The fruit extract of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)—a widely used botanical product—administered at up to three times the standard daily dose did not reduce the urinary symptoms associated with prostate enlargement in older men more than placebo. Prostate enlargement, also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), can cause frequent urination, a weak or intermittent urine stream, and an inability to empty the bladder completely. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases, the Office of Dietary Supplements, and NCCAM.
NCCAM
Saw Palmetto Extract No More Effective Than Placebo for Urinary Symptoms in Men