Saw palmetto is an herbal supplement derived from the berry of the saw palmetto palm tree. It has been used in traditional medicine to support prostate health and urinary function. Recently, some concerns have been raised that saw palmetto may lower testosterone levels.
The active ingredients in saw palmetto are fatty acids and plant sterols like beta-sitosterol. These compounds are thought to influence hormones and enzymes involved in prostate growth and inflammation. So while saw palmetto may aid prostate health, its effects on testosterone are unclear.
Some research suggests that saw palmetto does not significantly impact testosterone:
- A (./pubmed/30834102) of 12 clinical studies found that various saw palmetto preparations, even at high doses, did not alter serum testosterone levels.
- A study in (/doi/full/10.1097/.8c) looked at the effects of saw palmetto extract in 69 men over 6 months. Testosterone levels remained stable, suggesting saw palmetto does not affect testosterone.
However, a few studies propose that saw palmetto may inhibit some enzymes involved in testosterone metabolism:
- One test tube study showed that a high concentration of saw palmetto extract inhibited the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. This enzyme converts testosterone into DHT, which plays a role in prostate health. So blocking 5-alpha reductase too much may reduce DHT levels but does not necessarily lower overall testosterone.
- Another study in rats found decreases in enzymes involved in testosterone breakdown. However, rat studies don't always translate to humans. And this study did not measure overall testosterone levels.
In summary - the current evidence suggests that standard
doses of saw palmetto are unlikely to impact testosterone levels or hormonal balance in most men. While it may influence some enzymes involved in testosterone metabolism, it does not appear to reduce total testosterone or negatively impact anabolic hormones.
However, there are a few important caveats:
- Most studies have evaluated saw palmetto use over shorter time periods (up to 3 months). Long-term effects on hormones are unknown.
- The saw palmetto dosage seems to play a role. Excessively high doses may have more effects on testosterone metabolism. But standard supplements do not appear to cause issues.
- How saw palmetto interacts with testosterone-boosting supplements is unstudied. Theoretically, saw palmetto could counteract the benefits of these types of supplements. So it may be advisable to stop saw palmetto when taking testosterone boosters or anabolic supplements, just to be safe.
In conclusion, moderate use of
saw palmetto supplements, as directed, are unlikely to pose any negative effects on testosterone or male hormonal balance for most healthy men. But extended use, high doses over many months, or use alongside testosterone-targeting supplements warrants caution until more definitive research is available.
Talk to your doctor about any concerns with saw palmetto and hormones. Bloodwork is also always advised to monitor hormone levels, especially when taking new herbal supplements alongside existing medications or supplements.
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