Saw Palmetto Berry

Saw palmetto berry extract is a supplement made from the fruit of the Serenoa repens tree.

It’s often use to treat enlarge prostate, improve urinary function, and enhance hair growth. Some also use the supplement to boost libido and fertility and reduce inflammation. Finally,  It claim to have anticancer effects.

However, not all of its uses and purported health benefits are supported by science.

This article looks at the research behind saw palmetto, including its benefits, potential side effects, and dosage recommendations.

Saw palmetto Berry, or Serenoa repens, is a dwarf palm tree native to the southeast regions of North America and especially abundant in Florida, Georgia, Cuba, and the Bahamas (1Trusted Source).

It grows in sandy soil and gets its name from the sharp, saw-like teeth on the stalks that attach the tree’s leaves to its stem. The saw palmetto tree produces dark berries that contain a large seed (1Trusted Source).

The saw palmeto fruit has long been used by Native Americans for its nutritional, diuretic, sedative, aphrodisiac, and cough-reducing properties.

Saw Palmetto benefits

BPH is common in older men, affecting up to 75% of men in their 70s (3Trusted Source).

If left untreated, the prostate can enlarge to the point of interfering with the ability to properly empty the bladder. It can also increase the frequency and urge to urinate, often causing excessive nighttime urination which may disrupt sleep.

BPH is part of a larger group of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), a group of symptoms typically involving the bladder, urethra, and prostate. Unlike BPH, LUTS can affect both men and women (4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).

Several studies have looked at saw palmetto’s effect on LUTS — with mixed results.

Early studies reported that saw palmetto may help increase urine flow and reduce nighttime urination in men with BPH — both when used alone or in combination with traditional drug therapy