The Benefits of Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a widely used herbal supplement that has shown potential in managing various health conditions, particularly benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). While research findings on its efficacy are mixed, saw palmetto remains a popular choice for men seeking natural alternatives for managing their symptoms.

Current wisdom

The effectiveness of saw palmetto may depend on several factors, including the type of extract (hexanic or non-hexanic), the quality of the plant source, and the duration of treatment. Overall, saw palmetto appears to be a safe and well-tolerated treatment option for BPH, with fewer side effects compared to some pharmaceutical drugs.

More research is needed to determine the optimal dose, duration, and type of saw palmetto extract for BPH treatment. However, the existing evidence suggests that saw palmetto may be a beneficial option for men seeking a natural approach to managing BPH symptoms and in some respects is as effective as conventional medical treatments^1,3,5 without any negative effects on sexual function⁶.

A clinical study has shown that saw palmetto oil enriched with β-sitosterol is more effective than conventional saw palmetto oil in improving symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and androgen deficiency. This finding suggests that both saw palmetto and β-sitosterol may be beneficial for men with BPH².

Saw palmetto has also demonstrated effectiveness and clinical superiority over placebo in treating chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, resulting in improvements in pain, urinary symptoms, and quality of life with minimal side effects⁷.

Saw palmetto extract was shown in a Japanese study to reduce daytime urinary frequency and night time urination (nocturia) in women, suggesting it may be a viable option for alleviating lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)⁴.

References

1. Csikós E, Horváth A, Ács K, Papp N, Balázs VL, Dolenc MS, Kenda M, Kočevar Glavač N, Nagy M, Protti M, Mercolini L, Horváth G, Farkas Á, On Behalf Of The Oemonom. Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia by Natural Drugs. Molecules. 2021 Nov 25;26(23):7141. doi: 10.3390/molecules26237141. PMID: 34885733; PMCID: PMC8659259.
2. Sudeep HV, Thomas JV, Shyamprasad K. A double blind, placebo-controlled randomized comparative study on the efficacy of phytosterol-enriched and conventional saw palmetto oil in mitigating benign prostate hyperplasia and androgen deficiency. BMC Urol. 2020 Jul 3;20(1):86. doi: 10.1186/s12894-020-00648-9. PMID: 32620155; PMCID: PMC7333342.
3. Das K, Buchholz N. Benign prostate hyperplasia and nutrition. Clin Nutr ESPEN. 2019 Oct;33:5-11. doi: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2019.07.015. Epub 2019 Aug 12. PMID: 31451276.
4. Yamada S, Shirai M, Ono K, Kageyama S. Beneficial Effects of Saw Palmetto Fruit Extract on Urinary Symptoms in Japanese Female Subjects by a Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Nutrients. 2022 Mar 11;14(6):1190. doi: 10.3390/nu14061190. PMID: 35334848; PMCID: PMC8953103.
5. Cai T, Cui Y, Yu S, Li Q, Zhou Z, Gao Z. Comparison of Serenoa repens With Tamsulosin in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Am J Mens Health. 2020 Mar-Apr;14(2):1557988320905407. doi: 10.1177/1557988320905407. PMID: 32274957; PMCID: PMC7153190.
6. Paulis G, Paulis A, Perletti G. Serenoa repens and its effects on male sexual function. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Arch Ital Urol Androl. 2021 Dec 21;93(4):475-480. doi: 10.4081/aiua.2021.4.475. PMID: 34933534.
7. Zhang K, Guo RQ, Chen SW, Chen B, Xue XB, Chen S, Huang J, Liu M, Tian Y, Zuo L, Chen M, Zhou LQ. The efficacy and safety of Serenoa repens extract for the treatment of patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. World J Urol. 2021 Sep;39(9):3489-3495. doi: 10.1007/s00345-020-03577-2. Epub 2021 Jan 16. PMID: 33452912; PMCID: PMC8510895.