Saw palmetto
extract is commonly sold as a dietary supplement intended to improve symptoms of
benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)—also called
prostate gland enlargement—which is a common condition among men as they age.[1][5] An enlarged prostate may cause increased frequency or urgency of urination, difficulty initiating urination, weak urine stream or a stream that stops and starts, dribbling at the end of urination, and inability to completely empty the bladder.[5]
Saw palmetto
extract has been studied in
clinical trials as a possible treatment for people with
prostate cancer and for men with lower urinary tract symptoms associated with BPH.[1][3] As of 2023[update], there is insufficient
scientific evidence that saw palmetto extract is effective for treating cancer or BPH and its symptoms.[2][3] A 2023 review found that saw palmetto extract "provides little to no benefits for men with lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic enlargement."[4]
One 2016 review of clinical studies with a
standardized extract of saw palmetto (called Permixon) found that the extract was safe and may be effective for relieving BPH-induced urinary symptoms compared with a
placebo.[6]
Folk medicine
Saw palmetto was used in
folk medicine to treat coughs or other disorders.[1]
Precautions and contraindications
Children
The use of saw palmetto extract is not recommended in children under 12 years old because it may affect the metabolism of
androgen and
estrogen hormones.[7]
Pregnancy and lactation
Saw palmetto extract should not be used during pregnancy because it may affect
androgen and
estrogen metabolism.[3][7] As there is no rationale for using saw palmetto during pregnancy, it should be avoided when pregnant or while breastfeeding.[3]
PSA test interference
Saw palmetto has been shown to reduce the levels of
PSA in the blood, a hormone produced by the prostate and used as a marker by healthcare providers to evaluate the presence of prostate cancer. Taking saw palmetto can artificially reduce the levels of PSA, interfering with test results.[8]
^
abcd"Saw palmetto". National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, US National Institutes of Health. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
^
ab"Spotlight on saw palmetto: What the science says". NCCIH Clinical Digest for Health Professionals, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, US National Institutes of Health. 1 May 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
^
abFranco, Juan Va; Trivisonno, Leonel; Sgarbossa, Nadia J.; et al. (2023-06-22). "Serenoa repens for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic enlargement". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2023 (6): CD001423.
doi:
10.1002/14651858.CD001423.pub4.
ISSN1469-493X.
PMC 10286776.
PMID37345871.
^Novara, Giacomo; Giannarini, Gianluca; Alcaraz, Antonio; et al. (2016). "Efficacy and safety of hexanic lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (Permixon) in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials". European Urology Focus. 2 (5): 553–561.
doi:
10.1016/j.euf.2016.04.002.
PMID28723522.
S2CID19219564.
^
ab"Fructus Serenoae Repentis". WHO Monographs on Selected Medicinal Plants. World Health Organization. Archived from
the original on June 16, 2009. Retrieved 29 October 2014.