All studies did not show Saw palmetto prostate benefits
Saw palmetto prostate benefits were not always seen in research. Saw palmetto was reported to have no effect on the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostrate in this double-blind study that included 225 men aged 49 years and older with moderate-to-severe symptoms of BPH. Participants were randomly assigned to receive saw palmetto extract (160 mg twice a day) or placebo for an entire year. At the end of the study, no significant differences in the change in scores on the American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI), maximal urinary flow rate, prostate size, residual volume, quality of life, or serum prostate-specific antigen levels were reported between the treatment group and placebo group. (8)
Saw palmetto adverse reactions, interactions:
Saw palmetto vs. placebo: In the study mentioned above by Champault, et al, less adverse effects were reported by the treatment group than the placebo group (5 vs 11 instances) and were minor such as headache (9).