Saw palmetto for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia User Reviews

• Pau...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 30, 2016

"I've been taking saw palmetto for 16 years. I started with Nature's Sunshine (the very best) but now take Swanson just because it is cheaper. It works for me as well, despite the negative reviews. I take two capsules with breakfast and two capsules late in the evening with a snack. It does wonders for urinary stream size and for diminishing the feeling that you need to urinate. From experience, and from research, I can vouch that it does four other things as well. 1) It increases circulation, and like all herbs that increase circulation, it does thin the blood slightly so do not take it if you are on a blood thinner unless the doctor gives you permission to take saw palmetto and less blood thinner. 2) It is a diuretic. 3) It helps prevent baldness by hindering testosterone from turning into dihydrotestosterone. 4) Believe it or not, it also helps with sleep."

• Jup...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 18, 2020

"Two weeks ago, I began Saw Palmetto 500 mg a day. Within 24 hours, there was progressive improvement in EVERYTHING urinary.... so that in one week: urine volume increased, stream further, no terminal dribbling, no longer waking up at night to pee, no double voiding. BUT, I developed burping and an ache in the pit of my stomach. There was also an ill-defined near-nausea and fatigue. I stopped the Saw Palmetto and was much better in four days, but my obstructive urinary symptoms returned."

• bpt...
• July 29, 2015

"I believe that the people having side effects from saw palmetto are actually having side effects from the solvents used in extracting the active ingredients in manufacturing. Solvents such as hexane leave residue and are extremely toxic. Only saw palmetto extracted using high-pressure carbon dioxide should be consumed. This is the safest method known."

• Cdu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 2, 2020

"Please do not take saw palmetto. After a month of taking it, I completely lost my libido, got decreased penile sensation to the grade that I put a piece of ice from the freezer onto my penis and feel absolutely nothing. No morning erections anymore, penis has lost the full size, no arousal, watching porn is like watching news. I’m in constant strong pelvic pain. It’s been a year and seems like things are getting even worse. Since then, I suffer anxiety and severe anhedonia. After I did research, I found out thousands of men affected in the same way after taking this supplement. Saw palmetto is also used for chemical castration. All 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are nasty drugs. The condition is called PFS (Post Finasteride Syndrome) as the mechanism of action and side effects are the same. When I found a forum with PFS-affected men, I was shocked at how severe this can be. Do not take saw palmetto."

• Anonymous
• August 7, 2009

"I tried Saw Palmetto for approximately 2 years for a mild urinary problem - slow start, weak, intermittent stream, up 2-3 times per night. It didn't take care of the problem, but seemed to help some. As time went on, I increased the dose from 1,000 to 2,000 mg/day to achieve the same amount of relief. I tried stopping altogether and my problem got worse. Overall, I would say Saw Palmetto helps a little and may be worth a try - at least there are no side effects."

• pjc...
• June 5, 2011

"I actually had really good results with 1000 mg of saw palmetto once a day. My hair loss appeared to reverse itself noticeably. My somewhat swollen prostate issue decreased. I didn't have any sexual side effects. But about 3 weeks into the use, I developed a horrible rash on my belly and my back. It stayed with me until I stopped using saw palmetto and then it disappeared within about 3 days. I kept using the saw palmetto for an additional 2 months before stopping it."

• Ric...
• September 7, 2020

"I have had prostate problems for a couple of years. I can say all the best when it comes to using saw palmetto for prostate problems. I was taking Prostasan for a year and later switched to Regen50 strong. I am still taking the same supplement. The biggest problem for me was my nighttime troubles with frequent urination, and with taking supplements containing saw palmetto, that were significantly improved."

• Anonymous
• January 15, 2011

"Saw Palmetto works well, but has an unfortunate and often unrecognized side effect. The recommended dose will cause very painful finger joints with extended use. Most users think it is simply their arthritis getting worse, as most patients are older men who are subject to arthritis anyway. A blend containing stinging nettle seems to cause fewer problems, in this respect."

• dst...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2021

"I had taken Saw Palmetto before, but I am older now and had unexpected side effects. I had trouble sleeping and anxiety. I began to analyze what had changed and didn't suspect Saw Palmetto because I had taken it before, but after stopping, the problems went away."

• Use...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 30, 2022

"My Dr. recommended I try saw palmetto for BPH. No side effects I noticed. Initially thought it helped and kept taking it, but I don't think it works, or at least not for me. If it did, there would be positive studies, and there are not. 'Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) extract (SPE) efficacy was inconsistent, at least partly due to a lack of a standardized SPE formula. A hexane extract (free fatty acids, > 80%) provided more consistent results."

• jac...
• May 9, 2020

"I have been using Saw Palmetto for 1 month. I can now urinate completely fine. I was taking a prescription prior to this and have completely stopped the Tamsulosin."

• Hel...
• January 25, 2010

"A lot cheaper than Flomax. Works great if taken regularly."

• Lou...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 26, 2012

"Doing well on 450 mg capsules, and on a teaspoon of bulk powder in a 10 oz. cup of green tea with lemon juice added."

• Coo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2021

"It works. My prostate shrank, and I'm doing good. It makes your penis a bit smaller, and you can develop burping issues..."

• Dea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 11, 2023

"After taking 450 mg of saw palmetto for 2 weeks, it gave me horrible stomach pain, constipation, and rectal bleeding. It took a week for the side effects to somewhat go away."

• Ste...
• December 10, 2016

"I took many drugs and tried different remedies, but the only thing that actually helped me was a supplement named Alpharise, it has zinc, saw palmetto, and B9."