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Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens, Sabal serrulatta, Sabal serrullatum) comes from the ripe berries of a small palm and is best used as a tincture or fluid extract. It is one of the most well-known and time-honoured herbs for prostate problems and it also has a long history as a tonic to help increase male potency, calm the nervous system, aid digestion and build connective tissue.
Source
Saw Palmetto is supplied in liquids and as standardized extracts; it is frequently combined with pygeum (Pygeum africanum, African pyrigens), an herb with a somewhat less-established reputation for improving prostate health, and with pumpkin seed and zinc in a combination tablet.
Although Saw Palmetto is also available as a tea, the fatty acids in the herb thought to be at least partly responsible for its effects are not extracted well into water; thus, drinking a tea would not be as effective against BPH for example.
Fatty acid extracts of 85-95% are oil extracts and are in soft gel capsules. Powdered extracts are also available and are usually standardized anywhere from 20% to 55% fatty acids.
Function; Reasons For Use
Saw Palmetto includes fatty acids such as capric, caprylic, caproic, lauric, palmytic, and oleic. The phytosterols include beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol and others. The liposterolic extract of Saw Palmetto has three major activities that improve BPH symptomology, they include: inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase; inhibiting the binding of androgens to prostatic cells; and inhibiting both lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase (arachidonic acid cascade induced inflammation factors). Saw Palmetto, by competing with both the enzyme and receptor that stimulates growth factor secretion, inhibits prostatic hyperplasia.
There have been many clinical trials done with Saw Palmetto extracts showing effective treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The liposterolic extract of Saw Palmetto fruits has been used extensively and for many years as the drug of choice for BPH in Europe and has been getting more and more attention in the United States. Saw Palmetto has thus become the premier herbal remedy for BPH symptoms, including discomfort and excessive nighttime urination.
Saw Palmetto contains a number of compounds with potential therapeutic effects. Researchers have not yet identified with certainty the BPH-related compounds, although the evidence points to certain fatty acids and sterols with either enzyme or hormone-related effects.
A three-year trial of 309 men, comparing Saw Palmetto extract to finasteride (Proscar) showed a significant increase in urinary flow rate and a 50% decrease in residual urine volume associated with the Saw Palmetto group. While the finasteride group also showed improvements, they were not as significant as the Saw Palmetto group, and there were almost 6 times more dropouts in the finasteride group due to unpleasant side-effects.
Studies have found that a Saw Palmetto extract significantly reduces excessive urination both at night and during the day.
Saw Palmetto is said also to improve libido.
Directions
Standard dosages of Saw Palmetto extracts are those which yield from 270 to 305mg of fatty acids per day (often 320mg of an 85-95% fatty acid extract).
Side-Effects
In rare cases nausea does occur. No long-term toxicity has been reported.
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Saw Palmetto can help with the following: | | | | | Metabolic |  Anorexia / Starvation Tendency | A digestive tonic and connective-tissue rebuilder. |
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Organ Health |
 Enlarged Prostate| | One of the most well-known and time-honored herbs for prostate problems is saw palmetto. Saw palmetto has been tested in clinical trials and results show that the berries improve signs and symptoms of an enlarged prostate. During the trials, benefits were recorded for symptoms such as difficulty in urination, frequent urination at night, urine flow and size of enlarged prostate.
In all cases, the treatment was free of side effects. Scientists believe the main benefits may be due to the ability of some constituents in saw palmetto to inhibit the enzyme 5-reductase in the body. This enzyme converts the hormone testosterone to DHT. DHT is five times more potent than testosterone in stimulating the enlargement of the prostate. |
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Skin-Hair-Nails |
 Male Hair Loss| | This extract has been found to counteract the conversion of testosterone to DHT by inhibiting DHT binding to cellular and nuclear receptor sites, thereby increasing DHT breakdown. The dosage of fatty acids from saw palmetto is 270-300mg daily. This can be obtained from 320mg of a standardized extract or 3gm of dried saw palmetto berry. These doses have been found to be safe in many studies. |
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Uro-Genital |
Not recommended for:
 Motherhood Issues| | Saw palmetto should not be taken by women who are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive, because it affects sex hormone levels. |
Pregnancy-Related Issues| | Saw palmetto should not be taken by women who are pregnant, nursing or trying to conceive, because it affects sex hormone levels. |
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KEY | | May do some good | | | Likely to help | | | Highly recommended | | | Avoid absolutely |
GLOSSARY
Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, BPH)
The benign buildup in the prostate of "warts" or epithelial neoplasias that can block or interrupt urination, and which are usually concurrent with moderate prostate enlargement. They cause a dull ache on urination, ejaculation, and/or defecation. The diagnosis is medical, since the same subjective conditions can result fromcancer of the prostate. BPH is common in men over fifty and can be the result either of diminished production of complete testosterone or poor pelvic circulation. Alcohol, coffee, speed, and antihistamines can all aggravate the problem.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
A highly active form of testosterone, which influences many aspects of manly behavior, from sex drive to aggression. The conversion from testosterone to DHT is driven by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase, which is produced in the prostate, various adrenal glands, and the scalp.
Enzymes (Enzyme)
Specific protein catalysts produced by the cells that are crucial in chemical reactions and in building up or synthesizing most compounds in the body. Each enzyme performs a specific function without itself being consumed. For example, the digestive enzyme amylase acts on carbohydrates in foods to break them down.
Fatty Acids (Fatty Acid)
Chemical chains of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms that are part of a fat (lipid) and are the major component of triglycerides. Depending on the number and arrangement of these atoms, fatty acids are classified as either saturated, polyunsaturated, or monounsaturated. They are nutritional substances found in nature which include cholesterol, prostaglandins, and stearic, palmitic, linoleic, linolenic, eicosapentanoic (EPA), and decohexanoic acids. Important nutritional lipids include lecithin, choline, gamma-linoleic acid, and inositol.
Gram (gm, gms, Gramme, Grammes, Grams)
A metric unit of weight, there being approximately 28 grams in one ounce.
Herbs (Herb, Herbal)
Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, teas should be made with one teaspoon herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 to 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 to 20 minutes for roots. Tinctures may be used singly or in combination as noted. The high doses of single herbs suggested may be best taken as dried extracts (in capsules), although tinctures (60 drops four times per day) and teas (4 to 6 cups per day) may also be used.
Hormones (Hormone)
Chemical substances secreted by a variety of body organs that are carried by the bloodstream and usually influence cells some distance from the source of production. Hormones signal certain enzymes to perform their functions and, in this way, regulate such body functions as blood sugar levels, insulin levels, the menstrual cycle, and growth. These can be prescription, over-the-counter, synthetic or natural agents. Examples include adrenal hormones such as corticosteroids and aldosterone; glucagon, growth hormone, insulin, testosterone, estrogens, progestins, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, and thyroid hormones such as thyroxine and calcitonin.
Milligram (mg, Milligrams)
0.001 or a thousandth of a gram.
Nausea
Symptoms resulting from an inclination to vomit.
Nervous System
A system in the body that is comprised of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, ganglia and parts of the receptor organs that receive and interpret stimuli and transmit impulses to effector organs.
Prostate
The prostate gland in men that surrounds the neck of the bladder and the urethra and produces a secretion that liquefies coagulated semen.
Sterols (Sterol)
A large subgroup of steroids.
Testosterone
The principal male sex hormone that induces and maintains the changes that take place in males at puberty. In men, the testicles continue to produce testosterone throughout life, though there is some decline with age. A naturally occurring androgenic hormone.
Tincture
An alcohol or water-alcohol solution, usually referring to a preparation from herbal materials.
Zinc
An essential trace mineral. The functions of zinc are enzymatic. There are over 70 metalloenzymes known to require zinc for their functions. The main biochemicals in which zinc has been found to be necessary include: enzymes and enzymatic function, protein synthesis and carbohydrate metabolism. Zinc is a constituent of insulin and male reproductive fluid. Zinc is necessary for the proper metabolism of alcohol, to get rid of the lactic acid that builds up in working muscles and to transfer it to the lungs. Zinc is involved in the health of the immune system, assists vitamin A utilization and is involved in the formation of bone and teeth.
Last updated: Apr 27, 2008
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