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Here is some information on Saw Palmetto supplementation....




Clinical trial on Saw Palmetto and Prostate Health
Results of first U.S. randomized clinical trial on saw palmetto and prostate health announced at American Urological Association annual meeting, May 1999.


It was reported that regular use of a saw palmetto dietary supplement appears to shrink prostate tissues, specifically the epithelial, or glandular, tissues of the prostate, according to a new randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on saw palmetto and prostate health. Conducted by the Urological Sciences Research Foundation, the study is the first to actually biopsy participants' prostate tissue to observe the effects of saw palmetto.

Study investigators monitored the prostate health of 44 men during a six-month period. All the participants suffered from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Most importantly, biopsies revealed that participants who used saw palmetto also experienced a significant decrease in the epithelial, or glandular, component of their prostate. This study indicates that saw palmetto significantly decreases the growth of prostate tissue and improves BPH symptoms - without any adverse hormonal effects. Clinical associate professor in the Department of Urology with the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine and founder of the Urological Sciences Research Foundation. "I believe urologists may now consider saw palmetto a viable, natural, alternative treatment for many men with BPH."

The results of the study are consistent with a November 1998 literature review of the effects of saw palmetto on BPH published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Introduction

A member of the palm family, saw palmetto is found in coastal regions of Texas and Florida. The fruit and seeds of the saw palmetto plant have been claimed to be helpful in treating a wide variety of medical conditions. Current medical interest is focused on beneficial effects for men with enlarged prostates.

What other claims have been made for Saw Palmeto?

Claims have been made that Saw Palmeto can:

strengthening the thyroid gland
correcting hormonal imbalances
strengthening male and female reproductive systems
relieving testicular inflammation and breast tenderness
treat cough and congestion brought on by asthma, bronchitis and colds
balance the metabolism, aid digestion and stimulate the appetite to increase weight gain.
Any truth to these claims?

No scientific evidence to support nonprostate uses.

What does the prostate do and what are symptoms of prostate problems?

The prostate is a gland, located between the bladder and the penis, that produces various components of semen that mixes with sperm produced in the testes during ejaculation. The prostatic fluids are necessary for sperm to fertilize an egg.

The prostate gland continually enlarges in men as they age. This is known as "Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy" or BPH. Although the incidence of prostate cancer increases dramatically as men get older, BPH is not though to be a risk factor in and of itself for prostate cancer.

The urethra, a small tube carrying urine, passes through the prostate on its way from the bladder to the penis. BPH can cause narrowing of the urethra as it passes through the prostate. This can make it difficult to fully empty the bladder as the bladder stretches and loses some of its muscular tone over time.

Symptoms of BPH include:

urinating small amounts very frequently
weak urine stream
sudden urge to urinate with loss of bladder control if not able to reach a toilet quickly.
regularly waking up more than once a night to urinate
full aching sensation in the lower abdomen
Does Saw Palmeto help men with symptomatic BPH?

Studies in both Europe and the United States have shown Saw Palmeto to have a mild to modest beneficial effect on BPH symptoms. 2 There are several prescription medications available (Proscar™- finasteride; Hytrin™- terazosin) that produce similar results. The mechanism of action is unknown. Recent studies using MRI imaging do not show a decrease in overall prostate size; however, a small amount of tissue near the urethra does appear to shrink in size possibly resulting in improved urine flow.

In over 50% of patients medical therapy is not effective.


Those whom it is effective may require at least six to twelve months of daily use to see a benefit.


Saw Palmeto appears about as effective as Hytrin™ and Proscar™in decreasing BPH symptoms. 1, 3


Saw Palmeto does not appear to effect PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) levels and thus does not interfere with PSA screening for prostate cancer.
For many men a surgical procedure known as a "TURP" or transurethral resection of prostate is the most (only) effective option. In this procedure an instrument is passed through the urethra to the prostate with prostate tissue being removed from within the prostate thus widening the prostatic urethra. In layman's terms this is known as a Rotorooter ream job.


Any side effects or drug interactions?

None reported thus far.

Dose

Saw Palmetto Concentrate contains 160 mg per capsule. Typical doses are 1 or 2 capsules two times or four times daily.

Bottom Line

Saw Palmeto, Hytrin and Proscar all are reasonable choices for men with mild to moderate symptoms of BPH who want to avoid surgery and can wait 6-12 months if they are not helped by medication treatment. Optimal dosing is not known.

Resources

1. Carraro JC, Raynaud JP, Koch G, Chisholm GD, DiSilverio F, Teillac P, et al. Comparison of phytotherapy (Permixon) with finasteride in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a randomized international study of 1,098 patients. Prostate 1996;29:231-40.

2. Marks LS, Partin AW, Epstein JI, Tyler VE, Simon I, Macairan ML, Chan TL, Dorey FJ, Garris JB, Veltri RW, Santos PB, Stonebrook KA, deKERNION JB. Effects of a saw palmetto herbal blend in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol 2000 May;163(5):1451-63.

3. Roehrborn CG, Oesterling JE, Auerbach S, Kaplan SA, Lloyd LK, Milam DE, Padley RJ. Hytrin Community Assessment Trial study: a one-year study of terazosin versus placebo in the treatment of men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology 1996 Feb;47(2):159-68
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http://www.vrp.com/art/419.asp
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Saw Palmetto
Saw Palmetto is a small plant native to the coastal areas of Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. It has been an important food source for native Americans for at least 12,000 years. Saw Palmetto has not lost its value since then, because all parts of this plant are known to have important health benefits.

The most prized part of Saw Palmetto is the berries, which are harvested, dried, and ground for preparation as a tea or in capsules. The Berries has a pungent, sweet taste, and has a warming affect on the body.

By the native Indians, Saw Palmetto has been used as a tonic for nutritional supplementation. They used the Saw Palmetto’s seeds as food and they believed that the fruits had special health benefits. Early American settlers used the juice from Saw Palmetto berries to gain weight, to improve general disposition and as a sedative. They used it also to treat problems associated with the genitals and reproductive system.

Nowadays, Saw Palmetto is used to treat a variety of ailments. It is believed to fight coughs, bronchitis, dysmenorrhea, and asthma. It is still used to stimulate appetite, balance the metabolism, and aid digestion.

Saw Palmetto is also known as an aphrodisiac for both men and women and as a popular treatment for an enlarged prostate both in Europe and the United States. It also appears to have anti-inflammatory and mild antiandrogenic effects.
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http://www.medicinenet.com/saw_palmetto/article.htm

Here is some research...
http://www.nutrilite.com/english/Pub.../doc10420r.asp

http://www.medicinenet.com/saw_palme...al/article.htm

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