14 replies to this topic

[Andrey_81]

Hi there. For the past 4 months I've been using ashwagandha, bacopa and rhodiola. Bacopa in the morning and afternoon, and ashwagandha later and before bed. It helps me a lot with daily energy and I feel less anxious. I have also used rhodiola for one month.

I have read that all 3 herbs are very good for hair loss problems, especially ashwagandha. The problem is that the quality of my hair reduced in the past 3 moths and I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the herbs I'm taking. I never experienced hair loss before. It is still not falling, but It looks like I have less hair than before because it is so thin. I used to have very thick hair. Btw. I'm 30 years old.

I know that high cortisol level can lead to hair loss, but herb like ashwagandha and rhodiola reduce cortisol.

The thing that bothers me is ashwagandha. I know that it can boost your testosterone level, and as I know (maybe I'm wrong), high testosterone = hair loss.

I'm also using OptiMen vitamins and minerals (with lots of herbs that can raise testosterone level).

According to all above, I'm using a good vitamin mix (important for hair quality) together with adaptogen herbs that should reduce hair loss and improve hair quality. Why do I have opposite effect?

Thank you co much!

Edited by Andrey_81, 14 May 2012 - 01:15 PM.

[snowbell]

I had noticed some hair loss as well when I had taken Ashwagandha a while back. I am not sure if that was cause but I wasn't taking any other herb/supplement at that time.

[Andrey_81]

I found one article that says that everyday usage of ashwagandha (5 g/day) can higher testosterone level by 40% (??). There are many other similar articles on web. Ok, if my body is producing more testosterone then there will also be more DHT circulating in my blood and too much DHT shrink follicles and then the hair becomes thinner and can also cause hair loss. I have also found many articles about how Rhodiola Rosea can boost testosterone level. I also know that high testosterone level can lead to prostate cancer, so why would anybody decide to take the products like ashwagandha, rhodiola, damiana, ginseng....

Can somebody please clarify this for me and explain why is higher testosterone level good (except more muscle and higher libido). There are many advices on the net that explains how can we boost testosterone level in natural way (zinc, omega 3, sleep more, less stress, vitamin c, workout, avoid alcohol...), but can all this lead to baldness or some worse problems (cancer)??

I read a lot about how eating of soya can lower testosterone level, and low testosterone level can reduce the percentage of cancer possibility. It confuses me that in one hand they say that we should boost testosterone level and in another hand we should use soya to lower the level (??). So what is right?

I'm sure that I'm wrong, please help. Is higher level good or bad? I'm talking about natural way when our body produces more hormone.

Edited by Andrey_81, 14 May 2012 - 07:21 PM.

[aghonia]

Subscribed to the topic (tough I'm primarily interested to the positive effects of bacopa or hairloss prevention).
I read somewhere that Testosterone effects depend on the concentration of other hormones. In hair loss case, Testosterone should be reckoned by considering its ratio with prolactine or aldosterone.

[Andrey_81]

I wan't to update this after a long time. Still have my hair and it's very very thick and I have zero problems with hair loss. I'm still taking ashwagandha, rhodiola, panax ginseg and schizandra. I don't take bacopa becuse it makes me extremelly anxious.

I can confirm as a chronic ashwagandha and rhodiola user...this herbs will not mess your hair or boost your hair loss. I can only feel the benefits from this herbs, just don't take higher doses, it's not needed. If you take ashw extract, take up to 750 mg per day and if you take rhodiola take up to 500 mg per day splited in two dosses (if you are taking stronger extract, 150 mg per day is enough).

[JLL]

4 months is not that long, I don't see how taking a supplement could dramatically reduce hair thickness in that time. Thinning hair takes years.

[Andrey_81]

4 months is not that long, I don't see how taking a supplement could dramatically reduce hair thickness in that time. Thinning hair takes years.

4 months? I posted this topic in 14 May 2012

[nowayout]

I can confirm as a chronic ashwagandha and rhodiola user...this herbs will not mess your hair or boost your hair loss.

That doesn't mean much. Some people are genetically prone to hair loss and others aren't. Maybe you just aren't prone to it.

[JLL]

4 months is not that long, I don't see how taking a supplement could dramatically reduce hair thickness in that time. Thinning hair takes years.

4 months? I posted this topic in 14 May 2012

Yea, and you said:

"For the past 4 months I've been using ashwagandha, bacopa and rhodiola."

[Andrey_81]

4 months is not that long, I don't see how taking a supplement could dramatically reduce hair thickness in that time. Thinning hair takes years.

4 months? I posted this topic in 14 May 2012

Yea, and you said:

"For the past 4 months I've been using ashwagandha, bacopa and rhodiola."

Yes, but during that time I was afraid that I will star to loose hair due to the ashw and rhodiola use since they have influence on the testosterone level. Now after this long term use I can say that all is OK and I have no problems with hair loss.

[aghonia]

edit

Edited by aghonia, 08 August 2013 - 11:43 AM.

[Andrey_81]

I can confirm as a chronic ashwagandha and rhodiola user...this herbs will not mess your hair or boost your hair loss.

That doesn't mean much. Some people are genetically prone to hair loss and others aren't. Maybe you just aren't prone to it.

True, but I'm not talking about people who are genetically prone to hair loss. I thought that the use of this herbs will reduce the hair of all others who usually don't suffer from hair loss.

[cuprous]

Just adding my own purely subjective experience here but I suspect that Ashwagandha caused me to shed a lot. As in I would comb my hair and kind of do a "wow" at the amount of hair that was coming out. Could this be purely coincidence? You bet. Hair cycles, other supps, whatever, could be in play. But it is interesting to note a vague thread across the internets about hair loss and ash.. specifically that the "literature" says it should be good for it but anecdotal reports are in the negative camp.

I'm thinking of giving it a try again in part to test the hair loss thing but also because I think it's a really great anxiolytic herb.

Oh and I question the testosterone hair loss connection. That might increase hair loss over a longish time span but I was experiencing these sheds in the same week(s) as taking ash.

[aghonia]

Does Asw. increases blood circulation?
If this is the case,

I offer my 2 cents as a long-term minoxidil user. As some (miserable) one knows, minoxidil first goal was to increase vascular flow and reduce hypertension. However, this effect engendered the enormous side effect for which minoxidil received much of its fame: Hair growth!
Sadly, minox requires time to kick in with positive effect. The first month, the increased blood flow produces a very nasty effect, as it will literally shed one's head "dead" hair off. Thousands of dead hair will come out with just a few strokes. In the second phase, hair will start growing again, replacing (at least in theory) the dead ones, through their trails. In fact, the first month slaughter is due to the replenishing process.

Edited by aghonia, 10 August 2013 - 09:24 AM.

[blind12]

I found one article that says that everyday usage of ashwagandha (5 g/day) can higher testosterone level by 40% (??).
I have also found many articles about how Rhodiola Rosea can boost testosterone level.

Can I haz referencez?

I also know that high testosterone level can lead to prostate cancer

This is pretty much an urban legend.
SHBG, signalled by estrogen, is the key initiator of prostate cell proliferation.

I read a lot about how eating of soya can lower testosterone level, and low testosterone level can reduce the percentage of cancer possibility.

Since men today are at the lowest historical level of testosterone, cancer should have all but vanished.

I'm sure that I'm wrong, please help. Is higher level good or bad? I'm talking about natural way when our body produces more hormone.

Since men's testosterone levels have been declining globally for decades, "natural" would seem to be way higher than status quo.