Saw palmetto?!
Question:
Saw palmetto?
My Doctor recomended saw palmetto for mild prostate problem. How much should a person take? Are there any best types. Is there a preferable time of day to take it? Any other saw palmetto information. I am 53 years old.
Answers:
There is evidence that saw palmetto can reduce symptoms of an enlarged prostate. However, in 2006 a large study of 225 men with moderate-to-severe BPH (benign prostatic hypertrophy) found no improvement with 320 mg saw palmetto daily for 1 year versus placebo.
For enlarged prostate, a dose of 320 milligrams daily by mouth, in one dose or two divided doses, of an extract standardized to contain 85 to 95% fatty acids and sterols, has been used in numerous studies. (Another source says 80% to 90% liposterolic content.)
Rectal saw palmetto (640 milligrams once daily) extract has also been used for benign prostatic hypertrophy.
Traditional or other suggested doses that are less studied include: 1 to 2 grams of ground, dried, or whole berries daily; 2 to 4 milliliters of tincture (1:4) three times daily; 1 to 2 milliliters fluid extract of berry pulp (1:1) three times daily; or tea (2 teaspoons dried berry with 24 ounces water, simmered slowly until liquid is reduced by half) taken as 4 ounces three times daily. Teas prepared from saw palmetto berries are potentially not as effective because the active ingredients may not dissolve in water. Some experts believe that a preparation called lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESR) may cause fewer side effects.
As with many other herbs, the quality of commercial saw palmetto products may vary widely. For this reason, it is best to purchase a saw palmetto product that has been evaluated by an independent lab, such as Consumer Labs (www.consumerlabs.com). Some products are also certified by the USP.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/drugi...
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/palmetto/...
http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/getconten...