Does Nettle Root Work as a Hair Loss Treatment?

Nettle Root as a Hair Loss Treatment    

There are a number of  herbal supplements out there that claim to work as a hair loss treatment.   Whereas there is no question that marketing is over-reaching at best in order to sell a product, the real question for any hair loss sufferer is: will this product help combat hair loss or is there any chance that it will  regrow hair?   To date however, it is important to understand that there is no hair loss cure, therefore  realistic expectations must be kept when considering any hair restoration product.

Below I decided to take a look at an herbal supplement that is said to combat hair loss.   This product is an “active” ingredient in a number of hair loss remedies including  Procerin and others and is also sold as a stand alone product  in nutritional stores.  

Nettle Root:

This is yet another product that  has been used in patients suffering from benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Other uses of Nettles have been for arthritis, asthma,  kidney and urinary tract infections, and more.

Because it has been used for those with enlarged prostate, it has been speculated that  extracts of Nettles when applied  to the scalp  might stimulate hair growth.  

Topical and oral treatments are available.

I have not seen any studies of its effectiveness in combating hair loss or regrowing hair either for those suffering from Androgenetic Alopecia (genetic hair loss) or Alopecia Areata.

Dosage:

Those who speculate its efficacy for hair loss typically recommend doses of  about 500 mg a day.  

Side Effects:

When topically applied, irritation of the scalp or an allergic reaction can occur.   When taken orally, it can cause upset stomach, burning, difficulty with urination, bloating, and edema.   This product should not be used in patients with heart or kidney problems as due to fluid retention properties.

Conclusions:

I can certainly understand how in theory, Nettle Root could be considered a viable hair loss treatment because of its inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase enzyme properties.   But because this  has not been  clinically tested as a hair loss treatment, one cannot say with any amount of certainty that it has any level of efficacy for hair restoration.   Additionally, because there has been no formal clinical studies, dosage and how it should be used (orally or topically) is also, at best, speculation.

Bill
Associate Publisher

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