Ginseng root hair

The truth is you can find it in health food stores in the plant or powdered form, root form and perhaps even in the fruit, so there really is no shortage of options (having tried the shampoo and conditioner I think the tea makes a better choice for those who can’t stand the strong smell).

The thing that makes ginseng* effective as a DHT blocker and hair growth booster is the compound known as ginsenosides.

So What Can Ginseng Do For Hair?

• Attack cancer cells that may lead to hair loss from chemotherapy.
• Relieves stress that can cause hair to shed prematurely
• Attack DHT that causes follicles to wither up and die too soon
• Help women with genetic balding to regrow hair

There Is Proof!

Now in most cases concerning herbs or natural remedies, the research to support glowing claims of benefits can be little to non-existent, thus leaving us to swim in a fog of uncertainty.

This probably has something to do with the fact that natural remedies can’t be patented for pharmaceutical companies to get a big cut or take credit for making them,  but  in the case of sound proof that ginseng assists people experiencing hair loss, we did manage to find some decent information.
Take a look at what a study done by Biol Pharm Bull had to say about the effects of ginseng on hair loss:

This study was conducted to test whether ginsenoside F2 can reduce hair loss by influencing sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) cleavage-activating protein (SCAP) and the transforming growth factor beta pathway of apoptosis in dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated hair cells and in a DHT-induced hair loss model in mice.

Results for ginsenoside F2 were compared with finasteride.

-2015

Red ginseng extract promotes the hair growth in cultured human hair follicles.-2014

The inductive effect of ginsenoside F2 on hair growth by altering the WNT signal pathway in telogen mouse skin.-2014

 Effects of ginseng* rhizome and ginsenoside Ro on testosterone 5a-reductase and hair re-growth in testosterone-treated mice.-2011

Final Considerations

Now just before you run out and stock up on some ginseng, we did find that there may be side effects to taking this for hair loss.

Ginseng and honey hair conditioner:

• Mix ginseng powder (1 tablespoon) with honey (2 tablespoons) and a few drops of essential oil (like rosemary or lavender).
• Apply the mixture to damp hair after shampooing.
• Leave it on for 15-20 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

This combination adds moisture and strength to hair.

5.

“Ginseng was originally known for its adaptogenic properties—helping the body adapt to physical, emotional, and environmental stress,” he adds. DHT inhibits proliferation of hair cells and induces androgenetic alopecia and was shown to activate an apoptosis signal pathway both in vitro and in vivo.

The cell-based 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that the proliferation rates of DHT-treated human hair dermal papilla cells (HHDPCs) and HaCaTs increased by 48% in the ginsenoside F2-treated group and by 12% in the finasteride-treated group.

When the scalp is healthy and fortified with proper vitamins, it creates a better environment for hair to thrive—and stay strong. However, individual results may vary.