I'm not sure what would happen if you didn't add the Biotin, best to have IH answer that one.

Using ALA without biotin will eventually be bad for hair. Taking additional biotin is a good idea though, even if one is not using ALA.

It's also a good idea to take a high potency B-Complex with AlA as well.

ALA is worth the trouble though, because what it does the liver is amazing.

It wasn't a placebo effect as I wasn't expecting to feel anything after taking it.

Shoot for 100 milligrams of SDG (secoisolariciresinol diglucoside).

Alternatively, and my favorite is Spruce Lignans. Just 30 to 40 milligrams of 7-hydroxymatairesinol or Spruce Lignans will satisfy all requirements and is often much better tolerated than flax-based SDG.

About Omega-3's:

Figure that almost any grain or seed is loaded with Omega-6. Also, typical feed-lot cattle are fed grain, which is loaded in Omega-6.

The problem here is too much Omega-6 is highly inflammatory, and will increase DHT.

The best way to compensate for this is taking a lot of Omega-3. How much?

Unless you eat Grass-fed and/or free-range meats and very little grains products, you'll want take several thousand milligrams of Omega-3 fatty acids.

I think Cod Liver Oil is of the best, because it contains other factors in addition to DHA/EPA, yet it's not a bad idea to take regular DHA/EPA supplements or fish oil on top.

Fish oil 6 to 8 grams. If you use Cod Liver Oil (1/2 to 2 tablespoons) Consider a product that contains GLA (the good type of Omega-6) along with high EPA/DHA.

Krill Oil is a good addition, it has phospholipids for increase bioavailability of the EFA's /w Astaxanthin.

Avoid flax seed oil as a sole source of Omega-3, since it doesn't convert to EPA/DHA very well.

It's not uncommon for MPB guys to also have BPH, & when such is the case, NO question about it: you HAVE to attack the problem of rising 5-aReduct. levels with something better than Finas. or Proscar: Dutasteride (Avodart) or any of its generic versions (Dutas, Duprost, Dutagen, etc). Doing so will defintely & concomittantly help with BOTH MPB & BPH. Most of you probably know Duta is effective against BOTH isoforms of 5-aReduct.(Type I being the predominant manifestation in the follicular sub-units) whereas Finas. & Proscar are primarily more effective against the Type 2.

Guys who have both MPB & BPH have a very complex situation on their hands. While inhibiting 5-aReduct., they also have to inhibit the endogenously occurring aromatase. It goes without saying that IF you manage to control this undesirable scenario, you WOULDN'T have any problems with gynaecomastia, amongst other associated problems. What are some Aromatase-Inhibitors (AIs) you can use? The drug-based ones (arimidex, tamoxifen, anastrazole, exemestane, letrozole, etc) are more suitable for women & even then are chockful of disastrous side-effects. Some safe herbal alternatives include: Chrysin, beta-sitosterol (from Saw Palmetto), kudzu (pueraria lobata), urtioca dioica, Epilobium PArviflorum & some Chinese herbs like aralia, smilax (sarsparilla), cyperus.

IF you don't have BPH, I believe the best anti-5-aReduct. & 5-aDHT approach is local: on your scalp, because for the amounts required, you won't get much resorption into the systemic circulation (Dr.Richard Lee agrees with this). After all, apart the prostate epithelium (IF you have BPH), the hair follicles is where you find the larget concentraton of 5-aReduct. & 5-aDHT.

This whole MPB thing is very multi-factorial, & addressing the Inflammation issue is certainly very appropriate, although it is a whole separate field by itself (my Cambridge Univ. Ph.D. thesis on Inflammation alone ran into 500 pages!).

I don't have a problem with MPB but a lot of my very close friends & relatives do, & I'm experimenting with some topical formulae incorporating 5% minox., Dutas., Azelaic, Spiro., Retin-A Saw Palmetto, GLA (gamma linolenic acid - Omega 6 fatty acid) all in a base containing 70% etyl alcohol, Polysorbate 80, prop.Glycol. I don't know how it's going to go (with regards to consistency,homogeneity, etc), but I'll keep you posted. As you all know, Dutas. is horribly expensive & is NOT even available in many countries including Australia. [The only reason we could get some here into Australia is because we had to apply to the TGA as a componding pharmacy undertaking a study-trial].