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Taking saw palmetto for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) cure is widely accepted in Germany, Italy, France and other parts of Europe, as well as in the United States. A number of studies have discovered and proven that the herb may be used to reduce urinary symptoms associated with BPH.
Although studies of this nature would need hundreds of pages to lay down research findings and results, below is a quick rundown of information on saw palmetto, BPH, and how saw palmetto can alleviate BPH symptoms.
Saw palmetto, also called Serenoa repens, is a palm tree that grows in the United States, specifically around the freeze-free vicinity of Florida. Shooting upward from its trunk that lays flat on the ground, the saw palmetto grows spiny leaves that look like crowns with yellowish flowers and dark purple, ovate berries that show up only once a year. It is a dwarf palm tree, growing from 2 to 6 feet tall, and thus earning the moniker American dwarf palm tree. It may be tiny in height but not in value. Early Indians gave it its name, which means “spring of life.” For 200 years, it has been believed by medicine men and eclectic medicine practitioners to have a variety of healing effects, some of which include treatment for asthma, cough, urine problems, acne and balding. The most notable and intriguing benefit, of course, is its ability to reduce BPH symptoms.
BPH stands for “benign prostatic hyperplasia” or sometimes “benign prostatic hypertrophy”, which refers to a benign enlargement of the prostate. It is a common condition with older men over 50 years old. The pea-sized prostate is located below the urethral canal. As the prostate swells, the canal gets partially and sometimes completely obstructed, making it difficult for urine to pass through. The contracted urethral canal results to urinary hesitancy, painful urination or dysuria, frequent urination, increased risk of urinary tract infection or ultimately prostate cancer.
Other symptoms include an irresistible urge to urinate at nights, waiting for a few moments for the stream to begin, dribbling, and sometimes bladder stones.
For years, several studies have been conducted to further understand BPH and what causes it. Studies suggest that a primary cause involves malfunctioning valves in the spermatic veins. This condition worsens with age, which is why the swelling becomes recognizable in older men. BPH could creep in unannounced to someone as young as 30 years old and eventually swell to a significant size as the patient reaches 50.
The swelling and malfunctioning veins could be attributed to the activities of Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a male compound that metabolized from testosterone. A certain enzyme, 5-alpha reductase, converts testosterone into DHT. To solve the problem of BHP, it is necessary to identify and administer a drug that can inhibit the formation of DHT. And this is exactly what saw palmetto does.
Saw palmetto is found to contain beta sitosterol, which is a phytosterol. Studies conducted in the UK using animal subjects found that beta sitosterol competitively inhibits the formation of DHT as it disrupts the activities of 5-alpha reductase. Studies also observed effects when using saw palmetto for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia that are similar when using prescribed medicine as finasteride (Proscar).
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