Saw Palmetto and Enlarged Prostate

Posted by Dr G [GNN] on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 Under: Health & Medical

There’s so much information online in the nutrition and supplement market about Saw Palmetto and its treatment of benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is the abnormal enlargement of the Prostate which is a common problem in older men from about age 40 but mostly 70% of men over 70 years has this problem. Please know that BPH is not the same as Prostate Cancer but just excessive enlarged Prostate. Let me identify what Prostate is and why its important. The Prostate is part of the male reproductive system, it is a walnut-size gland located between the bladder and Urethra. If the Prostate becomes enlarged it blocks the passage of urine through the Urethra leading to so many health issues. Some of the problems caused by enlarged Prostate are excessive urination, having to wake up many times to urinate at night (nocturia) which disrupts sleep and increases the stress levels, the inability for a man to empty the bladder completely during urination and weak urine stream, frequent urgency to urinate even right after urinating and dribbling of urine involuntarily. People who have severe cases of enlarged Prostate may be prescribed certain medications like Flomax or may end up undergoing surgery which is a risky and dangerous procedure.

Many people with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) do not want to be taking prescribed medicine because of the side effects and wants to avoid having surgery on their Prostate. That is why many of people look towards Prostate supplements for help.

The most popular Prostate supplement you see in the market is Saw Palmetto. This product is an extract from the fruit tree called Serenoa repens that grows in certain parts of the United States like Florida. Saw Palmetto is claimed to treat enlarged Prostate, improve urinary function, boost libido and fertility, reduce inflammation, stimulate hair growth and has anticancer effect. That’s a lot health benefits from just one supplement. If Saw Palmetto is so powerful why is it not regulated by the U.S Food and drug administration (FDA)? You can purchase Saw Palmetto from any store with no prescription, if you look at any of the online retailers and you’ll see different brands of the product with all kinds of review by consumers. The difference in these products is the actual amount of Saw Palmetto, the quality of the manufactured product which affects the strength and efficacy of the product in relieving the problems of enlarged Prostate.

How does Saw Palmetto work? – The mechanism of function has not been fully understood but it is assumed to block the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and shrinks the size of the Prostate gland. Testosterone is an important male hormone that decreases as people grow old so maintaining the level of this hormone is very important. Saw Palmetto appears to maintain the high testosterone level, protects libido and fertility, reduce Prostate inflammation, prevents hair loss because high levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) causes hair loss. There is also the claim that this supplement may slow the growth Prostate cancer cells. But clinical studies have not verified the claimed benefits of Saw Palmetto, that is why the FDA is not regulating the product.

Dose of Saw Palmetto – the dose that is being used is 160mg twice daily or 320mg daily. But some brands of this products being sold online have less or over this dose for reasons best known to the manufacturer, remember the market is not regulated.

Side Effects – Fortunately Saw Palmetto is very safe with few mild side effects that are reversible. Some of these are diarrhea, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, vertigo and rarely increased bleeding, liver damage, pancreatitis liver damage and drug interaction. The rare side effects are not common, but you still need to be aware of it.

Caution – Because of drug interaction if you are on hormone treatment or blood thinners, NSAID like Ibuprofen it is best to avoid saw Palmetto. It is not recommended for children under 12 years old, pregnant or breastfeeding women.

If you’re under medical treatment or have any serious health issues make sure to consult with your doctor or Pharmacist before taking Saw palmetto.

One of the most effective Saw Palmetto available in the market is the Trunature Prostate Health complex. You can order it from many retailers or from here: