Saw Palmetto Berry and Powder Profile
Also known as- Serenoa repens, Sabal serrulata
Introduction
A miniature palm growing 2 to 4 feet (60 to 130 cm) high, the saw palmetto occupies sandy flatlands of the US from South Carolina to South Texas. Once the preferred treatment for prostate disease in American medicine, saw palmetto fell into disfavor in the 1960's until French researchers isolated specific compounds with statistically demonstrable effects on the prostate. The whole berries, however, continue to be used with success in herbal medicine.
Constituents
Beta-sitosterol, capric acid, ferulic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid.
Parts Used
Berries, dried and cut or powdered.
Typical Preparations
Teas, tinctures, encapsulations.
Summary
Saw palmetto extracts help heal benign prostate enlargement and prostatitis by stopping the converstion of 5-dehydrotestosterone into testosterone, but the whole berries have a gentler effect on the hormone„helping preserve male potence„while offering a wider range of effects to treat the conditions. In cases of prostate infection, the berries gently stimulate urination, causing the infectious microorganisms to be "flushed out" with urine.
Precautions
Precautions for the use of saw palmetto extract do not apply to the use of saw palmetto berries. Even tinctures of saw palmetto berries do not contain large doses of the testosterone-modifying chemicals that can be a problem in using most products; these products are manufactured with the use of chemical solvents like hexanol.
