Saw Palmetto

The saw palmetto is a plant closely related to an actual palm tree. While it is rare to see them grow in such a way that an individual trunk is visible – the average saw palmetto grows in a cluster – the formation of saw palmetto berries that are visibly related to the fruit of other palms has been reported. Recognizing a saw palmetto is easy: simply look for the small palm like tree that appears to grow in a cluster and looks like a hand fan children might use!

Native Americans were known to use the saw palmetto as a food product, and thus they were to first to realize the saw palmetto benefits modern science has finally confirmed: effects of saw palmetto extract are known to soothe and even treat urinary tract infections; those who knew how to make saw palmetto tea used it to counteract inflammations of many kinds and even reduce muscle spasms. It is thus not surprising that even today the benefits of saw palmetto for medicine are being discussed and researched. When using saw palmetto, women were able to overcome ovarian cysts and thus in the recent past this humble plant was thought to cure infertility.

As with many natural substances, soon the saw palmetto was reputed to have many other powers, such as using saw palmetto oil to counteract hair loss. It is uncertain when saw palmetto, hair loss, and the re-growth of a youthful head of hair were connected; this is especially true when considering that women have used a saw palmetto dosage to combat an excessive form of hair growth commonly known as hirsutism.

While manufacturers of supplements content that saw palmetto side effects are rare, there is the risk that using saw palmetto for your hair may actually lead to hair loss rather than re-growth of hair. Similarly, other side effects of taking saw palmetto may be excessive bleeding and also an inability of the body to properly absorb iron. While the use saw palmetto and tenderness of the breasts have been reported by some, there were no conclusive studies to confirm or deny these claims. It has been confirmed, however, is that a saw palmetto overdose for a prolonged period of time may lead to a severely increased risk in heart disease, since the compounds that make up the processed plants are very similar to the bad cholesterol that causes plaque.