Saw palmetto is a medicinal plant of the Serenoa repens species. It produces small, dark blue berries similar to blackberries, which contain anti-inflammatory, diuretic and antiandrogenic properties. Therefore, saw palmetto can be used as a home remedy for impotence, urinary problems or an enlarged prostate.
This medicinal plant can be used in the form of tea, capsules or lotion, which are prepared from the dried extract of saw palmetto berries. They are available for purchase in some health food stores and pharmacies.
Sal palmetto should always be taken as approbed by a doctor or medicinal plant specialist.
Health benefits
Saw palmetto can be used for:
1. Managing prostate cancer
Saw palmetto has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce prostate swelling. It can help relieve urinary symptoms associated with benign prostate tumors, such as difficulty urinating or urinary frequency. It also promotes normal hormone levels, which can improving quality of life and sexual function.
In addition, this plant acts by blocking some hormonal processes that prevent the growth of prostate cells, which can play a role in preventing the development and progression of prostate cancer. Check-out other natural remedies for an enlarged prostate that can help to prevent the development of cancer.
2. Preventing hair loss
Saw palmetto promotes hair health, and can increase hair growth and volume. It can be beneficial for people who suffer from baldness, as this medicinal plant acts by balancing hormones that help reduce hair loss.
Also recommended: What Causes Hair Loss? 8 Possible Reasons & Treatments tuasaude.com/en/what-causes-hair-loss3. Improving libido in men
This medicinal plant helps to regulate testosterone levels in men, which can improve muscle endurance and boost libido and sperm count. Therefore, it can be taken to promote fertility.
Also recommended: Low Libido: 11 Common Causes (& What to Do) tuasaude.com/en/low-libido4. Relieving urinary symptoms
Saw palmetto acts on the receptors and nerves in the bladder, which can helping to relieve urinary symptoms like difficulty holding urine and urinary frequency.
5. Reducing pain
Because it contains anti-inflammatory properties, saw palmetto also helps to reduce irritation and sore throat, as well as treat coughing and headaches.
How to use
The part of saw palmetto that is normally used for medicinal purposes is its berries. The berries contain active substances, which can be extracted and consumed in the form of powdered tea, capsules, and skin lotion.
The main ways to use saw palmetto are:
- Saw palmetto in capsules: take one 160 mg capsule, twice a day, after breakfast and dinner
- Saw palmetto tea: add 1 tablespoon of saw palmetto powder to 1 glass of water. Mix until the powder is completely dissolved and drink twice a day.
- Skin lotion: after washing and drying your hair, apply to the scalp in areas where hair loss is occurring. Massage the scalp for 2 to 3 minutes, pressing gently and making circular movements with your fingers. Saw palmetto lotion can also be applied to the skin to treat eczema.
The duration and dosing of saw palmetto may vary depending on your doctor's advice.
Possible side effects
Saw palmetto is a safe for consumption for most adults, as long as it is consumed orally in capsule or tea form within the suggested doses, for no longer than 3 years. However, it can cause some mild side effects, including dizziness, headache, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, a bitter taste in the mouth, constipation or diarrhea.
Saw palmetto can delay blood clotting, so its use should be discontinued 2 weeks prior to any surgery to prevent excessive bleeding or hemorrhaging.
Contraindications for use
Saw palmetto should not be used by children, pregnant women or breastfeeding women. It is also contraindicated for people with clotting conditions (like hemophilia), liver diseases (like liver failure), or pancreatic problems (like pancreatitis).
This medicinal plant should also not be used by people who use anticoagulants such as warfarin, acetylsalicylic acid or clopidogrel or who take other medicinal plants or supplements that can affect blood clotting such as ginger, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, horse chestnut, turmeric, willow, clove, red clover or vitamin E.