Saw palmetto is an herbal medication made from the berries of the serenoa repens plant. Health supplements containing saw palmetto are sometimes recommended as a treatment for health conditions involving hormone imbalances, such as estrogen dominance. However, there is very little evidence that saw palmetto is actually effective in restoring hormonal balance. Like any health supplement, consult your doctor before taking saw palmetto.
Testosterone
Researchers theorize that saw palmetto may reduce levels of testosterone, possibly by blocking the action of enzymes involved in the synthesis of this hormone, explains an article published in the Summer 2001 issue of the medical journal "Reviews in Urology." However, studies have not found evidence that saw palmetto actually decreases blood levels of testosterone or related substances, such as prostate-specific antigen.
Estrogen
Saw palmetto may also decrease the activity of estrogen, reports MedlinePlus, although this effect has not been thoroughly tested. Treatment with saw palmetto reduced the levels of estrogen receptors in a small trial of 35 men with benign prostatic hypertrophy, reports an article published in 1992 in the journal "European Urology." Additional research is needed to confirm this anti-estrogenic activity of saw palmetto.
Saw Palmetto for Women
Because saw palmetto is thought to reduce testosterone and estrogen levels, some health practitioners recommend it as a treatment for women experiencing high testosterone levels or estrogen dominance, explains an article published in Red Orbit in February 2008. However, given the lack of evidence that saw palmetto actually lowers testosterone levels, there is very little scientific basis for this recommendation.
Interactions
Due to the possible anti-estrogenic effects, saw palmetto may possibly cause interactions with medications containing estrogen. Certain birth control pills contain estrogen, and taking saw palmetto at the same time as these birth control pills may increase the risk of unexpected pregnancy, warns MedlinePlus. In addition, saw palmetto may also decrease the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy involving estrogen.
References
- MedlinePlus: Saw Palmetto; December 2010
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Saw Palmetto; July 2010
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Saw Palmetto; Steven D. Ehrlich et al.; February 2009
- "Reviews in Urology"; Saw Palmetto Berry as a Treatment for BPH; Elliot Fagelman and Franklin Lowe; Summer 2001
- "European Urology"; Evidence that Serenoa Repens Extract Displays an Antiestrogenic Activity in Prostatic Tissue of Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy Patients; F. Di Silverio et al.; 1992
- Red Orbit: Balance Your Hormones; Emily Kate; February 2008
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