates, it has been erroneously presumed that saw palmetto acts similarly to finasteride in reducing the amount of DHT in the prostate by inhibiting the enzyme, 5 alpha-reductase. However, 5 alpha reductase levels in prostatic tissue and testosterone, DHT, and PSA are not significantly reduced by saw palmetto (Marks LS, Tyler VE. Saw palmetto extract: newest (and oldest) treatment alternative for men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology 1999; 53: 671-678). In fact, saw palmetto does not affect overall prostate size, but shrinks the inner prostatic epithelium (USRF Research. "Clinical Effects of Saw Palmetto Extract in Men with Symptomatic BPH" webpage: wwwusrf.org/spepapers.html [accessed 26 Jan 00]). It is the shrinkage of the prostatic epithelium that allows for the improved passage of urine from the bladder. Consequently, saw palmetto has proven valuable for treating the symptoms of benign prostatic enlargement, but there is no evidence that taking saw palmetto decreases the DHT levels in the prostate gland or in the scalp.