Effects Of Saw Palmetto On Women

Saw palmetto is known throughout Europe and gaining popularity in the US as a man's herb. However, saw palmetto is an herb with a long history. Many centuries ago, the American-Indians utilize the herb as part of their staple until the discovery of its medicinal properties.

Its efficacy in the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has been supported by several studies, including double-blinded clinical studies, since the middle of the 1980's. BPH is a condition wherein a blockage of the urethra is caused by an enlarged prostate, which commonly occurs with age. BPH is hormonally driven. The prostate cells multiply in reaction to a rise in the compound called dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is converted from testosterone. Saw palmetto treats symptoms of BPH by inhibiting testosterone from converting into DHT.

The active constituents of saw palmetto are in its berries mostly containing amounts of essential fatty acids like lauric acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, polysaccharides and plant sterols. Studies have yet to understand how these essential oils help maintain a healthy prostate, prevent cancer from developing in the prostate, and more importantly treat symptomatic BPH but strong evidences were obtained on the aggressive effects of saw palmetto in shrinking an enlarged prostate.

Aside from being known as a man's herb, some women who discovered saw palmetto use it to increase breast size. Unfortunately, there is no available conclusive data to support the effects of saw palmetto on women. Research also found that the herb contains anti-estrogenic properties, which makes all the more contraindicated especially to pregnant and lactating women.

The dose of saw palmetto used in studies contains 85-90% of the extract in 160-320mg softgels. According to people who used it, one of the effects of saw palmetto on women, as well as on men, is increased sexual desire. But then again, most studies withheld conclusions of the effects of saw palmetto on women in this aspect.

A new study, meanwhile, tested finasteride (which has the effects of saw palmetto on women and men) of various ages and lasted for six months. Eleven women had hirsutism, a condition characterized by the growth of unwanted facial and body hair. The culprit in hirsutism is the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that converts testosterone into DHT. Finasteride actively blocked the actions of 5-alpha reductase and inhibited the formation of DHT. This is quite a promising study since saw palmetto essentially can provide similar effects, at a lower cost and with minimal or no undesirable side effects.