Saw Palmetto Benefits

Saw palmetto (serenoa repens) is a palm like shrub that grows in the southeastern coasts of North America. It grows fruits about the size of olives that turn blue when ripe. The berry of saw palmetto is the source of its medicinal benefits. They contain fatty acids like lauric acid, myristic acid, oleic acid, and palmitic acid, phytosterols, as well as polysaccharides. Among the most popular saw palmetto benefits perhaps is giving relief to people with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

People with BPH often have difficulty emptying their bladder due to a blockage of the urethra caused by the enlarged prostate glands. Several researchers have also backed up claims of manufacturers of this herb, as tea or supplements, in its efficacy to improve symptoms of BPH.

Additionally, aside from the saw palmetto benefits in BPH symptoms, the herb has likewise been marketed as a diuretic, aphrodisiac, and for the treatment of problems in the genital part, urinary tract, and reproductive systems. Anabolic effect (muscle-building) additionally is one of the saw palmetto benefits.
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The fatty acids in saw palmetto have conceivably been thought to have inhibiting effects on testosterone in the prostate and beneficial in preventing the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the one causing prostate cells to multiply, or lead to hair loss in men but some studies note it does not contribute in replenishing the lost hairs.

Most of the saw palmetto benefits are on the urinary tract, however, it is likewise used in the treatment of chronic bronchitis and other bronchial conditions such as chest congestion, asthma, and coughs. Saw palmetto also helps balance hormones in men and women and inhibits activity of the androgen and estrogen receptor. Some women also use saw palmetto for breast enlargement and treat uterine irritability. Recent evidence moreover adds to the possible benefits of saw palmetto on people with thyroid deficiency.

Although only a few of these claimed-benefits are supported by research, the herb continues to gain recognition in Europe and recently in North America. Since there are only a few substantial researches with conclusive data, patients having the conditions mentioned above should consider seeing a physician to determine the cause of the illness prior to reckoning saw palmetto as one of the possible cures. This, aside from assertions that saw palmetto has no established side effects. For the saw palmetto benefits to become perceptible, you need to take in a recommended daily dosage of 160mg-320 for a period of more than a month.