Saw palmetto is a name you see popularly in alternative or herbal medicine.  It is a type of fan palm and it’s fruits are high in fatty acids and phytosterols.  In herbal medicine, saw palmetto has received the most attention for it’s usefulness in prostate health for men.  Most articles I’ve read cited saw palmetto’s use and effectiveness in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.  This herb has been used for this condition in Europe far before it’s usage became popular here and is used in prostate health supplements for a good reason.

In a recent study by Dr. Leonard Marks, it was found that prostate volume signifigantly reduced an average of 9% in 45 days and 10% by 90 days for the group taking saw palmetto.  Side effects were a minimal amount of gastrointestinal distress.  When shopping for saw palmetto, look for the word standardized on the label.  320 mg. of saw palmetto daily, standardized to be 85% -95% fatty acids is the most consistent recommendations in research I read.  If you take too much, diarrhea could result.

 Saw palmetto does not appear to effect PSA levels which would interfere with testing for prostate cancer.  The mechanism of saw palmetto’s effectiveness for BPH is it’s inhibition of testosterone converting to dihydrotestosterone or DHT.   DHT is thought to be the cause of prostate enlargement on men.  Saw palmetto is also used in treatment of premature male pattern baldness. 

Again, the mechanism here is the saw palmetto slowing the conversion of testosterone to DHT, such as is the purpose of the male hair loss remedy called provillus (see male hair loss product reviews for more information and a review on this excellent male hair loss treatment paired with an FDA approved ingredient in their topical solution). 

I would like to see more clinical studies, research and testing done and results published on the subject of saw palmetto for male reproductive health.  So much more is written in the mainstream for medication and herbal products for female health.  Men’s reproductive health and products, herbal and otherwise, to maintain it deserve the same amount of research and media attention.