All You Need To Know About Saw Palmetto
You've probably seen or heard commercials touting the benefits of Saw Palmetto and wondered if the claims that are made are true. Can Saw Palmetto help with BPH, hair loss, urinary tract infections and many other maladies? Well, here at SawPalmetto.org we have compiled a large amount of Saw Palmetto related information that should help you to learn more about the plant and its medicinal qualities and perhaps allow you to make an informed decision for yourself as to whether it would be useful to you.

What is Saw Palmetto?
Saw Palmetto is a small palm type of plant that is technically called Serenoa repens. It is mainly found in the southeastern United States along the coast. Saw Palmetto produces yellow flowers and reddish black berries. It is the berries from which the Saw Palmetto extract is taken. The berries themselves are very high in Fatty Acids and Phytosterols. The fruit is taken from the plant, partially dried, and then broken down with a solvent such as hexane or ethanol. The most commonly studied Saw Palmetto product is Permixon.

Different Uses of Saw Palmetto
Saw Palmetto has been used for hundreds of years as both a food source and as a medicinal plant. Some recent studies have shown that it may have beneficial effects for those suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), male pattern baldness and other maladies.

Super Prostate Formula
Super Prostate Formula is a prostate supplement that allegedly helps maintain the health and function of the prostate gland and urinary tract. It contains beta sitosterol which some studies have shown to help reduce blood levels of cholesterol. Many herbal therapists also use it to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) or enlarged prostate. Beta sitosterol can also be found in Saw Palmetto, pecans, cashew, rice bran, avocados and soybeans.

Super Prostate Formula
Super Prostate Formula also contains Saw Palmetto which some studies have shown "mild to moderate improvement in urinary symptoms and flow measures". Other studies have not shown similar results.

Lycopene is another ingredient in Super Prostate Formula. Lycopene is found in tomatos, watermelons and guavas. While some studies have shown that Lycopene does have some benefit to health the FDA has limited the "claims" to the following statement:

"Very limited and preliminary scientific research suggests that eating one-half to one cup of tomatoes and/or tomato sauce a week may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. FDA concludes that there is little scientific evidence supporting this claim."

The other ingredients included in Super Prostate Formula are listed below. The formula for Super Prostate Formula was recently changed and the amount of beta sitosterol was increased by 58% and Saw Palmetto increased by 125%. They also increased the amounts of Lycopene and Bioperine.

Super Prostate Formula claims that 288 mg of free fatty acids are the most beneficial for prostate health so their formula contains exactly that amount as well as 500 mg of beta-sitosterol. The formula also includes other popular herbal remedies such as pygeum, pumpkin seed and stinging nettle.

Super Prostate Formula ingredients:

Soy Phytosterol Complex 1,000 mg
Beta Sitosterol 500 mg
Campesterol 290 mg
Stigmasterol 165 mg
Brassicasterol 34 mg
Stigmastanol 6 mg
Ergostanol 7 mg
Saw Palmetto Extract 680 mg
Pygeum Africanum Extract 120 mg
L-Alanine 300 mg
L-Glycine 300 mg
L-Glutamic Acid 300 mg
Stinging Nettle 300 mg
Panax Ginseng 150 mg
Pygeum Africanum Powder 50 mg
Pumpkin Seed Powder 30 mg
Zinc (amino acid chelate) 30 mg
PABA 30 mg
B-6 (Pyridoxine HCL) 30 mg
Vitamin A 7,500 IU
Vitamin E 30 IU
Lycopene 45 mg
Bioperine® 5 mg
Saw Palmetto and Hair Loss
Some have claimed that Saw palmetto is useful for treating a type of hair loss and baldness called androgenic alopecia, or male and female pattern baldness.

Can Saw Palmetto Stop Hair Loss?
As you may already know some hair loss may be attributed to dihydrotestosterone or DHT. When the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which is found in the scalp, comes in contact with the hormone testosterone DHT is formed. DHT disrupts the normal operation of the hair follicles thereby causing hair loss. Theoretically if DHT is removed from the equation hair should regrow.

Some believe that Saw Palmetto prevents testosterone from converting into DHT. If true then it may have some effect upon hair loss. Unfortunately there are no scientific studies showing a significant drop in DHT levels after taking Saw Palmetto.

The bottom line is that a cursory look at how Saw Palmetto works could lead one to believe that it would be effective for hair loss or regrowth but to this point it has not been proven.

Saw Palmetto, BPH and the Prostate
Is Saw Palmetto effective at reducing symptoms of an enlarged prostate?

Well, a couple of large studies have shown that it is. One project reviewed 21 trials including over 3,000 men aged 40-88 years old. Each subject had moderate BPH symptoms. In 13 of the studies that utilized BPH scores, Saw Palmetto was shown to not only improve those scores but improve individual symptoms and flow measures more than the placebo. 12 of the studies also showed that Saw Palmetto reduced Nocturia, the need to get up during the night in order to urinate, by 25% compared with the placebo.

Now, two of the studies compared Saw Palmetto with drug Finasteride. Finasteride is marketed under a number of names including:

Proscar
Propecia
Fincar
Finpecia
Finax
Finast
Finara
Finalo
Prosteride
Gefina
Finasterid IVAX
The studies showed that Saw Palmetto and Finasteride had similar positive effects on urinary symptom scores and peak urine flow and that the adverse side effects of Saw Palmetto were comparable to the effects of the placebo which were mild and infrequent.

Wilt T, Ishani A, MacDonald R. Serenoa repens for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2002;3:CD001423.
Another study comparable to the one mentioned above found similar evidence of the effectiveness of Saw Palmetto.

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;58:960-4.
Most of the studies utilized a dosage of 320 milligrams a day in either a single or split dose but there is no general consensus as to what the optimal dose really is. Also, there seems to be no real standardization of Saw Palmetto products in the U.S. So one product may not necessarily be comparable to another. Be sure to check out our page on Saw Palmetto Side Effects, contraindications, interactions and other cautions. Always consult with your doctor before taking any supplements.

Another study found that Saw Palmetto had no significant effect upon BPH symptoms. You can find that study HERE.

There are a number of different Saw Palmetto products on the market. There are gel caps, capsules, tablets, etc. There are a number of Saw Palmetto products designed specifically for the prostate.

There are also Saw Palmetto shampoo's that claim to stop hair loss and promote hair regrowth. There are even “breast enlargement pills” that contain Saw Palmetto.

Keep in mind that many of these products are not regulated by the FDA and most are not scientifically tested to see if they live up to their claims. That is not to say that none of these products are effective or useful but that you should be wary of extravagant claims made by some merchants.

you're thinking of trying Saw Palmetto you should be aware of any potential side effects. Many claim that there are no significant side effects from Saw Palmetto other than perhaps a mild stomach ache. However, there are some precautions you should take and one particular consequence that you should definitely be aware of.

Saw Palmetto Side Effects?
Saw Palmetto berries have alpha-adrenergic blocking activity and may alter the effects of the following medications: prazosin, terazosin, doxazosin mesylate, tamsulosin.

Saw Palmetto may also have an additive effect if it is taken with anti-androgen drugs that reduce the levels of male sex hormones, such as finasteride (Prosca, Propecia) or flutamide (Eulexin).

It is remotely possible that it could interfere with birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy in women as well. If you're taking any of these drugs, check with your doctor or naturopathic physician before taking saw palmetto.

Now, another important, but little known, possible consequence of taking Saw Palmetto is its affect on a PSA test. The PSA or prostate-specific antigen test is used for early detection of prostate cancer. Some doctors have warned that Saw Palmetto may mask PSA levels and thereby reduce the ability of the test to detect prostate cancer. You can find that warning HERE.

Some studies have shown that Saw Palmetto doesn't seem to have a significant effect upon PSA levels but to be on the safe side you should definitely tell your doctor if you are taking Saw Palmetto so that they will be aware of any possible influence it may have on your PSA test.

There has been quite a bit of discussion over the effectiveness of Saw Palmetto in treating acne. Given that Saw Palmetto seems to reduce DHT levels it seems a reasonable assumption that it may have a beneficial effect on those suffering from hormonal acne.

Saw Palmetto and Acne
Unfortunately, at this point, there do not seem to be any conclusive studies showing that Saw Palmetto can effectively treat acne. The theory is there but the supporting studies are not.

Is Saw Palmetto Effective?
A cursory search of acne related forums may help you make a decision regarding Saw Palmetto. Many people have tried Saw Palmetto for their acne and have had mixed results. You can see some of the acne related posts at the links below:

curezone.com
curezone.com 2
acne.org

Is Saw Palmetto effective at increasing breast size and/or firmness? Possibly. There are quite a few products on the market that claim to naturally enhance breast size and most contain Saw Palmetto.

Since Saw Palmetto seems to partially block testosterone development or DHT in the body then it's possible that its use could result in an imbalance between the testosterone and estrogen levels in the female body resulting in an increase in breast size.

Some products combine Saw Palmetto with other ingredients such as wild yam, fenugreek and basically result in the testosterone/estrogen balance to change such that the body acts as if it is producing more estrogen even the the actual estrogen level may stay the same. Fenugreek contains Phytoestrogens which mimic the action of estrogen in the body. Wild Yam contains Diosgenin which has been shown in studies with mice to augment the estrogenic effect and increase mammary development.

Theoretically, combining these ingredients and ingesting them can result in larger breast size and firmer breasts. However, none of these substances is FDA approved and results can vary widely. Also, none of these should be taken under the following conditions:

Known or suspected pregnancy
Undiagnosed abnormal genital bleeding
Known or suspected cancer of the breast
Known or suspected estrogen-dependent neoplasia
Of course, you should always consult your physician before trying any ?medication? batural or otherwise.

You may have heard the term Beta-Sitosterol on the radio, tv, or from someone you know and wondered what it is and what it has to do with Saw Palmetto. Well, Beta-Sitosterol is a plant sterol ester. It is commonly found in many different nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits and, yes, Saw Palmetto.

Beta-Sitosterol has been shown to be effective at a number of things. It is used to lower cholesterol levels, enhancing the immune system, as a preventative for colon cancer, as well as other ailments. It is also used to combat hair loss and BPH or enlarged prostate. So, you will see products that contain Saw Palmetto as well as Beta-Sitosterol advertised as beneficial for hair loss and prostate problems.

The FDA has stated that Beta-Sitosterol or plant sterol esters may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. Studies have shown that Beta-Sitosterol does reduce cholesterol but no long term studies have been conducted to show that it reduces your chances of getting coronary heart disease.

Beta Sitosterol
One Japanese study showed that Beta-Sitosterol given to patients over a three month period resulted in IPSS and QOL scores that showed significant improvement, and that the peak flow rate and residual urine volume showed slight but not significant improvement.

Is Beta-Sitosterol Effective?
Another study focused on beta-sitosterol and BPH. The reulsts showed that - beta-sitosterol improves urological symptoms and flow measures. However, the existing studies are limited by short treatment duration and lack of standardized beta-sitosterol preparations. Their long-term effectiveness, safety and ability to prevent the complications of BPH are unknown.