Saw Palmetto for Prostate Cancer?
Question
Is there any benefit to taking supplements such as Saw Palmetto to help reduce or prevent prostate cancer? I have read conflicting articles. I am 70 years old and have been on active surveillance for prostate cancer since early 2010.
Answer
Unfortunately, studies on most nutritional supplements, such as Saw Palmetto, are not as robust as the average clinical research study. From what I have reviewed in the literature, we still don't know the exact mechanism of Saw Palmetto, and the studies are all fairly small. The doses range from 320 to 960 mg/day, but did not prove to be much more effective than a placebo.
So, as of today, Saw Palmetto is not a truly proven treatment for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Variability in the quality and purity of available products limits the ability of a clinician to provide sound advice to the patient. If patients do choose to take Saw Palmetto, a product should be chosen that meets specific quality criteria
Small studies of Beta-Sitosterol showed some symptom improvement, but not enough to recommend it as a treatment option for BPH either.