Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto: Information

Saw palmetto, known botanically as Serenoa repens, is a small palm that grows along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the US. Saw palmetto may have been used as a medicinal herb and food by indigenous Americans. Today, saw palmetto is used in supplement form to promote prostate and urinary tract health in men.

Saw Palmetto: Health Benefits

Saw palmetto is a concentrated source of fatty acids and phytosterols, especially beta-sitosterol. Phytosterols can influence some of the factors that promote enlargement of the prostate gland and the urinary symptoms that result. Saw palmetto supplements are in fact prescribed as part of the treatment for Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy in Germany and some other countries, both alone and in combination with conventional therapies.¹

In the US, Saw palmetto is usually used by men 40 and over.

Using: Saw Palmetto Supplements

Saw palmetto supplements are available in capsule, tablet and liquid form in extract and non-extracted form. Choose an extract, standardized for at least 80% fatty acids and sterols. Capsule forms are preferable to liquids because of saw palmetto's strong taste. A typical dose is 160 mg of extract taken twice a day, although some users take a higher amount. Saw palmetto is often combined with other prostate-supporting nutrients like zinc, lycopene , green tea extract.

Side-effects and Cautions:

Saw palmetto shouldn't be used as a treatment for prostate disease or urinary tract problems without the supervision of your physician. Saw palmetto supplements may produce nausea when taken with an insufficient amount of solid food.

References:
1. Rev Urol. 2001 Summer;3(3):134-8.