Prostate

Prostate & Saw Palmetto. What is Saw Palmetto?

Saw Palmetto is a type of palm tree that grows in the southeastern United States.

The berry of the saw palmetto plant contains a compound that helps reduce the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. Symptoms of an enlarged prostate include dribbling after urination and getting up many times during the night to urinate.

From the 1870s until 1950, saw palmetto was a common treatment for prostate and other urinary problems. After 1950, saw palmetto was no longer recognized as a drug in the United States. It is still used in Europe as a treatment for BPH and is approved by the German Commission E. The Commission E evaluates herbal treatments for their safety and efficacy. Saw palmetto is now available as a dietary supplement.

What is saw palmetto used for?

Men use saw palmetto to treat the symptoms of an enlarged prostate (BPH). Saw palmetto helps improve a man's ability to urinate by allowing urine to flow out of the bladder faster and reducing the number of times he needs to get up during the night to urinate.

Is saw palmetto safe?

Few problems have been reported among men taking saw palmetto. But some men may experience stomach problems.

Men who have problems urinating should see a doctor to rule out prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is treatable, but treatment is most successful when you find and treat the cancer as early as possible.

Always tell your doctor that you are using saw palmetto or if you are thinking about it with your conventional medical treatment.

Click here to review the Saw Palmetto supplement.