Choosing the Best Saw Palmetto Supplement

The resurgence of natural remedies is one of the most positive things that could have happened to the supplement industry in a very long time. Many of these specific compounds have been used for thousands of years with great success – not to mention they are completely organic, and subsequently contain zero toxins or chemicals.

Not only does this make them very safe for consumption and extremely environmentally friendly, they also tend to be just as effective than their pharmaceutical counterparts (if not more effective in certain cases).

As you can imagine there are thousands of these compounds appearing throughout the world, and while many are effective, some are obviously much better than others – and one of those that have been shown to be highly effective when it comes to improving certain aspects of health is Saw Palmetto.

What is Saw Palmetto?

Saw Palmetto describes the extract that comes from the deep purple berries found on the saw palmetto tree. This unique plant grows naturally in both the west indies and throughout south eastern sections of the United States.

Building on this, Saw Palmetto has been used for centuries in native American medical practices, where it was suggested to enhance sexual health and function, promote longevity, and improve overall health and wellbeing.

And interestingly, recent research is starting to support these ancient suggestions.

You see, saw palmetto contains an abundance of healthy fatty acids in conjunction with key plant sterols and polyphenols – all of which have been suggested to have a seriously positive impact on health.

And really, this is what has made it so popular.

What are the Benefits of Saw Palmetto?

Given the huge rise in popularity that saw palmetto has undergone in recent times (and the vast amount of scientific evidence around it), we wanted to take an objective look at the research to determine where its best use lies.

Does Saw Palmetto Help Treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)?

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition that describes the non-cancerous growth of prostate. It is thought to affect a whopping 40% of men over the age of 60, and can result in difficulty to urinate, an increased risk of urinary and bladder infections, and even the development of bladder stones.

Interestingly, the supplementation of saw palmetto has been shown to cause vast improvements in BPH. With this has come reduced discomfort, combine with the suggestion that those individuals taking the supplement also saw increased quality of life as a result ^[1].

Does Saw Palmetto Help Prevent Prostate Cancer?

In conjunction with its positive effects on BPH, saw palmetto has also shown some promising early signs in regard to assisting in the treatment of prostate cancer. You see, lab-based studies performed in cancer cells have been shown that the application of saw palmetto can decrease the growth and replication of those cells ^[2].

While these signs are very early, it does suggest that the supplementation of saw palmetto may have the capacity to prevent the onset and assist in the treatment of prostate cancer – although more human research is needed.

Does Saw Palmetto Help Treat Baldness and Help Hair Growth?

One of the key mechanism behind baldness relates to the body’s overproduction of the hormone dihydrotestosterone. If this hormone appears in excessive amounts within the body, it can lead to hair loss.

Interestingly, saw palmetto has been shown to stop the overproduction of dihydrotestosterone and have an extremely positive impact on hair growth, helping delay the onset of baldness as a result ^[3].

Does Saw Palmetto Improve Sexual Function?

Due to its positive impact on prostate health and function, it has also been suggested that saw palmetto can impact sexual function in a positive manner. In fact, a recent study performed on 82 men aged 30 years or over saw that the regular consumption of this supplement over as little as 8 weeks duration resulted in significant improvement in sexual function ^[4].

Does Saw Palmetto Increase Testosterone?

And finally, combined with the above, saw palmetto has also been shown to increase the levels of testosterone in the body. You see, as it slows the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, it results in a net gain of testosterone throughout the body ^[5].

While more research is needed to determine whether this has any implications for muscle growth or fat loss, the early research is promising – especially considering that testosterone is the most anabolic hormone in the body.

Best Saw Palmetto Product Reviews

Given some of the hugely positive effects that saw palmetto can have on the body, we thought we would outline our favorite saw palmetto supplements on the market at the moment.

ZHOU Saw Palmetto Complex

This saw palmetto supplement by ZHOU is one of the most popular on the market at the moment, providing an extremely potent dosage of 500mg saw palmetto per serve.

As a point of difference this particular product ensures that around 25mg of the product per serve is pure saw palmetto fatty acids, which are a highly potent form of the compound. This is an excellent option.

HAVASU Extra Strength Saw Palmetto

Very similar to the above option, this supplement by HAVASU provides a whopping 500mg dose of pure saw palmetto extract per serve.

This particular option is extremely well regarded in the health industry, with many consumers applauding its effectiveness. You really cannot go wrong here.

NOW Saw Palmetto Extract 320mg

NOW have long been a favorite of ours as they consistently put out great quality products at affordable price points –and fortunately for us, their saw palmetto extract is no different.

Providing a scientifically supported dose of 320mg per serve, this is a great choice for those looking to boost health on a tight budget.

Conclusions

Saw palmetto is a great supplement that has been shown to have a huge impact on male prostate health and sexual function, increase free testosterone levels, reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, and even increase hair growth.

It is seriously one of the most incredible natural compounds on the planet.

If you have had any experience using saw palmetto we would love to hear about it, so drop us a comment and we will get back to you ASAP.