Overview
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens, 前列通) is the most commonly used herb in USA and Europe by men to maintain prostate health. Research has shown that standardized Saw Palmetto extract helps reduce symptoms related to prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) such as the frequency and urgency of urination.† It may be as effective as proscar yet has fewer side effects.

Saw Palmetto Health Benefits
Saw palmetto counts for 90% of prescriptions for BPH in Germany. Many clinical trials have been conducted by researchers in USA and Europe to evaluate the use of Saw Palmetto in the treatment of prostate enlargement. In a meta analysis of Saw Palmetto clinical trials conducted in Europe, indeed saw palmetto is found to effectively relieve the symptoms of BPH and improve quality of life.¹ Learn more on Saw Palmetto Trial results in Europe.

So far two saw palmetto trials done in USA have been published.^{2, 3} Both trials found that patients who took Saw Palmetto showed more improvement in the prostate symptoms than the patients who took placebo. But only one trial reached the improvement of statistically significance. Learn more on Saw Palmetto Trial results in USA.

Saw palmetto was also compared side by side with Proscar for BPH treatment.^{4, 5} Proscar is a prescription drug for the first line BPH treatment. Basically the trials concluded that saw palmetto is as effective as proscar in relieving BPH symptoms but saw palmetto has less side effects than proscar. Learn more on Saw Palmetto versus Proscar for BPH.

Saw Palmetto Science
How might Saw Palmetto relieve the symptoms of BPH? BPH is caused by the cell overgrowth in the prostate gland due to the male sex hormone DHT. Saw Palmetto seems to regulate DHT. Learn more on Science behind Saw Palmetto.

Active Ingredients
Research on Saw Palmetto mostly uses standardized extracts made from its berries. The standardized extracts are concentrated 60 times and typically contains 85% fatty acids and 0.2% sterols, which are believed to be the active ingredients of Saw Palmetto. As fatty acids and sterols are oily, and the saw palmetto extract is normally packed in softgels. Learn more on Active Saw Palmetto Ingredients.

Dose and Duration
In the Saw Palmetto clinical trials, patients typically took 320 mg standardized extract per day, divided in 2 times. The trials commonly last for 1 month to 1 year. Learn more on Saw Palmetto Dose and Duration.

Saw Palmetto Side Effects
Side effects are few in the Saw Palmetto clinical trials and less common than the BPH drugs such as Proscar. Only mild gastrointestinal symptoms, rhinitis and headache were occasionally observed, which also occurred in patients taking placebo. Another advantage of Saw Palmetto over proscar is that Saw Palmetto does not interfere the PSA test for prostate cancer. Learn more on Saw Palmetto Side Effects and Safety.

Saw Palmetto Drug Interaction
No interaction of Saw Palmetto with drugs has been observed.

Saw Palmetto Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
We do the research to answer your Saw Palmetto questions. See current Saw Palmetto FAQ.

Saw Palmetto Stories
If you have used Saw Palmetto, you are welcome to share your Saw Palmetto Stories.

Saw Palmetto News

Herbs, Lifestyle Changes May Aid Prostate Nov 10, 2004 Reuters

A Hope for the Prostate Among the Rattlesnakes Oct 21, 2003 New York Times

Saw Palmetto Can Improve Symptoms For Men With Urinary Problems Dec 13, 2001 ScienceDaily

Reference
1. Wilt TJ, Ishani A, Stark G, MacDonald R, Lau J, Mulrow C. Saw palmetto extracts for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review. JAMA. 1998 Nov 11;280(18):1604-9.
2. Marks LS, Partin AW, Epstein JI, Tyler VE, Simon I, Macairan ML, Chan TL, Dorey FJ, Garris JB, Veltri RW, Santos PB, Stonebrook KA, deKernion JB. Effects of a saw palmetto herbal blend in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol. 2000 May;163(5):1451-6.
3. Gerber GS, Kuznetsov D, Johnson BC, Burstein JD. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of saw palmetto in men with lower urinary tract symptoms. Urology. 2001 Dec;58(6):960-4.
4. Carraro JC, Raynaud JP, Koch G, Chisholm GD, Di Silverio F, Teillac P, Da Silva FC, Cauquil J, Chopin DK, Hamdy FC, Hanus M, Hauri D, Kalinteris A, Marencak J, Perier A, Perrin P. Comparison of phytotherapy (Permixon) with finasteride in the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia: a randomized international study of 1,098 patients. Prostate. 1996 Oct;29(4):231-40.
5. Sokeland J. Combined sabal and urtica extract compared with finasteride in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia: analysis of prostate volume and therapeutic outcome. BJU Int. 2000 Sep;86(4):439-42.

by X. Li, Ph. D. (credential)