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The use of fo ti for hair loss is rooted in the plant’s traditional role as an anti-aging agent.
Fo ti (Polygonum multiflorum) is used in traditional Chinese medicine as a vitalizing tonic that is thought to help center the body’s vital energy or qi. The earliest recorded use of the plant dates back to the eight century CE.
Within traditional Chinese medicine, fo ti is considered a potent blood tonic and is thought to promote vitality, prevent premature aging and support kidney and liver health.
In China, the herb is often given to people who are exhibiting premature signs of aging, such as graying or hair loss.
In comparison to other medicinal herbs, fo ti has received relatively little scholarly attention and there is not sufficient scientific information to verify its anti-aging uses or identify a particular mechanism of action.
Anti- Aging
Sex Drive
Blood Tonic- Anti-aging herb used in Chinese medicine
- Stimulates the libido & adrenal function
- Exhibits antioxidant & neuroprotective effects
Top Fo Ti Products* ❯Understanding Hair Loss
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Androgenic alopecia is the primary cause of natural baldness, accounting for up to 95 percent of cases.
About two-thirds of men 50 and older will experience some degree of androgenic alopecia.
Women also experience some hair loss, but only at about half the rate of men. Men experience hairline recession and crown balding while women usually lose hair on the sides and front of their heads.
Chronic excessive androgen levels play an important role in the majority of naturally occurring hair loss. Androgen is a type of hormone. As humans age, hormone levels change and some levels drop significantly – particularly testosterone.
Advocates claim that fo ti supplementation may be effective at preventing and reversing premature androgenic alopecia and/or loss of hair pigmentation (graying), but the mechanism of this purported function is unknown.
Fo Ti for Hair Loss
Fo Ti (also known as Ho Shou Wu) is famous in China for it’s anti-aging effects. The name translates roughly to “Mr. Ho’s black hair”. According to Chinese legend, an elderly, impotent man came across this herb and after taking it, his hair was turned black and he was able to father a child.
Fo Ti may have several effects which can influence the rate of hair loss and greying. This herb is generally believed to increase the utilization of testosterone in the body, which may slow down signs of aging and inhibit the cause of some forms of hair loss.
Fo Ti is extremely high in Zinc, which is important for proper sexual function, libido and enhancing the effects of testosterone. Before investigating these effects, let us first examine the major causes of hair loss in both men and women.
As testosterone levels decrease over time, hair follicles are stimulated to release an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase type II. In turn, this enzyme stimulates the synthesis of another enzyme – dihydrotestosterone (DHT) – which shrinks hair follicles. This withering of the hair follicles marks the onset of alopecia.
Women are temporarily protected by the offsetting effects of estrogen synthesis. For this reason, the majority of women who experience hair loss are postmenopausal.
Factors of Hair Loss and Graying
It is known that decreased testosterone synthesis over time leads to the production of DHT, and that DHT can lead to baldness. However, there are a number of factors that can diminish, or strengthen, the synthesis of testosterone. Additionally, how the body uses testosterone is important. Having high levels of testosterone does not help if it is not used efficiently by the body.
Before looking to supplements, there are life-style changes that may help improve testosterone levels and support hair growth. Life-style factors that develop and sustain a healthy scalp include:
- Proper nutrition, including foods rich in biotin (vitamin B7), COQ10, vitamin C and vitamin E;
- Strong circulation;
- Efficient regulation and utilization of androgenic hormones;
- Adequate hydration;
- Regular physical activity;
- Increased amounts of equol, a phytonutrient found in soy that is known to reduce inflammation.
Fo Ti for Gray Hair: Proposed Mechanisms
Premature graying is often rooted in poor nutrition. A healthy diet can help restore hormone levels and reduce the incidence of graying and alopecia.
Fo ti has historically been prescribed for symptoms of premature aging, such as hair loss and graying. The plant is thought to confer a number of therapeutic effects that may be useful in reversing signs of premature aging.
For instance, fo ti has been observed to induce vasodilation. Vasodilation is characterized by the widening of blood vessels, which may improve circulation. Good circulation helps ensure that nutrients, proteins, growth and repair hormones are delivered throughout the body, including the scalp.
Fo ti has also been observed to enhance the use of hormones, such as testosterone, estrogen, human growth hormone and cortisol. In so doing, even diminished testosterone amounts may be used more efficiently, which may help delay the onset of thinning, balding or graying of the hair due to androgenic imbalances.
While the use of Fo Ti for hair loss may be well-accepted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is important to note that no studies have been conducted to definitely establish these benefits.
Fo Ti Safety and Side Effects
Fo ti is a plant indigenous to southern and central China. Anecdotally, it has been used by millions for treating and alleviating numerous conditions over an extended time period with few serious side effects.
However, preliminary scientific research has connected Fo Ti use with cases of liver damage. Additionally, raw or unprocessed Fo Ti can cause vomiting, diarrhea and other symptoms of gastrointestinal upset. Within conventional Western medicine the side effects of Fo Ti remain ill defined.
Additionally, Fo Ti may interact with a number of prescription and over-the-counter medications. P. multiflorum may affect how the liver metabolizes certain medications. The intended effects of the drugs may be changed due to the action of this herb on the liver. It is very important to discuss using Fo Ti for hair loss and grey hair with your doctor to help ensure safety.
Additionally, pregnant or nursing women, individuals with low blood pressure or those scheduled for surgery should not take Fo Ti supplements. In all cases, be sure to speak with your doctor before starting any supplement program.
- Chevallier, Andrew. Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. 2nd ed. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2000.
- Park GJ, Mann SP, Ngu MC. Acute hepatitis induced by Shou-Wu-Pian, a herbal product derived from Polygonum multiflorum. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2001 Jan;16(1):115-7.
- Ryu G, Ju JH, Park YJ, Ryu SY, Choi BW, Lee BH. The radical scavenging effects of stilbene glucosides from Polygonum multiflorum. Arch Pharm Res. 2002 Oct;25(5):636-9.
- Ling S, Nheu L, Dai A, Guo Z, Komesaroff P. Effects of four medicinal herbs on human vascular endothelial cells in culture. Int J Cardiol. 2008 Aug 29;128(3):350-8.
Article last updated on: April 19th, 2018 by Nootriment
4 Comments
I am a resident of South Africa and would like to know if you offer discounts for bulk purchases and if so how much will it costs me to buy 1 or 2 kilograms of He Shou Wu Powder Extract Organic 20 : 1 Concentration Your responseherein will be greatly appreciated
Thanks, for the ultra-useful information, is being shared by yours.Here is some more add-on in this regard.Hope you feel. to be relevant for ahead or to the extent.
Most of you have probably heard of Fo-ti, aka ho should woo, the main ingredient in ten min. Since the herb is rarely discussed on this forum, I assume that most have written it off.
I’m bringing it up because, in my case, its results (whether used topically or internally) are undeniable. It is the only thing I have ever used that I have felt has totally eradicated my hair loss, going above and beyond to make the quality of my hair so soft and radiant that I felt that I could have hair like those who have the best hair on the planet, which was my case before I hit age twenty.
The problem is that I get sides from Fo-ti, major sides. I can scarcely tolerate two drops of it from a tincture per ounce of shampoo. And it doesn’t start to noticeably improve my hair until I am all-in and with sides.
Turns out Fo-ti is high in estrogen (you’ll have to google this yourself–the phone I’m using to write this won’t let me copy any links).
My worse side about a year ago was symptoms of gyno, which thankfully I caught in time. Now when I use it, even just topically, I loose muscle, feel bloated, get the worse feeling in my gut (like death), my metabolism slows.
I don’t have a solution to this as of yet. I am going to try red clover topically, which also is known to carry plant-based estrogens and hope for less of a systematic result.
All said I’m not willing to sacrifice health for hair. And athleticism is too important to me to be estrogen dominant. I just wish there were a way to use the stuff without sides.
Still, Hair weaving is the best permanent solution for regaining of your fluffy hairs back with full confidence.
Necesito la informacion de que debo tomar para tener mas vigor sexsual y atenuar mis canas tengo presion normal tomo 3 medicamentos Concor 2.5 mg y 1 aspirineta preven y atobastatina las dos primeras me las recetaron despues de ponerme 5 sten en la superior y la ultima para bajar el colesterol que tengo actualmente 138 de total HDL 70 LDL Practico como deporte golf y juego tennis una vez por semana .Espero pronta respuesta
Solicito saber cual paquete de Fo ti debo tomar tengo 73 anos juego golf y tennis y deseo tener mas vigor sexsual y una cabellera blanca que quiero que sea mas oscura ..Espero pronta respuesta para empezar con el tratamiento