Understanding labels to choose the right supplements
Two jars side by side. Same promise, same price, same ingredients advertised. One will work, the other will end up at the back of a drawer.
The difference isn't in the packaging, but in a few small numbers written on the back. Here's what they are.
Saw Palmetto: the dose decides, not the presence
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens, or dwarf palm) is gradually becoming established in anti-hair loss formulas, and its logic is different from that of vitamins: it doesn't provide anything to the hair, it acts on the hormone that weakens it.
Its extract partially inhibits 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT, the hormone involved in androgenetic alopecia. A gentle approach, to be considered as a supportive measure rather than a treatment.
The key figure: 320 mg per day
This is the reference dose for almost all studies carried out on this extract. And this is where the market falls short: many hair supplements display 50 or 100 mg of Saw Palmetto. This is not a "gentle version", it's a decorative dose, present to appear on the ingredient list and support the argument, not to produce an effect.
The second figure: fatty acid titration
A berry extract is always titrated, meaning it is guaranteed to a given percentage of fatty acids, the active fraction. This percentage varies greatly depending on the extraction process, and it allows you to calculate what you are actually receiving:
> 320 mg titrated at 45% = 144 mg of fatty acids per day.
Why this percentage changes everything
It is not the raw berries that act on DHT, but their lipid fraction (free fatty acids and phytosterols). These molecules inhibit 5-alpha-reductase. Titration precisely measures these useful active ingredients, whereas a simple dried berry powder only provides fiber and sugars. Two essential criteria: a dose of 320 mg and a titrated extract. A product that omits its titration rarely hides good news.
Note: as Saw Palmetto has a hormonal action, it is not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and requires medical advice in case of ongoing hormonal treatment.
Minerals: the displayed dose is not the absorbed dose
When a label states "zinc gluconate 100 mg", this 100 mg refers to the weight of the entire compound, not the zinc itself.
Gluconate contains only about 14% real zinc. Your 100 mg becomes 14 mg of elemental zinc, and that's the number that matters. The same logic applies to iron, magnesium, and calcium.
Always look for the mention "of which elemental zinc" or "i.e. X mg of zinc". Its absence is rarely an oversight.
The form matters as much as the quantity
At the same dose, the effectiveness of a mineral depends on its molecular bond. Bisglycinate combines the mineral with glycine, which optimizes its absorption and avoids digestive problems common with entry-level forms (oxides, gluconates). Paradoxically, a bisglycinate sometimes shows a lower gross dosage than an oxide, but delivers much more active mineral to the body. The rule: always check the form in parallel with the elemental dose.
Two useful benchmarks
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Zinc and selenium have narrow safety windows: here, more is not better. A well-constructed formula stays within limits; it does not aim for spectacular numbers.
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Iron should never be taken blindly. Low ferritin is a major cause of hair loss, especially in women, but excess iron is toxic. Blood test first, then supplementation.
The impressive percentage that proves nothing
The NRV (Nutrient Reference Value) for biotin is 50 µg. Some brands display 10,000 µg, or 20,000% of the NRV. The number stands out on the packaging.
But NRVs were never designed as a score: they are thresholds intended to prevent deficiencies, not targets to be pulverized. Multiplying a nutrient you don't lack by 200 multiplies nothing at all; it mainly allows for displaying a four-digit number.
Two reflexes
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Judge a formula by its actual milligrams, not its percentages.
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Report any high-dose biotin intake before a blood test: it can skew certain measurements, especially thyroid ones.
The same vigilance applies to vitamin D, where units change perception: 1,000 IU = 25 µg. Some brands choose the unit that suits their communication.
The checklist before buying
- Is Saw Palmetto at 320 mg, and is its titration displayed?
- Are the minerals expressed in elemental quantity?
- Is each ingredient individually quantified?
- How many capsules per day? The table reads per daily dose, not per unit.
- The actual cost of the treatment: price of the jar ÷ number of days, not ÷ number of capsules.
A correctly dosed supplement inevitably costs more to produce: a titrated extract requires more raw material, a more demanding process, and lot-by-lot control. So when a formula displays twenty active ingredients for fifteen euros, the question is not "what a bargain?" but "at what dose, each?".
One well-dosed jar beats three jars that do nothing.
(Informative article, not constituting medical advice. Persistent hair loss warrants an assessment: it almost always has an identifiable cause. Talk to a doctor or dermatologist.)