Short temper? Anxious, cluttered mind? Boost calm and motivation with Saw palmetto!

In 2018, I wasn’t setting out to find motivation to tackle projects I’d been putting off for years

Or to stop the endless unproductive chatter in my brain

And I certainly wasn’t looking to find a way to bring serenity to the husbands of so many friends

And yet, it happened.

One remarkable herb, brought me witness to unexpected life changes and might be the biggest health discovery I’ve ever made.

That herb is Saw Palmetto.

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Today, we released a video summarizing how it works so well and how to take it!

I’m sorry this video is no longer available but the information is all here on this page!

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If you or someone you know is suffering from any of the following:

• lack of motivation / apathy
• anxiety / worry / rumination
• low tolerance / short temper
• anger / rage / aggression
• negative attitude / pessimism
• low energy
• mild depression
• obsessive thoughts
• irritability / oversensitivity
• difficulty regulating emotions
• other similar mood issues

This herb may quite possibly also become the solution you won’t believe you found.

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My Story

I began using herbs that reduce androgens to stop hormonal skin blemishes in 2017. They helped so miraculously that I wrote an article about them: 3 Herbs that cleared my skin completely when nothing else worked.

After sharing it, something unexpected happened.

People started noticing that when taking Saw Palmetto, the same day they had an improved mood, better tolerance and greater motivation levels!

Because I’d been taking it at bedtime, nearly a year had gone by and I never realized it could have those effects.

Not wanting to be left behind, I began taking it first thing in the morning and again in the afternoon. 

That very same day, I realized they were right!

Suddenly, I felt motivation and energy I hadn’t experienced in a decade.

Even more surprisingly, the constant stream of low grade worry / anxiety that had worn a permanent running track in my mind were suddenly gone.

Vanished!

Curious, I found I couldn’t even force myself to worry about the same topics that I lost sleep over just a day earlier.

Now, they felt trivial and I wondered why was I even dwelling on them at all.

What’s more, nothing bothered me like it did before.

Things that used to irritate me, no longer caused a second glance.

And I sailed right through the usual 3-4 pm afternoon slump with plenty of energy.

How could this be? And how could I get a patent on this plant?!!

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Saw Palmetto 

The herb is no secret.

The number of men and women taking saw palmetto to reduce androgens and help with physical conditions such as acne, prostrate issues, hair loss, inflammation, PCOS, and more have made it the #3 top selling herb in America. [R]

Oddly though, none of the articles I read focused on any of the mental health benefits.

Again I found myself asking, How could this be?

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In this post, I’m going to share the scientific reasons why this herb can so significantly relieve stress, anxiety, irritability, and frustration while increasing people’s satisfaction with life, improving marriages and so much more.

Before we dive into the brain science, I’d like to share a few quotes from people in our group who’ve been using it:

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So let’s get started!

You may not have elevated levels

First I’d like to address that I believe many people are highly sensitive to androgens. It may not be they their levels are elevated, but rather they are sensitive to “normal” androgen levels.

Another theory I have is that people who have impaired detox abilities, such as the prevalent MTHFR gene mutations can’t efficiently remove the hormones and have a build up – also causing symptoms.

Many studies that follow address elevated androgen levels.

I imagine the results would be even more astonishing if they took into account heightened sensitivities to them.

•••

Androgens and mood, an undeniable link

Many scientific studies have linked high levels of androgens / testosterone to negative mood issues.

• There is an increased incidence of depression in women correlating with circulating active testosterone levels. [R]
• Androgen levels are significantly correlated to aggressive behavior in men. [R]
• Testosterone modulates serotonin receptor activity in the central nervous system to directly increase fear, anxiety, aggression and impulsive behavior. [R]
• Androgen excess may underpin the risk of developing anxiety disorders. [R]
• High androgen levels are a major cause of depression. Also, elevated androgen values before and after delivery of a baby might be responsible for the “baby blues.” [R]
• Mood issues in pubertal girls correlated strongly with an increase in androgen levels, indicating they may be responsible for emotional ups and downs of growing up more than environmental factors. [R]

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From the above studies, and others linked below, it became clear that ~

Sensitivity to or elevated androgens are associated with 3 Critical Conditions:

1. Excessive Amygdala activity

The amygdala is the part of our brain responsible for fear of things we believe are outside our control.

Amygdala hijack can lead to anxiety, ruminating on negative thoughts and fears, or inflated skepticism.

Several studies have demonstrated that androgens acting on specific neurons in the amygdala can activate fearful responses.

They do this by increasing communication to the brain stem while reducing communication to orbitofrontal cortex which is involved in the cognitive processing of decision-making.

One study demonstrated that raising testosterone / androgens, reduces interpersonal trust, finding that the hormones may alter social judgments by acting directly on the amygdala, while oxytocin exerted the opposite effects. [R]

An overactive amygdala and elevated androgens are often the culprits behind less rational thoughts, short tempers, acting out of anger and a fight-response when confronted with social threats. [R]

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2. A drop in Serotonin levels

“What dosage / brand should I use?”

Low serotonin levels have been linked to depression, anxiety, low energy, and being tense and irritable.

RAISING serotonin helps boost mood, behavior, appetite, digestion, sleep, memory, sexual function and so much more. [R]

In one published study, Relationships Between Androgens, Serotonin Gene Expression and Innervation, a group that was given DHT (the most potent androgen) had markedly suppressed serotonin levels.

It was also noted in, Aggression: The testosterone / serotonin link that a combination of high androgens with low serotonin was a significant indictor of aggressive behaviors in study participants.

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3. Increased secretion of Cortisol (stress hormones)

Excess cortisol from the adrenal glands can be released by people with high androgens.

In this study, stimulated cortisol levels were notably higher in patients with elevated androgens compared with controls.

Chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels can cause many physical health issues and are also a trigger for:

• Tiredness – Cortisol interferes with daily cycles of other hormones, disrupting sleep patterns and causing fatigue.
• Decreased resilience – It squelches a positive attitude, optimism and the ability to regulate emotions.
• Impaired brain function – It interferes with memory, contributing to mental cloudiness or “brain fog.”
• Depression – Many studies have linked excessive cortisol with mental illnesses.

Balancing cortisol by reducing circulating androgen levels can restore mental clarity, vitality, energy and a positive mood.

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Solving the puzzle

When I learned how intimately androgens are related with the amygdala, serotonin and cortisol, everything became clear.

The experiences people reported weren’t coincidences, the herb derived from this small palm tree, “Saw Palmetto” was simply working exactly as promised.

•••

How does it work?

The extract from saw palmetto’s senora berries contain fatty acids that have been shown to reduce the uptake of androgens into tissues up to 40%.

It does this by blocking 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to the much more potent androgen, DHT (a.k.a. the “bad” testosterone). [R]

By blocking the conversion, the harmful effects of DHT are muted and the symptoms of excess androgens begin to fade.

For more in depth information, please see, Saw Palmetto May Reduce Elevated Androgens in the Journal of Restorative Medicine.

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In addition to the above emotional symptoms, some people have physical symptoms that may suggest elevated androgen levels:

• Acne & cystic acne (or a history of it)
• Males: male pattern baldness, enlarged prostrate, lower sperm count [R]
• Females: hirsutism – increased facial and body hair, thinning hair on the head, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – menstrual irregularity / dysfunction, fertility issues [R]

Note – Many people who’ve had positive results with this herb experience only the emotional symptoms of excess androgens and not the additional physical symptoms.

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Should I perform testing?

I’ve read that the reference ranges for hormone testing are not reliable and I agree.

My own hormone levels fell well within normal range, and yet I benefitted immensely from reducing androgens.

The same has been true for members of our group. Great benefits / no lab elevated levels.

A theory I mentioned above is that many of us are more sensitive to androgens than others.

Or we are less able to detox them – perhaps due the MTHFR gene mutations.

•••

Because changes generally occur quickly (1-2 days), the cost is low, and effects are temporary, a short trial is typically the best way to proceed.

Additional Notes

• We have androgens from before birth so children (especially sensitive ones) often benefit from saw palmetto
• Women in menopause who are not taking testosterone, DHEA or adrenal boosters – and have a measured testosterone of zero – likely will not benefit saw palmetto.
• There is not a conclusive answer on whether Saw Palmetto helps people who have clinically low androgens or estrogen dominance [more here].
• For men with any concerns, this article referencing how Saw Palmetto helps retain normal levels of good testosterone may help.

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FAQs: 

The dose most adults are using for the best success is approximately 320 mg – twice a day. 

The capsules I use are standardized to contain 85% fatty acids and sterols.

It’s important to take saw palmetto extract.

If you purchase the ‘herb’ or ‘berries’ and the bottle doesn’t specify ‘extract,’ it’s a weaker formula and you will need a much higher dose.

Another brand we use is Superior Labs which is in capsules but they are half the strength. It requires two to equal one full dose.

You can also find other brands on amazon, online nutrition stores, or at health food stores.

If your brand contains less than 85% standardization, you likely will need to increase the dose.

Some people find it best to take with food but it’s not a requirement.

•••

*Quick note to mention, this post is not sponsored and I am not an afilliate with Amazon.

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“When should I take it?”

It’s important to take the first dose first thing in the morning because that’s when testosterone peaks.

Amother dose is best in the afternoon / early evening.

I take mine around 7-8 am and 3-4 pm.

•••

Interestingly, some say it can both give energy during the day and helps them fall asleep (and sleep more restfully) when taken at bedtime.

Others have said it gives them too much energy at bedtime.

The benefits seem to last approximately up to 6 hours, so the second dose in the afternoon is important and if you’d like to experiment with a 3rd dose later, that may help too.

My daughter takes:

• 1 Dr’s Best upon waking
• 1 Dr’s Best 4 hours later
• 1 Superior Labs 4 hours later

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“How long until I’ll know it’s working?”

Some people, including myself, notice a difference in their disposition within 15 minutes.

If you take it twice a day for 2 days and still see nothing, then you either aren’t sensitive to androgens or they aren’t elevated and it’s not going to help you, or you may need a higher dose / more potent brand.

If you see results, they will only last the day you take it.

If you take too much, some report feeling giddy or a very dull headache, I haven’t noticed either.

Taking it with food or decreasing the dose should remedy these issues.

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“Why haven’t I heard about this before?”

I wish I knew!

There’s a tremendous amount of scientific research on the effects of high androgen levels on emotional state.

And there’s strong research for using herbs to effectively reduce androgens in both men and women for physical symptoms (acne, hair loss, PCOS, etc…).

However, there’s a disconnect between those two areas of research and no real documentation of using anti-androgen herbs to treat motivation, mood, energy levels or any emotional issues.

•••

I recently also wrote about how significantly anti-androgen herbs helped my daughter who had some mood issues with the onset of puberty and also neuroimmune challenges, and it too, was a first of it’s kind article.

In our group for children, some parents have seen such astonishingly positive results especially with reducing aggression and rage, many of them have also asked, why didn’t someone think of this sooner?

I just don’t know 🤷🏻‍♀️

Several physicians have reached out and expressed their gratitude for the research and have been recommending them to patients, also with great success!

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who’s helped spread the word ~ Hearing stories of lives changed fills me with hope, every time!

•••

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I would love for mental health professionals to begin to explore anti-androgen herbs as an extremely effective option to help certain patients potentially suffering needlessly with the issues in this article. 

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I’ll leave you with some additional quotes from people in our group when they began using Saw Palmetto.

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If you or someone you know may have elevated androgens, I hope this article has inspired you to consider trying saw palmetto and also consider spreading the word.

At the time of this publication, I have not found any other blog entries or scientific articles discussing the use of anti-androgen herbs for conditions such as anxiety, irritability, depression, obsessive negative thoughts, low energy, lack of motivation, anger, rage, short temper or any emotional issues.

For that reason, I’ve become very passionate about telling others!

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Almost too good to be true

Much time has passed since I purchased that very first bottle of Saw Palmetto. 

I’ve bought many since. I’ve supplied samples to friends and family.

And I’ve heard from countless about the amazing ways it’s helped their families.

Without an ounce of hesitation, I can tell you that I believe every person who has these issues and suspects high androgens, owes it to themselves to give it a try.

For me, for our family, and for so many others, it’s been such a life changing discovery, not a single day goes by that I don’t still silently wonder to myself, “How could this be?” 

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