An extract of saw palmetto berries may be an effective treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate. Biochemist George Nemecz reported on saw palmetto's effectiveness in an article on the "U.S. Pharmacist" website. Patients who took extract of saw palmetto, Serenoa repens, during European studies conducted in the 1980s experienced improvements in urinary flow and a reduction in prostate gland size. Saw palmetto extract caused fewer unpleasant side effects than drugs commonly used to treat enlarged prostate in the United States.
Saw Palmetto
The saw palmetto, a small palm tree native to the southeastern coast of the United States, provided an herbal remedy used by Native Americans to treat male reproductive and urinary problems. European researchers in the late 1800s noted that eating saw palmetto berries improved health, stimulated appetite and benefited the reproductive system. Use of the herb in the United States declined by the middle of the 20th century, since researchers could not isolate an active ingredient in saw palmetto. Which of the plant's many complex compounds produces the herb's beneficial effects remains unknown.
Treating Prostate Problems
If you're a sexually healthy man over 40, you could already experience some of the problems caused by an enlarged prostate gland. The urethra passes through the prostate gland, which creates the fluid required for ejaculation. As you age, the gland enlarges and restricts urinary flow. Only about half of men with enlarged prostate experience symptoms, which include frequent and painful urination and pain during intercourse. Testosterone stimulates prostate growth in older men, and saw palmetto could ease problems by blocking testosterone's effect on the prostate gland, according to Langone Medical Center. Other compounds in saw palmetto could reduce the inflammation of chronic prostatitis.
Conflicting Claims
Not all research into saw palmetto's medicinal properties demonstrates a clear effect on prostate problems. A full year of twice-daily treatment with extract of Serenoa repens showed no improvement compared to treatment with a placebo, according to an article in the February 2006 issue of "The New England Journal of Medicine." The study followed 225 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, and judged results by measurement of urinary flow, prostate size and other BPH symptoms. Other studies comparing saw palmetto to finasteride, a synthetic anti-androgen, showed equal benefits and fewer sexual side effects from the herbal treatment, says the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Side Effects
No research shows significant unwanted side effects from treatment with saw palmetto. The most common side effects include stomach upset and headache. Saw palmetto's complex chemical makeup could cause trouble for some allergic individuals. Unwanted interactions with drugs, herbs and food supplements are possible, since no one truly understands how saw palmetto works. Saw palmetto could intensify the effect of blood-thinning medications including aspirin and prescription anti-coagulants. Because saw palmetto could affect sex hormones, women taking saw palmetto for urinary problems could find it reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. If you take prescription medicines for BPH, ask your doctor before taking saw palmetto.
References
- "U.S. Pharmacist"; Saw Palmetto; George Nemecz
- Langone Medical Center; Saw Palmetto; August 2011
- "The New England Journal of Medicine"; Saw Palmetto for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia; Stephen Bent, et al.; February 2006
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Saw Palmetto; Steven D. Ehrlich; February 2009
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