Saw Palmetto
Caution saw palmetto
Serenoa repens
CAUTION with PLD liver cysts as this is a bust enhancing herb, an estrogenic herb that may cause an increase in liver size.
BENEFICIAL Useful for benign prostatic hypertrophy. My husband who does not have PKD notices when he takes this, he can take the chips out of the porcelain toilet bowl from the strength of his stream. I do not know its kidney affects. Check with your own doctor. American Urological Associations annual meeting published in Urology magazine a 32% decrease in dihydrotestosterone, a hormone associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia or enlarged prostate in men who took 318 grams of saw palmetto daily for 6 months. The study did not rely on patient observations but needle-biopsied prostate tissue taken from subjects before and after surgery. 1994 study by Blaeckman of 305 men revealed 88% improved urinary flow, residual urine flow and reduced prostate size after 90 days. Saw palmetto extract has also been combined with a nettle root extract to successfully treat BPH. One study using a combination of saw palmetto extract (320 mg per day) and nettle root extract (240 mg per day) showed positive actions on symptoms of BPH over a one-year time period.
There are no proven uses of saw palmetto for women. No significant side effects have been noted in clinical studies with saw palmetto extracts. However, in rare cases, saw palmetto can cause stomach problems. My husband says it makes him a little sleepy, so he takes it at night. A few women with PLD have reported it increases liver cysts.
