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Saw Palmetto Herb - Uses And Side Effects

Saw palmetto's active ingredients come from brownish black berries of the American dwarf palm (Serenoa repens or Sabal serrolata). Native Americans have used the Saw Palmetto berry to treat genital, urinary tract, and reproductive system problems. Saw Palmetto is widely researched and used in Europe, and is now gaining popularity in North America, and being used for its benefits for the urinary tract.

Saw palmetto is a small palm tree that grows in coastal areas of the American southeast, parts of Africa, and southern Europe. It has white flowers that bloom in the spring and summer and produces clusters of olive-sized fruits that turn dark blue when ripe. Once dried, the fruits are used medicinally. Harvesting of saw palmetto berries is becoming a big industry with nearly 2000 tons of these berries being shipped to Europe for the herbal supplement market.

Common doses of Saw Palmetto

Saw palmetto comes as tablets, capsules, teas, berries (fresh or dried), and liquid extract. Some experts recommend the following dose:

• For benign prostate enlargement, 320 milligrams daily taken orally in two equal doses, continued for 3 months. Or 1 to 2 grams of fresh berries or 0.5 to 1 gram of dried berries in decoction taken orally three times daily.

Uses of Saw Palmetto herb

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. Specifically, saw palmetto may help to :-

• Benign prostate enlargement
• Decreased breast size
• Decreased sperm production
• Fluid retention
• Genital and urinary problems

Some herbalists also purport that saw palmetto may also exhibit anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, diuretic, and sedative properties. Other reports, while unconfirmed, indicate that saw palmetto may also be somewhat effective in stimulating hair growth.

Due to the hormone activity of saw palmetto, women have used saw palmetto to increase breast size. However, there is no clinical evidence to support its effectiveness for this use.

Side effects of Saw Palmetto

Call your health care practitioner if you experience any of these possible side effects of saw palmetto:

• abdominal pain
• headache
• back pain
• impotence
• constipation
• nausea
• painful urination
• diarrhea
• urine retention.

This herb also can cause high blood pressure.

Are there any interactions?

Combining herbs with certain drugs may alter their action or produce unwanted side effects. Tell your health care practitioner about any prescription or nonprescription drugs you're taking.

Important points to remember

• Don't use saw palmetto if you're pregnant, breast-feeding, or a female of child bearing age.
• Avoid this herb unless you've been officially diagnosed with benign prostate enlargement-and then use it only on the advice of your health care practitioner.
• Before starting saw palmetto therapy, have your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level measured.
• Be aware that saw palmetto doesn't seem to change the prostate's size.
• Use saw palmetto cautiously for any condition other than benign prostate enlargement.
• To minimize stomach upset, take saw palmetto with your morning and evening meals.

What the research shows

Many test tube, animal, and human studies have found that saw palmetto (especially its component known as LSESR) treats benign prostate enlargement as effectively as a commonly prescribed drug. Current studies focus on comparing how saw palmetto and the prescription drug work. Nonetheless, even though LSESR seems safe and effective, medical experts need to see the results of the comparative research before they can fully recommend saw palmetto.

Other names for Saw Palmetto

Other names for saw palmetto include American dwarf palm tree, cabbage palm, IDS 89, LSESR. and saba!.

Products containing saw palmetto are sold under such names as Permixon, Propalmex, and Strogen.