Saw Palmetto comes from the American dwarf palm tree. The tree’s fruit is harvested and dried out, then the medicinal components, the saw palmetto, can be taken from the fruit. The American dwarf palm is commonly found in the southern part of the United States, like Florida and South Carolina.
Saw palmetto has a more specific use than most other herbs, minerals, and vitamins. The condition saw palmetto targets is benign prostatic hyperplasia, known as BPH. BPH is common among men as they age. The process gets bigger and, as a result, can cause discomfort in the form of obstructing bodily processes and becoming inflamed, which is where saw palmetto comes into play. An enlarged prostrate by itself does not mean problems with result; individual experience varies.
1) The sterols and free fatty acids in the fruit of the tree are the active ingredients in saw palmetto.
2) Saw palmetto is most popular in Germany, where it is included in up to 90% of the treatment plans for BPH.
3) Saw palmetto is often mixed with nettle root and pumpkin seeds and then administered.
4) Treatment of BPH with saw palmetto is evaluated by tracking the size of the prostrate and changes in urinary functions.
5) Saw palmetto can be an effective means of delaying or avoiding surgery.
6) Not only is saw palmetto less expensive than most medications for BPH, patients report that the body finds it easier to tolerate.
7) The most popular and frequently studied form of saw palmetto goes by the name of Permixon.
8) Saw palmetto is among the herbs having the best showings for effectiveness when evaluated in scientific studies.
9) Saw palmetto can be effective in reducing the incontinence that often results from BPH.
10) Concern has been expressed that saw palmetto could mask cancer, but recent thinking is that this does not occur.
The only side effect that has been noted for saw palmetto is upset stomach. The discomfort brought on by saw palmetto is mild and is usually easy to alleviate by taking saw palmetto with food. Though no long-term studies have been done on these, saw palmetto is not thought to have any toxic effects.
Saw palmetto is not an herb we require in our daily diets. Instead, the reasons for taking saw palmetto are specific and exclusive to men. Dosage levels are generally in the range of 160 mg - 320 mg per day.
Copyright © Dennis Becker, 2004.
This article may be reproduced in its entirety in your ezine or on your web site, as long as this resource box, which includes the copyright notification and live (clickable) URL below, remains intact. It is one of the many "Top 10" articles about vitamins, minerals, and herbs, more of which can be found at:
http://www.a1-vitamins-and-supplements.com
