Saw Palmetto And Acne

Saw Palmetto’s enlarged reputation has reached the field of acne. Acne being a most common problem among teenagers, as well as adults, has been seeking “miracle” remedies to battle the problem. There are a lot of circulating sagas about acne development and have often led to wrong ideas, such as indicating the consumption of too much chocolate, and spicy and greasy food as its culprits. None of the aforementioned, however, has been revealed to have any major weight on acne.

On the other hand, researchers have established that the major cause of acne is hormonal change in the system, as well as heredity being a huge factor in the severity and type of acne a person may have. So how does Saw Palmetto and acne relate? It all goes back to the “hormones”. As have been pointed out, one of the major causes of acne is the changing hormones of the body, particularly testosterone.

Conversely, Saw Palmetto is a strong hormonal modulator, which inhibits the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone or DHT. For short, these “sagas”, “assumptions”, or “theories” that Saw Palmetto can reduce or eliminate acne have originated from its being a “DHT inhibitor”, but factually the relationship between Saw Palmetto and acne have not been established nor backed up by scientific studies, so the product is still not recommended for this purpose.

Saw Palmetto’s proven efficacy supported by controlled scientific studies is its use for benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), where it has been shown to significantly reduce the symptoms of BPH, through inhibiting testosterone conversion into DHT. People have made several assumptions on Saw Palmetto and acne, and the product’s being effective in reducing acne because of its function as a potent hormonal-inhibitor; however, taking the product under these assumptions should be carefully reconsidered as it may not be effective, and one may just be exposing themselves to more health risks.

It should be kept in mind, that although Saw Palmetto has built a reputation for its beneficial components, it has not been clinically tested for acne. Furthermore, its being categorized as a “dietary supplement” means that it is not “regulated”, therefore the more reason to be cautious in using it for other purposes other than what it has been scientifically confirmed to treat.

Saw Palmetto and acne are only linked through anecdotes and probabilities which have not been supported; it is always important to remember that the complete mechanism of how Saw Palmetto functions in the body is not yet fully understood. It is always essential to consult a physician before taking the product for treating acne or any other purpose that the product has not been suggested for.