Saw palmetto was introduced into medicine by. J. B. Read, of Savannah, Georgia, in an 1879 issue of the American Journal of Pharmacy.

Saw Palmetto has a wide variety of claims. In the last 15-20 years Saw Palmetto has been used in treating the problems of decreased urinary flow in men with an enlarged prostate. The berries act on the enlarged prostate to relieve pain and inflammation. It has also been used to quiet the nerves, it has antiseptic properties, relieves excess mucous, good for lungs, good for diseases of reproductive organs; increases breast size. Any claims other than to increase urinary flow in men has not been proven.

Saw Palmetto's pharmacological action is apparently due to a combination of both anti-androgenic and anti-inflammatory actions. It is interesting to note that while this particular product helps to increase urinary flow in men with enlarged prostates, it does not decrease the size of the prostate gland. Symptoms of dysuria, nocturemia, and frequency, as well as increased residual volume, can be significantly reduced by 320 milligrams of Saw Palmetto a day, to be used for 30-90 days.

Per the German Commission E-List, there are no known adverse reactions or side effects.

Before men start using Saw Palmetto to reduce the signs/symptoms of enlarged prostate, they should see their physician to rule out prostate cancer. Prostate cancer can mimic some of the signs/symptoms of enlarged prostate. Like all cancers, prostate cancer can best be treated when found early.

Clinical trials with saw palmetto show that it decreases symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), especially reducing the urge to urinate during the night. Fifty percent of men more than fifty years old may develop BPH. Pressure of the enlarged prostate on the bladder may cause many of these men to awaken four or five times a night with an urge to urinate. Components of fat-soluble extracts of the fruit reduce prostate size and inhibit inflammation.

A double-blind French clinical trial involving 10 BPH patients, published in 1984, reported that saw palmetto reduced the number of times patients had to urinate at night by more than 45 percent and increased urinary flow rate by more than 50 percent. Painful or difficult urination was significantly reduced in the treatment group as compared to the placebo group. More than 2,000 patients have now been evaluated in clinical trials.

German health authorities allow saw palmetto fruit preparations for difficulty of urination in early stages of BPH.

There was one case of cholestatic hepatitis observed in a 65-year-old man taking a combination product that contained Saw Palmetto. Particularly high doses of this natural product have been reported to cause diarrhea. Saw Palmetto should be used with caution by men whose partner could be contemplating becoming pregnant. There is some belief among the medical community that this product could cause significant harm to the developing fetus