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Saw Palmetto Supplement
In the early part of the twentieth century, saw
palmetto berry tea was commonly recommended by herbalists, for a variety of
urinary tract ailments in men. Some believed the berry increased sperm
production and sex drive in men.
The liposterolic (fat-soluble) extract of saw
palmetto provides concentrated amounts of free fatty acids and sterols. One
study with a saw palmetto extract suggests that it reduces the amount of
dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (an active form of testosterone) binding in the
part of the prostate surrounding the urethra (the tube carrying urine from
the bladder).1
Test tube studies also suggest that saw palmetto weakly inhibits the action
of 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone to
DHT.2
In test tubes, saw palmetto also inhibits the actions of growth factors and
inflammatory substances that may contribute to benign prostatic hyperplasia
(BPH). Contrary to some opinions, saw palmetto does not have an
estrogen-like effect in men’s bodies.
Over
the last decade, double-blind clinical trials have proven that 320 mg per
day of the liposterolic extract of saw palmetto berries is a safe and
effective treatment for the symptoms of BPH. A recent review of studies,
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association,
concluded that saw palmetto extract was as effective as finasteride (Proscar®)
in the treatment of BPH. The clinical effectiveness of saw palmetto has been
shown in trials lasting six months to three years.
A
three-year trial in Germany found that taking 160 mg of saw palmetto extract
twice daily reduced nighttime urination in 73% of patients and improved
urinary flow rates significantly. In a double-blind trial, 160 mg of saw
palmetto extract taken twice daily was found to treat BPH as effectively as
finasteride (Proscar) without side effects, such as loss of libido.
There are two forms of
medical treatment for BPH: a series of drugs called alpha blockers
relaxes the muscles within the prostate and bladder neck, allowing the flow
of urine to improve; a second family of medication, 5-alpha reductase
inhibitors, will cause some large prostates to shrink and thereby
improve flow , although the action is slow and maximum response may take
6-12 months to achieve and this by no means a cure; certainly symptoms
re-occur.. Also, Decreased sexual function is one of the major side effects.
There are four drugs in the alpha blocker family: terazocin/Hytrin™,
doxasacine/Cardura™ , tamulosin/Flomax™ and alfuzacin/Uroxatrol™.
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Benefit of Saw
Palmetto herb for a healthy prostate gland
for optimal prostate health
important for libido and sexual enhancement.
Saw palmetto is an herb that has been shown
in clinical studies to have an important role in maintaining a healthy
prostate. Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens,
sometimes referred to as sabal in Europe)
grows naturally in the southeast United States, including
Georgia,
Mississippi, and
particularly Florida.
Saw palmetto is not the only herb that has an influence on the prostate
gland. Several other herbs and plant compounds that are potentially useful
in maintaining a healthy prostate gland including pygeum, stinging nettle,
isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein, rye pollen, phytosterols such as
beta sitosterol, and carotenoids such as lycopene.
It appears that urinary symptoms resulting from
mild-to-moderate prostate enlargement respond more readily to saw palmetto
than symptoms due to severe enlargement. It often takes several weeks or
months for the effects of saw palmetto and other herbs to be fully
appreciated. Saw palmetto and herbs have fewer side effects than drugs used
for prostate enlargement.
