Ingredients & science

Every ingredient, and the reason it earned its place.

Twenty ingredients, every dose published, each one written so you can understand it without a biology degree and sourced so you can check us without taking our word for anything.

How to read this page

For every ingredient we tell you the exact amount in a daily serving, why it is here in one sentence a friend would use, and then we link the research so you can check us.

Where the evidence is still developing, we link the studies that exist rather than the ones we wish existed.

Saede Hero — the daily capsule

Twelve ingredients. The root-cause actives first — the androgen pathway and the stress axis — then the micronutrients that carry the authorised EU claims for hair.

Saw palmetto

Serenoa repens

In Saede Hero

320 mg, standardised to 85–95% fatty acids

Why it is here: Saw palmetto is the ingredient Sonja found in the research that no one had shown her, and it is the reason Saede exists. It has been studied for its role in androgen activity — the hormonal pathway most often involved when a woman's hair thins at the temples and the parting.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Rossi A, Mari E, Scarno M, et al. Comparative effectiveness of finasteride vs Serenoa repens in male androgenetic alopecia: a two-year study. International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, 2012;25(4):1167–1173. The two-year study our 320 mg dose is taken from. Conducted in men.; Read the study on PubMed → Evron E, Juhasz M, Babadjouni A, Mesinkovska NA. Natural Hair Supplement: Friend or Foe? Saw Palmetto, a Systematic Review in Alopecia. Skin Appendage Disorders, 2020;6(6):329–337. A systematic review of the saw palmetto hair-loss literature — including its limits.; Read the study on PubMed → Ablon G. The Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) Extract for Promoting Hair Growth in Adults With Self-Perceived Thinning Hair: 180-Day Results. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026;25(2):e70717. A 6-month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in men and women, with a separate analysis of menopausal women.

Pumpkin seed oil

Cucurbita pepo

In Saede Hero

400 mg

Why it is here: A second angle on the same androgen pathway, chosen to work alongside saw palmetto. In the research these are rarely used alone — and what mattered in Sonja's own experience was the combination, not any single ingredient.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Cho YH, Lee SY, Jeong DW, et al. Effect of pumpkin seed oil on hair growth in men with androgenetic alopecia: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014;2014:549721. A 24-week randomised controlled trial at exactly 400 mg a day — the dose we use. Conducted in men.

Nettle root

Urtica dioica

In Saede Hero

300 mg, standardised extract

Why it is here: Included to sit alongside saw palmetto on the same pathway. It is the supporting player of the three, not the lead.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Pekmezci E, Turkoğlu M. Urtica dioica extract downregulates the gene expression of 5α-RII in HaCaT cells: possible implications in androgenetic alopecia. Georgian Medical News, 2023;(334):71–75. A laboratory study in cultured cells, not in people.; Read the study on PubMed → Safarinejad MR. Urtica dioica for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Journal of Herbal Pharmacotherapy, 2005;5(4):1–11. A randomised human trial — but on prostate symptoms, not hair.

Tocotrienol complex

Full-spectrum vitamin E

In Saede Hero

100 mg

Why it is here: Vitamin E contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. We use the full-spectrum tocotrienol form because that is the form used in the one small trial that looked at hair.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Beoy LA, Woei WJ, Hay YK. Effects of tocotrienol supplementation on hair growth in human volunteers. Tropical Life Sciences Research, 2010;21(2):91–99. An 8-month study reporting a 34.5% increase in hair count. Small, and the reason we describe this ingredient carefully.

Vitamin D3

Cholecalciferol

In Saede Hero

50 µg (2000 IU)

Why it is here: Vitamin D contributes to the normal function of the immune system and to the maintenance of normal bones and muscle function. It is also one of the nutrients most consistently found to be low in women with hair loss, and one of the three we most want you to have tested.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens. Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin D. EFSA Journal, 2023;21(8):e08145. The EFSA opinion setting the 100 µg upper limit for adults.; Read the study on PubMed → Yongpisarn T, Namasondhi A, Iamsumang W, Rattanakaemakorn P, Suchonwanit P. Vitamin D deficiency in non-scarring and scarring alopecias: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2024;11:1479337. A systematic review and meta-analysis of vitamin D status across types of hair loss.; Read the study on PubMed → Dawson-Hughes B, Harris SS, Lichtenstein AH, et al. Meal conditions affect the absorption of supplemental vitamin D3 but not the plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D response to supplementation. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2013;28(8):1778–1783. Why it is taken with food: vitamin D3 is fat-soluble and absorbs better with a meal.

Iron

as bisglycinate

In Saede Hero

14 mg

Why it is here: Iron contributes to normal oxygen transport in the body and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Low iron stores are one of the most common findings in women who are shedding hair. We use the bisglycinate form because it is gentler on the stomach than the cheap sulphate most supplements use.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Trost LB, Bergfeld WF, Calogeras E. The diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency and its potential relationship to hair loss. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2006;54(5):824–844. The reference review on iron status and hair loss.

Zinc

as bisglycinate

In Saede Hero

10 mg

Why it is here: Zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal hair, nails and skin, and to normal macronutrient metabolism. This is 100% of the EU reference intake — a full amount, kept well under the EU maximum.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Kil MS, Kim CW, Kim SS. Analysis of serum zinc and copper concentrations in hair loss. Annals of Dermatology, 2013;25(4):405–409. Measured zinc levels across several types of hair loss.; Read the study on PubMed → Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatology and Therapy, 2019;9(1):51–70. A review covering the whole micronutrient picture, zinc included.

Selenium

as selenomethionine

In Saede Hero

55 µg

Why it is here: Selenium contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and nails and to the protection of cells from oxidative stress. 100% of the EU reference intake.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatology and Therapy, 2019;9(1):51–70. Covers selenium's role, and its upper limits.; Read the study on PubMed → Wang R, et al. Micronutrients and Androgenetic Alopecia: A Systematic Review. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2024;68(21):e2400459. A systematic review of micronutrients in pattern hair loss.

Biotin

Vitamin B7

In Saede Hero

500 µg

Why it is here: Biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair. Our amount is moderate on purpose.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Patel DP, Swink SM, Castelo-Soccio L. A Review of the Use of Biotin for Hair Loss. Skin Appendage Disorders, 2017;3(3):166–169. A review of what biotin does and does not do for hair.

B-complex

B6, B12, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamine

In Saede Hero

100% of the EU reference intake, each

Why it is here: These contribute to normal energy-yielding metabolism and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. They are the quiet background of the formula — not a headline, but the things that have to be present for the rest to be used.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Almohanna HM, Ahmed AA, Tsatalis JP, Tosti A. The Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Hair Loss: A Review. Dermatology and Therapy, 2019;9(1):51–70. Reviews the B vitamins alongside the other micronutrients.

Horsetail extract

Equisetum arvense

In Saede Hero

200 mg

Why it is here: A traditional plant source of silicon, a mineral present in the structure of hair.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Wickett RR, Kossmann E, Barel A, et al. Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on hair tensile strength and morphology in women with fine hair. Archives of Dermatological Research, 2007;299(10):499–505. A randomised trial in women with fine hair — testing orthosilicic acid, a different silicon source, not horsetail itself.

Saede Support — the daily powder

Eight ingredients. These are the gram doses that physically cannot fit into a capsule, plus the amino acids keratin is built from.

Hydrolyzed marine collagen

Type I & III

In Saede Support

5 g

Why it is here: Collagen peptides supply the amino acids that skin and hair are built from, including the scalp the hair grows out of. Five grams is a real serving — and it is one of the two ingredients that make this product expensive to make.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Ablon G. A 3-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the ability of an extra-strength marine protein supplement to promote hair growth and decrease shedding in women with self-perceived thinning hair. Dermatology Research and Practice, 2015;2015:841570. A randomised, placebo-controlled trial in women with thinning hair.; Read the study on PubMed → Kim DU, Chung HC, Choi J, et al. Oral Intake of Low-Molecular-Weight Collagen Peptide Improves Hydration, Elasticity, and Wrinkling in Human Skin: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients, 2018;10(7):826. A randomised, placebo-controlled trial measuring skin hydration and elasticity.

Myo-inositol

In Saede Support

4 g

Why it is here: Inositol is the ingredient that connects hair to everything else — cycles, skin, and how the body handles blood sugar. It is the most-researched nutritional ingredient in women with PCOS, which is why it sits at the centre of the powder rather than at the edge of it. Four grams is the full studied amount.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Greff D, Juhász AE, Váncsa S, et al. Inositol is an effective and safe treatment in polycystic ovary syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 2023;21:10. A systematic review and meta-analysis pooling randomised trials in women with PCOS.; Read the study on PubMed → Gerli S, Papaleo E, Ferrari A, Di Renzo GC. Randomized, double blind placebo-controlled trial: effects of myo-inositol on ovarian function and metabolic factors in women with PCOS. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2007;11(5):347–354. One of the randomised trials at the 4 g dose.; Read the study on PubMed → Zacchè MM, Caputo L, Filippis S, et al. Efficacy of myo-inositol in the treatment of cutaneous disorders in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Gynecological Endocrinology, 2009;25(8):508–513. Looked specifically at skin and hair-related outcomes in young women with PCOS.

D-chiro-inositol

In Saede Support

100 mg — the 40:1 ratio with myo-inositol

Why it is here: Included with myo-inositol rather than instead of it, at the 40 to 1 ratio the research uses. The ratio is the point: this is the proportion found in the body, and it is what the trials studied.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Nordio M, Basciani S, Camajani E. The 40:1 myo-inositol/D-chiro-inositol plasma ratio is able to restore ovulation in PCOS patients: comparison with other ratios. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2019;23(12):5512–5521. The study the 40:1 ratio comes from, comparing it against other ratios.; Read the study on PubMed → Nordio M, Proietti E. The combined therapy with myo-inositol and D-chiro-inositol reduces the risk of metabolic disease in PCOS overweight patients compared to myo-inositol supplementation alone. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences, 2012;16(5):575–581. Compared the two inositols combined against myo-inositol on its own.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid

In Saede Support

250 mg

Why it is here: Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin, and it increases iron absorption. That second one is why it is in the powder and the iron is in the capsule: taken together, one helps you absorb the other.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Teucher B, Olivares M, Cori H. Enhancers of iron absorption: ascorbic acid and other organic acids. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, 2004;74(6):403–419. On ascorbic acid's effect on non-haem iron absorption.

Magnesium

In Saede Support

300 mg

Why it is here: Magnesium contributes to normal psychological function, to the normal functioning of the nervous system, and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It is here for the stress side of the picture — one of the three roots we built the formula around — and it is one of the minerals women are most commonly short of.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Pouteau E, Kabir-Ahmadi M, Noah L, et al. Superiority of magnesium and vitamin B6 over magnesium alone on severe stress in healthy adults with low magnesemia: A randomized, single-blind clinical trial. PLoS ONE, 2018;13(12):e0208454. The randomised trial our 300 mg dose is taken from — a measured reduction in perceived stress over eight weeks.; Read the study on PubMed → Boyle NB, Lawton C, Dye L. The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Subjective Anxiety and Stress — A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 2017;9(5):429. A systematic review of the magnesium and stress literature, including its limits.

Hyaluronic acid

In Saede Support

120 mg

Why it is here: Included for skin and scalp hydration. We will be straight with you about this one: it is the ingredient with the most perceived value for the least cost in the whole formula.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Hsu TF, Su ZR, Hsieh YH, et al. Oral Hyaluronan Relieves Wrinkles and Improves Dry Skin: A 12-Week Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients, 2021;13(7):2220. A randomised, placebo-controlled trial on skin hydration.

L-lysine

In Saede Support

500 mg

Why it is here: One of the three keratin amino acids in the powder. Lysine is bulky, which is precisely why it cannot live in the capsule, and it pairs with the iron in Hero.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Rushton DH. Nutritional factors and hair loss. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2002;27(5):396–404. The reference paper on the amino acid and iron picture in women's hair loss.

L-cysteine

In Saede Support

100 mg

Why it is here: The sulphur amino acid that keratin needs and that collagen completely lacks. It is placed next to the collagen on purpose — that gap is the reason it moved into the powder.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Rushton DH. Nutritional factors and hair loss. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2002;27(5):396–404. Covers the amino acid requirements involved in hair.

L-methionine

In Saede Support

100 mg

Why it is here: The third keratin building block, alongside lysine and cysteine.

The research: Read the study on PubMed → Rushton DH. Nutritional factors and hair loss. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 2002;27(5):396–404. Covers the amino acid requirements involved in hair.

Before you take any of this

Safety, plainly.

Who should not take Saede. Not for children or anyone under 18. Not while pregnant, trying to conceive, or breastfeeding — saw palmetto has hormonal activity and horsetail is not considered suitable in pregnancy.

Medicines to check before you start. Bring the ingredient list to your doctor or pharmacist if you take hormonal contraception or hormone therapy, blood thinners or anticoagulants, blood pressure or diuretic medication, or anything affecting blood sugar. Saw palmetto has hormonal activity, nettle root has a diuretic effect, vitamin E at this level can add to blood-thinning medicines, and the inositols affect insulin sensitivity.

Iron. There is 14 mg in Saede Hero. Do not add a separate iron supplement on top without knowing your levels — ask your doctor for a ferritin test. Too much iron is genuinely harmful, and accidental iron overdose is one of the most serious poisoning risks for small children, so keep this well out of their reach.

Biotin and your blood tests. Ours is a moderate 500 µg on purpose. High-dose biotin distorts thyroid and cardiac blood test results, which matters a great deal if you are still trying to get diagnosed. Tell whoever takes your bloods that you are taking a biotin-containing supplement.

The minerals. Selenium, zinc, magnesium and vitamin D all have limits worth respecting, and with selenium in particular more is actively worse. Every amount in Saede sits inside them — our vitamin D at 50 µg is half the EU upper intake level of 100 µg a day.

Allergens. Saede Support contains marine collagen, which is a fish allergen. It is not suitable if you have a fish allergy, and the powder is not vegan. Saede Hero uses vegetarian HPMC capsules.

Horsetail. Not intended for prolonged continuous use. It contains thiaminase, which can affect vitamin B1 over time, and it is not suitable in pregnancy or breastfeeding.

On doses

Why the amounts matter more than the list.

It is easy to put fifteen impressive ingredients on a label. It costs considerably more to include any of them at the amount that was actually studied. That single difference separates supplements that do something from supplements that sell well, and it is almost invisible to the person buying.

Saede is formulated to the amounts used in the research — saw palmetto at 320 mg, pumpkin seed oil at 400 mg, myo-inositol at 4 g, magnesium at 300 mg — and those are written into our manufacturing specification. It is the whole promise, and the reason we cannot be the cheapest thing you have ever bought.

Proof, not promises.

Third-party tested, batch by batch, with the certificates published rather than merely mentioned.

Third-party lab tested

Heavy metals & microbes

Label accuracy verified

What's on the label is in the capsule

GMP certified facility

Good Manufacturing Practice

Made in the EU

European manufacturing

Per-batch certificate

Certificate of analysis, published

Shown dashed because they are not confirmed yet. We will publish the certificates themselves here, not just the claim. awaiting manufacturer

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