hi every1.....i have been on propecia since 16 months...recently i found that i have calcium deficiency .doc said that this could be a possible result of propecia.so i have stopped it and now i am on (saw palmetto+nettle).please can someone tell me that what are the benefits of saw palmetto..is it effective or not?.help me .i am also taking rogaine 5% for my scalp.help me out i am utterly confused.

Can't hurt to take Saw P, however the evidence is inconclusive whether it is effective on DHT, some studies have shown effects, while others haven't. Not as effective however as Propecia.

__________________
Dec. 2004 - 1938 Grafts via Strip
Feb. 2009 - 1002 Grafts via FUE

I would ask your doctor why he thinks propecia may cause a calcium deficiency. Is he likely to just be guessing??¦??¦

__________________
Blond.
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PhD (Experimental and Clinical medicine)

1.25mg Finasteride
Minoxidil 5% (EOD)
Nizoral 1% (x3/week)

bllorayne,

Did your doctor explain why he thought Propecia (finasteride) caused a calcium deficiency? Though I'm not a physician, I've never read anything about this being a potential side effect of Propecia.

That said, know that Propecia is proven to treat hair loss while saw palmetto (serenoa complex) and nettle root extract are not. Conjecture and a few anecdotal studies suggest saw palmetto and nettle root may block some DHT (the hormone responsible for genetic pattern baldness), however how much if any do they really block and whether they work to treat baldness has never been clinically studied or proven. Learn more about saw palmetto as a hair loss treatment.

In my opinion, stay on Rogaine 5% and get a second professional opinion regarding Propecia and your calcium deficiency.

Learn more about saw palmetto as a hair loss treatment.

Best wishes,

Bill

P.S. I will be moving this to the "Hair Loss Drugs" section of the forum in a day or so

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he said that harmones are responsible for calcium absorption in our body but propecia weakens them and as a result body is not able to absord calcium and bones become weak.

Not sure about that. I believe that most studies on finasteride and loss in bone density have concluded that there is no link. Will be interesting to see your blood results post-propecia. Please let us know the results.

__________________
Blond.
-----------------------------

PhD (Experimental and Clinical medicine)

1.25mg Finasteride
Minoxidil 5% (EOD)
Nizoral 1% (x3/week)

For anyone who is interested ??“ go to www.pubmed.com and use search words; finasteride & bone.
This will give you a list of all the recent peer reviewed scientific studies on finasteride use and effects on bone density.
People have speculated about as hormones are important in calcium absorption but I think you'll agree most studies suggest finasteride does not influence bone density. Interestingly, human osteoblast-like cells (responsible for bone formation) express predominantly steroid 5alpha-reductase type 1, which finasteride doesn't really inhibit. Perhaps this is why finasteride doesn't interfere with bone density!

__________________
Blond.
-----------------------------

PhD (Experimental and Clinical medicine)

1.25mg Finasteride
Minoxidil 5% (EOD)
Nizoral 1% (x3/week)

You should have your thyroid and para throid checked. An over active parathyroid could cause excess calcium in your blood. So an under active would have the reverse effect.