Saw Palmetto is commonly used to treat age-related enlargement of the prostate gland
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Saw Palmetto was used by Florida native Americans 12,000 years ago and today is sixth in total herb sales in the US and first in Europe.
Serenoa repens, family of Arecaceae
Saw Palmetto is also known by these common names: sabal palm, palmetto berry, American dwarf palm tree, cabbage palm.
USDA Growing zone: 8-10, particularly robust in Florida
Propagated by seed or by root division by way of suckers.
"What is Saw Palmetto?" is a question that is commonly asked. Saw Palmetto is a low-growing, clump forming palm with thorny teeth on the end of fan-shaped leaves, that is indigenous to Florida. The herb produces dense clusters of single-seeded blue-black saw palmetto berries. Saw Palmetto grows best in the warm, moist, well-drained soil and dappled shade along the northern gulf coastal plains of Florida and in Georgia.
Consumption of saw palmetto berries were believed to help stimulate the appetite and increase build-up of fat, flesh and strength. Because of this early settlers adopted Saw Palmetto as a food for themselves and their animals which grew "sleek and fat" from eating them.
Saw palmetto has also been used in treating urinary disorders and enuresis.
Saw Palmetto berries are also believed to have a soothing, toning effect on mucous membranes throughout the body, as well as being an effective expectorant. This makes saw palmetto useful in herbal remedies for colds, as well as asthma and bronchitis. The side effects of saw palmetto are believed to extend to the sexual organs, in particular for treating low libido and impotence in men. Saw palmetto is recommended for inflammation of the prostate and age related enlarged prostate.
Recently, Saw Palmetto hair loss have also become a popular subject. It has become popular as an herbal remedy for androgenic alopecia, or the pattern baldness that typically appears at the top of the head and around the temples of both men and women.
Like many herbs that are used as Homeopathic cures, it is not known exactly how saw palmetto works in regard to saw palmetto and hair loss. It is thought that it blocks an enzyme that converts testosterone to another hormone that is a key contributing element in the onset and progression of androgenic alopecia and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Saw Palmetto is also found to be effective for women, in increasing the supply of mother’s milk and treating infertility.
Like any other herbal remedy, there are possible side effects of Saw Palmetto. The most common are possible mild stomach pain and constipation; diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, including bad breath. There have also been reports of erectile dysfunction, breast tenderness or enlargement, and changes in sexual desire, by men taking Saw Palmetto.
As with any occasion when one uses an herb outside of
traditional medicine to treat a condition, it would be prudent to
consider medical supervision before using Saw Palmetto.
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