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How Effective Is Saw Palmetto For Prostate

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Who Should Buy Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto for BPH, Prostate Cancer, or Prostatitis?

Saw palmetto is most often used by men for three purposes:

Men who want to boost their testosterone levels. Saw palmetto is a near-ubiquitous ingredient in testosterone boosters thanks to its role in androgen metabolism inside the body.

Because saw palmetto appears to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, its thought that it could boost the overall availability of testosterone in your body.

Men who want better sexual performance. Because of saw palmettos interactions with androgens in the body, its also quite popular as a way to improve libido and enhance sexual stamina, which is why youll find it in many male enhancement pills.

Men looking to treat hair loss. Saw palmetto acts on many of the same biological signalling pathways as other supplements for hair loss: cutting down on dihydrotestosterone levels by retaining more testosterone molecules,

Since dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, is what kills off hair cells, decreasing its levels is a sound method for reversing hair loss.

Men who want to improve their prostate health. Saw palmetto has been heavily researched as a way to reduce the symptoms of an enlarged prostate, a condition that many men find themselves with as they get older. Saw palmetto may prove to be a useful natural remedy for reducing symptoms of an enlarged prostate, again thanks to its action on androgen metabolism.

Saw Palmetto Supplement For Prostate Health

Herbal medication products that are generally available for buying may not be the same as those used in clinical trials and, therefore, may not give the same results. There are no proven drug interactions with saw palmetto. The cost for typical saw palmetto products range from $6 to $20 per month at a 160 mg dosage two times a day.

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Research Into Saw Palmetto

Previous research has shown that Saw Palmetto extract is as effective as drug medication for mild to moderate symptoms of BPH.

A 12-month trial using Saw Palmetto capsules for men with lower urinary tract discomfort due to BPH found the efficacy and safety of the Saw Palmetto supplement to be excellent. International Prostate Symptom Score figures and Uroflow measurements improved within the first 6 months of treatment, and continued to improve through the following 6 months. There was no further prostate growth during the treatment period. The therapy was well-tolerated and without the negative side effects often experienced while using pharmaceutical treatments for the same issue.

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How To Avoid Ineffective Saw Palmetto

High quality saw palmetto is so effective that European doctors prescribe it for prostate issues. In order to achieve this potency, the plant must be harvested when its ripe at an extremely specific time of year. Unfortunately, most saw palmetto manufacturers harvest year-round.

Thats why we recommend clinically studied USPlus® saw palmetto. USPlus is the only saw palmetto verified by the US Pharmacopoeia for proper ripeness and potency, making it highly dependable for prostate support.

Are There Natural Remedies That Support Prostate Health

Nature

With any condition, there will inevitably be a line of natural remedies that claim to help alleviate symptoms and build a path towards health.

While this may seem too good to be true, by the number of customers these companies have year after year, the volume of verified testimonials, and the support some of their ingredients have from the medical community, there must be something to them.

These natural remedies are often chosen by people who want to help the body help itself people looking for a natural solution. If they find it, they may be able to avoid the cost, inconvenience, and side effects of prescription drugs.

*Its important to always do your research about any natural remedy so you can make an informed decision about your health.

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Pure Encapsulations Saw Palmetto 320

Pure Encapsulations makes a pure and concentrated saw palmetto supplement that focuses on delivering the active ingredients in as high of a concentration as possible.

The plant materials are standardized to contain 85% total fatty acids, and aside from gelatin in the capsule, there are no additional ingredients, making this a good choice for those who need a higher than average dosage.

Saw Palmetto Side Effects

Saw palmetto can cause low libido, gastrointestinal discomfort, and headaches, among other side effects. According to one study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the side effects of saw palmetto include constipation, decreased libido, diarrhea, headache, hypertension, nausea, and urine retention .

Saw palmettos side effects are rare. According to this same study, these side effects are quite rare, and in most studies, very few people drop out because of side effects.

Saw palmetto is not known to interact with testosterone therapy. The same study noted that, while its theoretically possible for saw palmetto to interact with medications that affect hormone levels, like testosterone, there are no reports of this actually occurring.

Saw palmetto is not likely to interact with most prescription drugs. A study published in 2004 in the journal Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics examined whether saw palmetto has the potential to interact with prescription medications.

They studied its effect on cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are know to be linked to drug-supplement interactions .

The researchers found no evidence that saw palmetto caused any biological interaction with these enzymes, and while this does not guarantee safety, it does corroborate the lack of reports of adverse effects linked to saw palmetto and prescription medications interacting.

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Nearly 80% Of All Saw Palmetto May Be Completely Ineffective How Can You Find A Supplement That Works

Advertiser Disclosure

Difficulty starting urination? Weak stream? Frequent trips to the bathroom? These are all signs that your prostate may be in need of support. Fortunately, many of the 50 million Americans who suffer from prostate issues are finding support in an herb called saw palmetto.

Studies show that saw palmetto promotes prostate health, helping with comfortable, less-frequent urination. This unique herb also benefits sexual wellness.

As a result, the market has become flooded with saw palmetto supplements promising to reduce prostate size and support comfortable urination.

However, not all saw palmetto supplements are made equally. In fact, as much as 80% of American saw palmetto may be completely ineffective. Thats why Smarter Reviews compiled years of research on saw palmetto supplements, laying out what to look for, what to avoid, and 2021s Top 5 supplements all in this quick guide.

Saw Palmetto Extract In Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Saw Palmetto: Good For Prostate Health?
The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
First Posted : May 17, 2002Last Update Posted : January 14, 2010
Condition or disease
Phase 3

Eligibility Criteria:

  • Participants must be men, aged 50 years or older with moderate-to-severe BPH.
  • Participants must not have a history of prostate cancer, prior surgery on the prostate, kidney failure, or taking furosemide , warfarin , or hormone medications. Individuals taking medicine for their BPH must stop them for one month , doxazosin , tamsulosin ) or six months ) prior to entering the study.

Information from the National Library of Medicine

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier : NCT00037154

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How To Take Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto is a palm-type tree native to south-eastern America. As a supplement, it can be purchased as tablets, soft gels, drops and dried tea, either online or from health food shops and pharmacies.

The Saw Palmetto tree’s dark berries provide the most effective part of the plant for treating BPH. Look for products that are made from the berry of the tree rather than the bark or root.

The oily quality of the berry is important and really needs to be maintained for it to work. For this reason, it’s best to purchase Saw Palmetto in a soft gel capsule rather than tablet format. It may take up to 8 weeks for results to be seen.

How Saw Palmetto Could Help Prostate Health

01 Nov 2022

If youâre always getting up to pee in the night, you could have an enlarged prostate. But help could be at hand with a traditional herbal remedy: saw palmetto.

Grey, thinning hair and getting up to pee in the night are all perfectly normal â if annoying â signs of ageing. While itâs easy enough to dye your hair, what can you do about an enlarged prostate?

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Does Saw Palmetto Work

One of the most commonly experienced prostate conditions among aging men is called benign prostate hyperplasia . This can be a significant disruption in a mans everyday life, leaving many seeking natural treatments. Saw palmetto is a frequently used herbal therapy for BPH, but what is saw palmetto, and how effective is it?

What Is Saw Palmetto Used For

Saw Palmetto 1300mg Prostate Supplement Urinary Support Capsules ...

In alternative medicine, saw palmetto is said to aid in the treatment of conditions such as asthma, colds, coughs, hair loss, migraine, chronic pelvic pain, and sore throat. Saw palmetto is also thought to increase libido as well as alleviate stress.

Saw palmetto is perhaps best known for its use in treating prostate problems. This include benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostatitis ,

Scientific studies have provided limited evidence to support these claims.

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Getting A Prostate Biopsy

For some men, getting a prostate biopsy might be the best option, especially if the initial PSA level is high. A biopsy is a procedure in which small samples of the prostate are removed and then looked at under a microscope. This test is the only way to know for sure if a man has prostate cancer. If prostate cancer is found on a biopsy, this test can also help tell how likely it is that the cancer will grow and spread quickly.

For more details on the prostate biopsy and how it is done, see Tests to Diagnose and Stage Prostate Cancer.

For more information about the possible results of a prostate biopsy, see the Prostate Pathology section of our website.

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Q: Can I Take A Prostate Supplement With My Current Medications

The ingredients in most prostate supplements should be perfectly safe to use with most medications. However, certain antibiotics can diminish the effects of the supplement. Again, I urge you to discuss the matter with your doctor before you start taking any supplement. But prostate supplements have a long history of being incredibly safe. In fact I have never heard or read of any man having any problems with prostate supplements and all the researchers and doctors I spoke to said they are 100% safe.

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There Are Four Main Scams In The Prostate Industry That You Should Be Aware Of:

  • Lying About Ingredients Many companies lie about what is really contained in their product. What they say on the label is NOT what is in the bottle. That is why I spent so much money on lab tests to expose the good companies from the bad companies. I tested and ranked every product here on the website. The most effective ingredient, according to all the published clinical studies, for prostate health by far is beta-sitosterol. If you dont have that, you really dont have anything. So the lab reports on each product shows you what each product contains- and that is the key. Remember, advertisements can lie or exaggerate . .. but lab reports dont lie.

  • Fake Review Sites The Internet is flooded with fake prostate product review sites. You will see below I expose these crooked companies. The products promoted by crooked websites are: Prostavol, Prostara, Prostaleaf and Prostafin .See expose on these scams below on this page.

  • Free Trail Scams You often see ads offering you a free bottle of a product and are only required to pay a small shipping fee of like $5. Most of these are merely credit card scams designed to get your card and then to charge you, as much at $120 21 days later for more products. Most of these Free trials are operated by companies hiding out in other countries hiding form the law.

  • A classic example of a fake prostate supplement review website is the ProstatePillReviews.com which was created to help sell the product Prostavol.

    Why Do People Take It

    Review of Saw Palmetto Plant Benefits & Side Effects

    Some small studies have shown saw palmetto might help you with BPH symptoms in several ways. Among them:

    • You may need to get up less often at night to pee.
    • It can improve your flow when you go.
    • It can ease painful urination.

    Can You Take It for Other Problems?

    You may have heard about people taking saw palmetto for other reasons than BPH. Some of them include:

    Men taking saw palmetto have also reported erection problems, testicular pain, and tenderness in the breasts.

    You may also want to talk your doctor or pharmacist about the following:

    Interactions: If you take any medicines regularly, talk to your doctor before you start using saw palmetto supplements.

    They could mix poorly with medicines such as aspirin, NSAID painkillers such as ibuprofen and naproxen , blood thinners, and hormone treatments.

    In combination with ginkgo biloba or garlic, saw palmetto might seriously increase the risk of bleeding.

    Other health conditions: People who have diseases or health conditions should not use saw palmetto without talking to a doctor first.

    Saw palmetto is not recommended for children or for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

    Show Sources

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    Best Time Of Day To Take Them

    The best time of day to take Flomax is in the morning after breakfast or the first snack or meal of the day. That way, the highest levels of medicine remain in the body throughout the day.

    As a result, they exhibit their effects precisely when youre most likely to urinate. Ideally, you should take Flomax at the same time every day.

    If you miss a dose and remember it within six hours, you should take it as soon as possible. On the other hand, if its been longer than six hours, you should skip it and take the next dose in the morning at the same time as you normally do.

    Avoid taking a double dose to compensate for the one you missed out on. If you tend to forget to take medicine frequently, set up an alarm on your phone to remind you.

    When it comes to Flomax, many believe taking medicine at night is more effective. However, evidence confirms that night-time dosing isnt necessary to improve the effectiveness and tolerability of Flomax.

    There is no specific time of day considered best for taking saw palmetto. Make sure to adhere to the doctors instructions or label on the packaging.

    Ideally, you should take the supplement with food to prevent side effects and avoid potential digestive issues. That means you should take it after big meals such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

    Like with Flomax, you should take saw palmetto at the same time every day.

    Is Saw Palmetto An Effective Treatment For Bph

    Benign prostate hyperplasia is a non-malignant condition in which the prostate gland slowly becomes bigger than normal over time. It affects an estimated 50% of men beyond age 50.

    BPH is considered one of the lower urinary tract symptoms , which are conditions that involve the prostate, bladder, and urethra. Common symptoms of BPH can include frequent urination, especially at night, and dribbling after urination.

    Does saw palmetto work for BPH? While it has been used as an herbal treatment for BPH for decades, theres actually no strong evidence in support of its efficacy. Health experts disagree about saw palmetto BPH effectiveness, and if it does help, what mechanism is responsible. Some hypothesize that it helps shrink the enlarged prostate gland or at least prevents it from becoming larger.

    In a 2006 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 225 men over the age of 49 years with moderate-to-severe symptoms of BPH were given 320 mg of saw palmetto or a placebo for one year.

    At the end of the study, the researchers found that those who received saw palmetto didnt experience any significantly different results in terms of symptoms or other markers of BPH, compared to the placebo group.

    In 2012, a Cochrane review concluded that saw palmetto provides minimal improvement for BPH or other LUTS.

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    How Does Saw Palmetto Work

    It is important to note that palmetto doesnt shrink the overall size of the Prostate. It seems to shrink the inner lining that puts pressure on the tubes which carry urine.

    This was proven during a study that measured changes in mens prostate tissues after six months of taking 320mg of saw palmetto every day.

    It was shown that saw palmetto reduced swelling in the inner lining of the prostate gland which surrounds the urethra.

    Other studies have demonstrated similarly positive effects. During a Chinese study, saw palmetto was given to 165 BPH patients for a period of 3 months.

    The dose was small , yet the symptom score of the patients improved significantly after only 6 weeks. It got even better at the 12-week mark. The patients could urinate with a fuller stream, and they also had fewer feelings of retention.

    In France, a small saw palmetto extract was shown to reduce the inflammation of the Prostate.

    Moreover, in South Korea, scientists tested saw palmetto with a medication for BPH called tamsulosin. The combined treatment, they found, was more effective than with the medication alone.

    When saw palmetto shrinks the prostate lining, the most pronounced effects are improved urinary flow speed and a reduced need to urinate at night. These are also 2 of the most common symptoms of BPH. Both of them can significantly affect ones quality of life.

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