Saw Palmetto - Ounce of Prevention Nutrition Shoppe

Welcome to this edition of Ounce of Prevention’s Words On Wellness. In this issue discussion will focus on an herb called saw palmetto. This herb has demonstrated the ability to help in the treatment of conditions involving the prostate gland, specifically benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Since approximately half the men over the age of 40 suffer from this condition, a closer look at this remarkable herb is warranted. Thank you for reading Ounce of Prevention’s Words On Wellness.

All statements made have not been evaluated by the FDA. All statements are based on studies and/or research, are for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnosis, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The nutritional supplement discussed in this newsletter is not a drug and should not be used as a drug or in lieu of drugs prescribed by your physician. Always consult with your physician before taking any pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements.

The Prostate Gland
The prostate is a gland about the size of a walnut that contributes fluid to the male’s semen and is located at the junction of the bladder and urethra. As we know, the bladder is a large muscular sac, its purpose being to hold urine until we can conveniently eliminate it. The urethra is simply the "tube" that runs from the bladder to the end of the penis for the urine to travel through for elimination. As stated above, about half the men over the age of 40 have prostate problems with one of the most common problems being benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). This is a condition in which the prostate gland undergoes a non-cancerous enlargement. Although this condition is non-cancerous, the possibility exists that the gland may eventually undergo a mutagenic change and become cancerous, a condition one would hope to avoid. When the prostate enlarges, symptomatic problems arise, the most common being frequent urination, needing to urinate many times during the night (nocturia), hesitancy and intermittency of urine flow, reduce force and caliber of the urine stream, and a tender prostate gland. The reasons for these symptoms become clear once we understand the relation of the prostate gland to the urethra: the urethra literally passes through the gland. It is for this reason that any enlargement of the gland may result in the urethra physically being squeezed to a point where the sufferer is unable to void the bladder of urine because the urethra is pinched shut. Unable to void the bladder of urine, the sufferer will eventually develop a condition known as uremia, or urine in the blood.

Pharmaceutical vs. Natural Treatment
Treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy varies depending on which route you wish to take. Many physicians feel that surgery is the only solution to BPH. The problems with this approach is that, as is the case with any invasive surgical procedure, complications may result, and the expense of the surgery can be quite high. Another approach is to treat the condition with drug therapy. Unfortunately, this approach can also be costly, is laden with undesirable side effects, and frankly is not very effective. Yet another approach is one that nature has provided in an herb called saw palmetto. The berries of this small, scrubby palm tree that grows along the Atlantic Coast from South Carolina to Florida have been used to effectively treat BPH. Side effects are few, if any, and because it is an herb, saw palmetto cannot be patented, keeping the cost of this treatment low. But does treating BPH with saw palmetto really work? Simply put, yes. To illustrate this herb’s effectiveness, let’s review a study that compared saw palmetto to the FDA approved prescription drug Proscar™, manufactured by the pharmaceutical giant Merck for the symptomatic treatment of BPH.

Summary of Saw Palmetto vs. Proscar in the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
Problem	Saw Palmetto Extract	Proscar™
Urine Flow Residual Volume Overall Symptoms Decrease in Nocturia Complications	38% to 50% Improvement 42% Improvement 88% to 92.5% Improvement 3.12 to 1.69 Awakenings None	16% to 22% Improvement No Improvement Less Than 50% Improvement No Improvement Decreased Libido Ejaculatory Disorders

Regarding urine flow, Proscar was reported to improve flow in 16% to 22% of subjects, compared to saw palmetto’s 38% to 50%. Residual volume (the amount of urine that remains in the bladder after urination) remained the same with Proscar, whereas a 42% improvement (less residual) was demonstrated with saw palmetto. Subjects using Proscar showed no improvement in nocturia (nighttime urination). Compare this to a decrease from an average of 3.12 nighttime trips to the bathroom to 1.69 by subjects taking saw palmetto. Overall symptoms improved by less than 50% in subjects taking Proscar for more than one year whereas subjects taking saw palmetto reported an 88% to 95% improvement after four to six weeks. Complications and/or side effects reported by the group taking Proscar were many and included a decreased libido, ejaculatory disorders, impotency. The group using saw palmetto reported no complications and/or side effects with one exception: some subjects taking saw palmetto reported an increase in libido. Depending on your point of view (or more importantly your significant other's point of view), this can be viewed as either a positive or negative side effect!
It is apparent that saw palmetto should be viewed as the treatment of choice for BPH. It is the clear winner in the Proscar vs. saw palmetto clinical trial and is one-fourth the cost of the prescription drug.

Saw Palmetto's Availability
Saw palmetto is readily available over-the-counter, i.e., no prescription is necessary to obtain this herb. It is important to purchase a high quality extract and to take the recommended amount to achieve the desired results. Ounce of Prevention carries several brands of fat-soluble saw palmetto extract that is standardized to contain 85 to 95 percent fatty acids and sterols, the active constituents of the saw palmetto berries.

In summary, saw palmetto is an extremely safe and effective herb for the treatment of BPH. Saw palmetto coupled with annual prostatic examinations may be your best defense in combating benign prostatic hypertrophy and other conditions affecting the prostate.

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