NATURAL PRODUCTS

Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)

Saw Palmetto is one of the few natural products that seems to have found a niche and a medical following as an alternative to prescriptions drugs used to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy.  While Saw Palmetto can relieve the symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland, such as difficulty in urination, it does not shrink the size of the prostate.  When Saw Palmetto is stopped, the difficulty in urination will reappear.  Some health plans are recommending that their patients with an enlarged prostate take Saw Palmetto as an alternative to prescription drugs like Hytrin and Minipress, which are also used to treat high blood pressure.  Saw Palmetto appears to be safe and has no side effects other than occasional stomach complaints.  And once again, the issue of quality assurance and consistent quality within lots or between brands must be considered.  An estimated dose of Saw Palmetto is 160 mg twice a day.

The active compounds in Saw Palmetto are sitosterols, including Beta-Sitosterol and its glucosides and esters. These compounds have antiandrogenic effects, which appear to help in benign prostatic hypertrophy.  A European study demonstrated that the likely mechanism for this antiandrogenic effect is inhibition of 5-alpha- reducatase, the enzyme responsible for converting testosterone to dihydrotesterone.  In addition, it is believed that Saw Palmetto blocks alpha-1 adrenergic receptors, which may lead to a decrease in blood pressure and dilation of blood vessels.  Proscar (finasteride), another prescription drug used to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy, is also antiandrogenic and should not be handled by women who are or may be pregnant because of effects it can have on a male fetus.  Whether this same warning applies to Saw Palmetto is unknown.

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This page was last updated on 04/29/05.