What saw palmetto is marketed for
Saw palmetto comes from the berries of Serenoa repens and is promoted for urinary symptoms associated with benign prostate enlargement.
What NCCIH says
NCCIH reports that a 2023 review of 27 studies found saw palmetto used alone provided little or no benefit for BPH symptoms. Two NIH-funded trials also did not show improvement compared with placebo, including one that tested higher-than-standard doses.
What that means for combination products
The conclusion about saw palmetto alone does not prove that every multi-ingredient blend is ineffective. It does mean marketers should not present the presence of saw palmetto as proof that the finished product works. For combinations, product-specific evidence is more informative than ingredient reputation.
Safety
NCCIH says saw palmetto is generally well tolerated, with mild and infrequent adverse effects such as digestive symptoms, dizziness, and headache reported in research.
Medical references
These external links are included because authoritative sourcing matters in a health topic.