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Saw Palmetto for Prostate Cancer?

Frank dela Rama

Frank dela Rama, R.N., MSN, CNS, AGN-BC, AOCNS

Palo Alto Medical Foundation

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.

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