Saw Palmetto

Product Information

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a type of palm native to the southeastern United States.


Benefits

Saw palmetto is often used to balance hormone levels and combat hair loss.  
According to one review, saw palmetto may help block the activity of 5-alpha reductase (5α-R), an enzyme that converts testosterone into a hormone linked to hair loss called dihydrotestosterone (DHT).  
It may also prevent hair loss by reducing the uptake of DHT in the hair follicles, which decreases its ability to bind to specific hormone receptors.

Saw palmetto may improve urinary symptoms associated with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) — a condition that causes an enlargement of the prostate gland and results in decreased urine flow.

Some research suggests that saw palmetto could support prostate health and may aid in preventing issues like BPH and prostate cancer.  
According to one test-tube study, saw palmetto berry extract was able to decrease the growth of prostate cancer cells.  
Another test-tube study showed that saw palmetto blocked the spread and growth of prostate cancer cells by deactivating specific receptors involved in cancer development.

Saw palmetto contains the antioxidants epicatechin and methyl gallate — compounds that prevent damage to cells, decrease inflammation, and protect against chronic disease.  
Some research shows that saw palmetto may have anti-inflammatory properties, which could be beneficial in treating certain conditions.

Saw palmetto is often used by men looking to boost testosterone levels naturally.  
Regulating testosterone levels can impact several aspects of health, including body composition, sex drive, mood, and cognition.  
Testosterone levels decline with age, and some research shows that low levels of testosterone could contribute to conditions like heart disease.  
Saw palmetto works by decreasing the activity of 5α-R — an enzyme responsible for converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), another sex hormone, to help preserve testosterone levels in the body.