Did you know that almost all men have an enlarged prostate as they age? It begins in men as early as 40 years of age. You may notice an inability to urinate, incontinence, and the inability to completely empty your bladder.
A lot of men prefer to try natural remedies in search of relief. And if you’ve heard of saw palmetto, you’re probably wondering about saw palmetto benefits for men, of which there are many.
Saw palmetto is used for various ailments, including assistance with urinary tract symptoms. Since many of these symptoms occur with an enlarged prostate, you might be wondering about saw palmetto benefits for men.
This article walks you through 8 amazing reasons to consider saw palmetto, from a potential reduction in hair loss to help with your prostate health and more. Be sure to keep reading for information you don’t want to miss.
Table of contents
What Is Saw Palmetto?
Saw palmetto grows in the warm climates of the United States along the Southeast Coast. This ranges from South Carolina to Florida.
It’s promoted as a supplement that may help with urinary symptoms that accompany an enlarged prostate gland. It may also help with chronic pelvic pain, hair loss, migraine, and other conditions.
Read more: 7 Bee Pollen Benefits for Male Health
How to Take Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto is only intended for adult use. For adults, you can take it as a liposterolic extract inside capsules. For early stages of BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia), the recommended dosage is 160 mg, 2x a day.
If you take it as a liquid extract, its efficacy is unknown. You can also take it as tea, although its active ingredients aren’t water soluble. Capsules are the preferred method.
It may take upwards of eight weeks to see any side benefits of saw palmetto.
Drug Interactions
As with any medication, saw palmetto may have drug interactions. Consult a doctor before taking it.
Don’t use this herb if you take finasteride (Proscar) or other medications used to treat your BPH.
Additionally, saw palmetto might affect how your blood clots and may interfere with blood thinners (antiplatelet and anticoagulant medications). This includes:
- Warfarin (Coumadin)
- Clopidogrel (Plavix)
- Aspirin
Saw palmetto also makes oral contraceptives less effective due to its hormone-like effects. This increases the risk of an unplanned pregnancy.
Read more: The Top 6 Vitamins to Make You Last Longer In Bed
Saw Palmetto Benefits for Men
Saw palmetto has plenty of benefits. Here are some to consider.
1- It May Improve Urinary Tract Function
Palmetto extract comes from ripe saw palmetto berries. It may help with your urinary tract, especially if you have BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).
It’s thought that saw palmetto helps since it has binding capabilities. It may bind to pharmacologically relevant receptors. As such, it may ease the symptoms of your urinary tract.
It may even manage urinary dysfunction in men who have prostatic hyperplasia.
If you’re able to improve your urinary tract symptoms, you may experience a better flow of urine and improve your quality of life. Saw palmetto for men may help.
2- It May Help With BPH Treatment
If you suffer from BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), your doctor might suggest that you take 5 alpha-reductase inhibitors, alpha-blockers, or some other form of combination drug therapy.
Since drugs often have adverse effects listed on them, a lot of men prefer to try natural supplements. It’s important to check with your doctor before taking any type of medication or supplement, even if it’s over the counter. This ensures it doesn’t interact with any other medications you’re currently taking.
Saw palmetto possesses anti-inflammatory compounds that may alleviate BPH symptoms. There aren’t any known side effects of saw palmetto, so you may want to try this supplement to see if you get relief from your symptoms.
3- It May Help With Hair Loss Prevention
Hair loss occurs in about 50% of men. It’s a normal part of getting older, but it’s also hereditary and occurs as a byproduct of your changing hormone levels.
However, saw palmetto may help with hair loss. You can use it as orally or topically to help with hair loss.
Hair loss is often associated with a decrease in self-esteem but saw palmetto for men might be the confidence boost you need.
4- It May Increase Your Sex Drive
COVID-19 restrictions led to increased rates of sexual dysfunction. Additionally, men with BPH often have lowered testosterone levels and low libido.
However, saw palmetto may help with a reduced sex drive. It may alleviate prostate symptoms and any urinary issues you have, possibly improving your erectile function.
Keep in mind that results aren’t instantaneous, so give saw palmetto time to work.
5- It May Increase Your Sperm Count
A global study concluded that male sperm count fell by a little more than 1% when charted from 1973 to 2018.
When a man’s prostate enlarges, it presses on the urethra. This obstructs any ejaculatory fluids. However, saw palmetto may increase sperm count, possibly helping with fertility. More research is still needed in this area, however.
Read more: A Natural Way To Boost Your Sexual Health
6- It May Reduce Inflammation
It’s been reported that 1 in 6 men in Canada have arthritis. If you suffer from inflammation, then saw palmetto for men might help.
This is because another potential benefit of saw palmetto is that it possibly reduces inflammation. These anti-inflammatory properties may help you if you have BPH, as the saw palmetto may reduce swelling in your prostate if you take saw palmetto extract as a supplement.
Saw palmetto might even improve your antioxidant status.
7- It May Regulate Your Testosterone Levels
It’s common for men experiencing low testosterone levels to take saw palmetto. If you suffer from low testosterone, you may experience a decreased sex drive, a change in your mood, altered brain function, and a change in your body composition. Testosterone affects various aspects of your health, so if you experience any of these issues, talk to your doctor to rule out other conditions.
However, if your doctor confirms that you have low testosterone, saw palmetto may help. It decreases the activity of 5-alpha reductase.
This enzyme converts testosterone to DHT. As such, saw palmetto for men may preserve your testosterone levels.
8- It May Help With Prostate Health
Your prostate is the small gland between your penis and bladder. It maintains your sperm health.
Saw palmetto for men may support prostate health. As discussed, this may prevent issues stemming from BPH, but it may also prevent prostate cancer.
FAQs:
Now that you understand some key benefits of saw palmetto for men, you probably have a few additional questions. Here are some FAQs about saw palmetto.
You can use saw palmetto daily by mouth. You should not take it for longer than three years.
You should not drink alcohol when taking saw palmetto. It can cause liver damage.
If, for 12 weeks, you take saw palmetto fruit extract capsules, you may see an improvement in urinary frequency. Saw palmetto may help alleviate how often you urinate if you suffer from urinary tract issues.
You can purchase saw palmetto anywhere supplements are sold. This includes food stores, drug stores, and online retailers.
Saw Palmetto Benefits for Men
Now that you understand some amazing saw palmetto benefits for men, you can speak with your doctor about whether or not it’s right for you.
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