Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto comes from a plant called Serenoa Repens and is promoted as a prostate health supplement. It is actually a palm plant that is commonly found in the United States.

Uses of Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto is one of the most popular supplements for the purpose of maintaining a healthy prostate. It is commonly used by elderly men, as well as some lifters on-cycle as some steroids may have a negative impact on your prostate.

To keep it simple, Saw Palmetto may be effective for inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone). High DHT levels have been shown to be possibly linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer. This is also a reason why you may hear some parties say Saw Palmetto may be good to prevent baldness, as DHT is linked to male pattern baldness. This is based off of a study comparing it to Finasteride (a drug used for prostate issues and hair growth). While Saw Palmetto did not perform as well as Finasteride, it was able to aid in hair regrowth.

One issue is that Saw Palmetto has very little research supporting its use as a supplement. A meta-analysis showed that Saw Palmetto had no significant impact on men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. This seems to be the case in other studies as well.

There is a study showing Saw Palmetto to be effective for decreasing subjects IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) vs placebo. However if you look closely at this study, the decrease was not significant vs a placebo.

Interactions with Saw Palmetto

You typically find Saw Palmetto as a standalone, however you will find it with other male health products such as Stinging Nettle, Pumpkin Seed oil, Tribulus, DAA, and Tongkat Ali.

Side Effects of Saw Palmetto

Some side effects with Saw Palmetto may include headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea. Always talk to your doctor before considering supplementing with Saw Palmetto.