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Saw Palmetto Berry
Clinical and instrumental study of the efficacy of Saw Palmetto Berry in reducing skin sebum to reduce acne.
Dobrev H. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2007 Jun;6(2):113-8.
Department of Dermatology, Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. hristo_dobrev@hotmail.com
BACKGROUND: Some botanical compounds are considered useful to reduce sebum production. Aim To evaluate the efficacy of a sebum control cream containing polyphenol-rich extract from saw palmetto, sesame seeds, and argan oil in subjects with oily facial skin.
METHODS: The study was carried out during the winter months (January and February). A total of 20 healthy volunteers (9 male and 11 female, aged 17-50 years, 16 with oily skin and 4 with combined skin) were studied. The test product was applied twice daily to the face for a period of 4 weeks. A clinical assessment and instrumental measurements were done before and after the treatment period. Casual sebum level on the forehead and both cheeks was determined with a photometric device (Sebumeter). The quantity of sebum on the midforehead was determined using sebum collector foils (Sebufix), which were then evaluated with skin camera Visioscope and software SELS (Surface Evaluation of the Living Skin). A subjective evaluation questionnaire regarding the cosmetic characteristics, tolerance, and efficacy of the product was filled out by the volunteers at the end of study.
RESULTS: The product was very well accepted by all the volunteers. A visible sebum-regulating efficacy was reported in 95% of them. After 4 weeks of treatment, the clinical assessment scores decreased by 33%. There was a significant reduction in the casual sebum level by 20% and area covered with oily spots by 42%. The number of active sebaceous glands remained unaltered.
CONCLUSION: These results objectively and quantitatively show the efficacy of the sebum control cream tested to reduce the greasiness and improve the appearance of oily facial skin.
An open label, dose response study to determine the effect of a dietary supplement on dihydrotestosterone, testosterone and estradiol levels in healthy males.
Angwafor F 3rd, Anderson ML. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2008 Aug 12;5:12.
Director of Research & Development, Triarco Industries, Inc, 400 Hamburg Turnpike, Wayne, NJ, 07418, USA. mark.anderson@triarco.com.
BACKGROUND: Maintaining endogenous testosterone (T) levels as men age may slow the symptoms of sarcopenia, andropause and decline in physical performance. Drugs inhibiting the enzyme 5alpha-reductase (5AR) produce increased blood levels of T and decreased levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT). However, symptoms of gynecomastia have been reported due to the aromatase (AER) enzyme converting excess T to estradiol (ES). The carotenoid astaxanthin (AX) from Haematococcus pluvialis, Saw Palmetto berry lipid extract (SPLE) from Serenoa repens and the precise combination of these dietary supplements, Alphastat(R) (Mytosterone(trade mark)), have been reported to have inhibitory effects on both 5AR and AER in-vitro.
Concomitant regulation of both enzymes in-vivo would cause DHT and ES blood levels to decrease and T levels to increase. The purpose of this clinical study was to determine if Alphastat could produce these effects in a dose dependent manner.
METHODS: To investigate this clinically, 42 healthy males ages 37 to 70 years were divided into two groups of twenty-one and dosed with either 800 mg/day or 2000 mg/day of Alphastat for fourteen days. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 3, 7 and 14 and assayed for T, DHT and ES. Body weight and blood pressure data were collected prior to blood collection. One-way, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA-RM) was performed at a significance level of alpha = 0.05 to determine differences from baseline within each group. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA-2) was performed after baseline subtraction, at a significance level of alpha = 0.05 to determine differences between dose groups. Results are expressed as means +/- SEM.
RESULTS: ANOVA-RM showed significant within group increases in serum total T and significant decreases in serum DHT from baseline in both dose groups at a significance level of alpha = 0.05. Significant decreases in serum ES are reported for the 2000 mg/day dose group and not the 800 mg/day dose group. Significant within group effects were confirmed using ANOVA-2 analyses after baseline subtraction. ANOVA-2 analyses also showed no significant difference between dose groups with regard to the increase of T or the decrease of DHT. It did show a significant dose dependant decrease in serum ES levels.
CONCLUSION: Both dose groups showed significant (p = 0.05) increases in T and decreases in DHT within three days of treatment with Alphastat(R) (Mytosterone(trade mark)). Between group statistical analysis showed no significant (p = 0.05) difference, indicating the effect was not dose dependent and that 800 mg/per day is equally effective as 2000 mg/day for increasing T and lowering DHT. Blood levels of ES however, decreased significantly (p = 0.05) in the 2000 mg/day dose group but not in the 800 mg/day dose group indicating a dose dependant decrease in E levels.
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