Alternative Medicine: Saw palmetto for prostate health

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Saw palmetto is a well-established herbal treatment for men who have symptoms of an enlarged prostate, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Essentially all research on saw palmetto extracts for men with mild to moderate BPH symptoms has concluded that this safe herb is more effective than placebo and nearly as effective as commonly prescribed medications.

A 2006 German double-blind one-year study compared a combination of saw palmetto and stinging nettle root (another common treatment for BPH) with Flomax, a popular drug for BPH. The herbs were just as effective as Flomax at reducing symptoms. Neither caused significant side effects, but the herbal combination is much cheaper.

A well-publicized study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that saw palmetto extract was not helpful for men with severe BPH symptoms. Many people used this study to say saw palmetto didn't work at all, failing to note the study was one of the first to look at patients with much more serious symptoms than previous trials. So this study reinforces what already was suspected, that saw palmetto would not work if the condition has progressed too far.

On the other hand, a nearly ignored European study concluded that consistent use of saw palmetto could reduce the need for surgery in men with milder symptoms (World Journal of Urology 2005; 23:253). This two-year study compares favorably with similar data from drug trials.

Saw palmetto remains a safe, effective, highly affordable treatment for men with mild to moderate BPH. Men with serious BPH, including those who don't respond to saw palmetto, should consult their health care provider.

--Eric Yarnell, assistant professor of botanical medicine, Bastyr University

Bastyr is a non-profit, private university offering graduate and undergraduate degrees, with a multidisciplinary curriculum in science-based natural medicine. The university's Seattle teaching clinic, Bastyr Center for Natural Health, is the Northwest's largest natural medicine clinic. Go to www.bastyr.edu or www.bastyrcenter.org

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