Saw palmetto is most often used to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate in men, but women sometimes use it to treat colds and coughs, asthma and migraines. There is too little scientific evidence about the effectiveness of these uses to know if saw palmetto works or not. Saw palmetto may have hormonal effects that could pose risks for some women. Do not take saw palmetto without talking to your doctor first.
Pregnancy and Nursing
Saw palmetto is used to treat prostate enlargement because it is thought to effect male reproductive hormones, but it also seems to effect estrogen in women, according to MayoClinic.com. It may have other hormonal effects as well. For this reason, it could be dangerous to a pregnancy. If you are pregnant or nursing, do not take saw palmetto without consulting your doctor first. Also, some saw palmetto preparations contain high amounts of alcohol, which can also be dangerous during pregnancy and nursing.
Hormone Sensitive Conditions
Because of its potential hormonal effects, women who have hormone-sensitive conditions like uterine fibroids and endometriosis should be cautious. Cancers of the female reproductive system, such as breast, ovarian or uterine cancer, are also sensitive to hormones. If you have a history of any of these conditions, or are at risk for one of them, do not take saw palmetto without consulting your doctor first.
Interactions
Because saw palmetto may block the effects of estrogen in the body, it may make birth control pills less effective, leading to an unplanned pregnancy. If you are taking saw palmetto while taking birth control pills you should also use another form of birth control, according to MedlinePlus. Saw palmetto may also interfere with hormone replacement therapy. Saw palmetto may also slow the rate at which your blood clots, which could raise the risk of bleeding problems if taken in combination with drugs that slow clotting, such as the blood thinners heparin or warfarin, aspirin, ibuprofen, and the anti-platelet drug clopidogrel.
Additional Risks
Women, as well as men, may experience some of the side effects linked to saw palmetto, which include stomach upset and pain, nausea, vomiting, bad breath, constipation, diarrhea, headache and bleeding problems. There have also been some reports of ulcers, breathing problems, heart problems, as well as damage to the liver and pancreas in people taking saw palmetto, but there is too little evidence to know for sure that saw palmetto caused the problem. As a precaution, if you have any diseases affecting the heart, liver, pancreas, lungs or stomach, talk to your doctor before taking saw palmetto.
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