Sabal palm is a plant whose healing properties should be appreciated primarily by men with prostate problems. The pressure on your bladder wakes you up several times a night, and you still have trouble urinating? If you've recently turned fifty, the prostate is probably talking. Saw palmetto can help, which will also solve the problem of … baldness. Check what other properties the saw palmetto has.

Saw palmettois a plant whosehealing properties should be appreciated primarily by men with prostate problems. Before the invention of the first synthetic drug for the treatment of prostate enlargement, men used natural remedies. The most important of them was (and still is) saw palmetto (saw palmetto, Serenoa repens). It is a plant that is found in the United States, Central, North and South America, and the West Indies. In the USA, it can be found in the marshy areas of Florida, North Carolina, Alabama and Texas. The fruits of the palm are purple-black, they grow in clusters, and the fruiting period is October - December. Ripe, partially dried fruits are used to prepare extracts.

The use of saw palmetto in traditional medicine dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. It was then that it was reported to be consumed by Indians living in Florida regions, in the case of problems with prostate enlargement, swelling and atrophy of the testicles, and in erectile dysfunction. As a result, the American Pharmacopoeia already in the years 1906-1917 contained a monograph on this plant. It was officially introduced to the market in 1926, but was withdrawn around 1950 due to the lack of proven medicinal properties. The research on this raw material was resumed in the 1980s.

Sabal palm and prostate

The saw palmetto's mechanism of action has yet to be fully confirmed. It is assumed that the fruit extract of this plant reduces the activity of 5-α-reductase - an enzyme that converts testosterone into 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is a hormone whose elevated blood levels are the cause of a series of bothersome symptoms that men at this age often experience. DHT binds to receptors in the nucleus of prostate cells, promoting cell growth and division. This causes an enlarged prostate that begins to press againstbladder and pinch the urethra. This results in more difficult and more frequent urination, pain in the lower abdomen or constant pressure on the bladder. Over time, the urethra may even become completely blocked.

The main component of saw palmetto fruits and the extract obtained from them is the lipid-sterol fraction, which includes triglycerides and phytosterols (beta-sitosterol, stigmosterol, campesterol, cycloartenol). It is the latter that are suspected of being of key importance in the context of prostate enlargement.

Phytosterols reduce the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, as well as reduce its production by the liver. This is important because it is from cholesterol that testosterone is produced in the male body, which is then converted into DHT. At the same time, researchers suspect that some phytosterols are so similar in chemical structure to testosterone that they block 5-α-reductase.

Saw palmetto - healing properties and research

Saw palmetto is one of the best-researched herbal ingredients used in medicine. These studies, however, do not always indicate a statistically significant effectiveness of the fruit extract of this plant. For example, Descotes and partners in 1995 conducted research on the effect of taking palm extract on the change in the quality of life of patients. 215 men participated in the study, 176 of whom were taking a placebo, while the remainder received saw palmetto extract twice a day for 30 days. The following factors were taken into account in the studies: painful urination, frequency of urination during the day and night, and the maximum speed of urine flow. There was no statistically significant improvement in the quality of life of patients using saw palmetto extract in any of the symptoms .¹

The hypothesis of the antiandrogenic effect of saw palmetto is confirmed by the results of a study by Di Silverio and associates on 33 patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia, who underwent suprapubic prostatectomy. The studies used finasteride (5 mg / day for 3 months), flutamide (750 mg / day for 2 months) and saw palmetto extract (320 mg / day for 3 months). There was no statistically significant change in testosterone content in cells in any of the groups. The use of saw palmetto extract and finasteride reduced by 50 percent. DHT concentration compared to the untreated group and the flutamide group¹

In 2001, Marks and his associates² compared the effectiveness of the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia with finasteride and extract ofsaw palmetto. They conducted research on 244 patients: 40 - control group, 44 - finasteride group, 160 - saw palmetto preparation group. The treatment was carried out for 6 months. In patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, the level of DHT was measured before and after treatment. The use of saw palmetto reduced the amount of DHT by 32% after treatment. The testosterone content in epithelial cells did not change after the use of saw palmetto, while the use of finasteride lowered its level by 70%. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and prostate volume with finasteride decreased by 50 and 20 percent, respectively … Taking saw palmetto extract did not change these parameters.

The research on saw palmetto, which has been carried out for years, is not yet able to clearly explain whether and how it can protect men against prostate diseases. However, some of them indicate that the use of saw palmetto extracts in urinary tract ailments may contribute to the improvement of the quality of life. Optimistic is the fact that the use of Serenoa repens extracts is safe for the body.

Saw palmetto - over-the-counter and safe

Saw palmetto extract is currently the only drug of plant origin used in the treatment of ailments related to prostatic hyperplasia - and also available in Poland without a prescription. In pharmacies you can find a lot of preparations containing it, but the vast majority belong to the category of dietary supplements, and therefore have no medicinal properties. In Poland, there are only two drugs that contain standardized saw palmetto extract: Prostamol Uno and Sterko. Their advantage over other preparations with this raw material is obvious and results from the rigorous procedure of introducing and controlling medicinal products that are subject to the Main Pharmaceutical Inspector. Dietary supplements are selectively controlled by Sanepid, and their actual qualitative and quantitative composition does not always coincide with the manufacturers' declarations.

Effective doses of saw palmetto extract range between 800-1200 mg per day. Sometimes doses of up to 2 g per day are recommended. The therapy lasts at least 4-6 months.

Both of these drugs relieve the symptoms associated with the initial stage of benign prostate hyperplasia occurring during urination, such as: weak urine stream, urgency to urinate, pollakiuria, frequent nighttime urination. Effective doses of saw palmetto extract range between 800-1200 mg per day. Sometimes it recommendsup to 2 g daily. The therapy lasts at least 4-6 months. These drugs do not cause the side effects that are a common reason for abandoning the use of synthetic drugs - of course, we are talking about sexual dysfunction. In addition, a great therapeutic advantage of using saw palmetto extracts, as opposed to 5-α-reductase inhibitors, is the fact that it does not affect the results of testing the level of specific PSA antigen in prostate cancer screening tests. Thus, it is possible to monitor the development of the disease in parallel with the use of this agent (in the case of synthetic drugs, it is not possible).

In addition to the two drugs based on saw palmetto extract, you can also find dietary supplements with this ingredient on the market. Interestingly, not all of them are recommended for supporting the treatment of an enlarged prostate. It turns out that the saw blade can also be used in the prevention of … baldness.

Saw palmetto and baldness

The properties of saw palmetto are used not only by men, but also by women. It turns out that the already mentioned 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is one of the causes of androgenetic alopecia. It turns out that also in the sebaceous glands there is 5-alpha-reductase - an enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. Research shows that it is the high level of DHT (and not testosterone, as it is commonly believed) that causes hair loss. This hormone causes miniaturization of the hair follicles, which shortens the life of the hair and its incorrect production. Hair becomes thinner, lighter and grows shorter. This type of alopecia mainly affects men and is manifested by loss of hair at the top of the head and at the base of the forehead. However, it may also apply to women with endocrine disorders or a decrease in female hormones after pregnancy or during menopause.

Treatment of androgenetic alopecia is based on the inhibition of 5-alpha reductase activity - in exactly the same way as in the treatment of the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. This is the best way to counter the effects of DHT on your hair follicles. As a result, the same drugs are used in the treatment of both diseases. In the case of synthetic drugs, these are finasteride and dutasteride - but in doses lower than in the treatment of prostate enlargement. Preparations containing saw palmetto extract are also used in the prophylaxis of androgenetic alopecia.

On the market of dietary supplements, you can find several preparations with this raw material, which are recommended for people struggling with not so much androgenetic alopecia, but simply worse hair and skin condition. Usually, such products additionally contain vitamins A, E,C and silicon. Interestingly, saw palmetto extract can also be found in hair care cosmetics: shampoos (e.g. Ducray Sabal), masks and conditioners (e.g. O`Herbal).

Examples of preparations containing saw palmetto extract, available in Polish pharmacies

Name of the preparationApplicationCategoryManufacturer
Prostamol UnoTreatment of slight prostatic hyperplasiaMedicinal productBerlin Chemie
SterkoTreatment of slight prostatic hyperplasiaMedicinal productGlenmark
Saw PalmettoSupporting the treatment of slight prostate hyperplasiaDietary supplementSolgar
MultiProstiSupporting the treatment of slight prostate hyperplasiaDietary supplement+ Pharma Arzneimittel
Gold-Vit for menA set of vitamins for menDietary supplementOlimp Laboratories
RutiverA set of vitamins for menDietary supplementBiovena
Hair, skin, nailsImproving the condition and appearance of hair, skin and nailsDietary supplementSolgar
O`Herbal shampooWeakened hair, requiring strengtheningCosmeticElfa Pharm
O`Herbal conditionerWeakened hair, requiring strengtheningCosmeticElfa Pharm
O`Herbal maskWeakened hair, requiring strengtheningCosmeticElfa Pharm
Ducray SabalGreasy hair shampooCosmeticDucra

Sources:

1. Lowe FC, Fagelman E. Phytotherapy in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: an update. Urology 1999; 53 (4): 671-8.

2. Marks LS, Hess DL, Dorey FJ ​​et al. Tissue effect of Saw palmetto and finasteride: use of biopsy cores for in situ quantufication of prostatic androgens. Urology 2001; 57 (5): 999-1005.

Category:

Alternative medicine