Popular herbal supplement used to treat prostate pain 'does not work', say experts
By Jenny Hope
No benefit: A study into herbal remedy saw palmetto found that even a trebling of the dosage does not help men with prostate problems
No benefit: A study into herbal remedy saw palmetto found that even a trebling of the dosage does not help men with prostate problems
A popular herbal supplement bought by men to relieve discomfort caused by an enlarged prostate does not work, say researchers.
Thousands of men take the remedy saw palmetto, which comes from the fruit of a type of palm tree, to improve urinary problems caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
But a new study found even taking three times the standard dose of the supplement produced no benefit.
Many older men take saw palmetto capsules bought from health food shops or on the internet as a first option when they are diagnosed, before drugs to make the prostate shrink or surgery.
It is the most popular supplement for BPH, and part of a growing £396 million a year market in health supplements.
The latest US research involved more than 300 men aged 45 and older who had moderate symptoms of a swollen prostate, including frequent urination and difficulty emptying their bladders.
They were randomly selected to receive a daily saw palmetto supplement or a ???dummy??? placebo capsule that smelled and tasted the same.
After 24 weeks the saw palmetto dosage was increased from 320 milligrams to 640 milligrams. This was raised again to 960 milligrams 24 weeks later.
At the end of nearly 17 months, men taking the supplement and the placebo were still suffering identical symptoms.
Neither group of men knew who was taking the herbal remedy until the study was completed, according to results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Study leader Professor Gerald Andriole, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, said ???Now we know that even very high doses of saw palmetto make absolutely no difference.
Traditional remedy: Saw palmetto uses berries from a US palm, pictured, in capsules, tablets, liquids and teas
Traditional remedy: Saw palmetto uses berries from a US palm, pictured, in capsules, tablets, liquids and teas
???Men should not spend their money on this herbal supplement as a way to reduce symptoms of enlarged prostate because it clearly does not work any better than a sugar pill.???
Prof Andriole said there was no benefit to taking the supplement compared with the dummy treatment, and it had no greater effect on symptoms.
Earlier studies have produced conflicting results, although Professor Edzard Ernst, Britain???s first professor of complementary medicine, recently said there was evidence to support its use.
Saw palmetto, which uses berries from a US palm in capsules, tablets, liquids and teas, has been registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as a traditional herbal remedy to help relieve symptoms from an enlarged prostate.
However, registration is based on traditional use rather than the results of clinical studies.
Read more: Herbal supplement saw palmetto used to treat prostate problems 'does not work' | Mail Online
By Jenny Hope
No benefit: A study into herbal remedy saw palmetto found that even a trebling of the dosage does not help men with prostate problems
No benefit: A study into herbal remedy saw palmetto found that even a trebling of the dosage does not help men with prostate problems
A popular herbal supplement bought by men to relieve discomfort caused by an enlarged prostate does not work, say researchers.
Thousands of men take the remedy saw palmetto, which comes from the fruit of a type of palm tree, to improve urinary problems caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
But a new study found even taking three times the standard dose of the supplement produced no benefit.
Many older men take saw palmetto capsules bought from health food shops or on the internet as a first option when they are diagnosed, before drugs to make the prostate shrink or surgery.
It is the most popular supplement for BPH, and part of a growing £396 million a year market in health supplements.
The latest US research involved more than 300 men aged 45 and older who had moderate symptoms of a swollen prostate, including frequent urination and difficulty emptying their bladders.
They were randomly selected to receive a daily saw palmetto supplement or a ???dummy??? placebo capsule that smelled and tasted the same.
After 24 weeks the saw palmetto dosage was increased from 320 milligrams to 640 milligrams. This was raised again to 960 milligrams 24 weeks later.
At the end of nearly 17 months, men taking the supplement and the placebo were still suffering identical symptoms.
Neither group of men knew who was taking the herbal remedy until the study was completed, according to results published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Study leader Professor Gerald Andriole, from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, said ???Now we know that even very high doses of saw palmetto make absolutely no difference.
Traditional remedy: Saw palmetto uses berries from a US palm, pictured, in capsules, tablets, liquids and teas
Traditional remedy: Saw palmetto uses berries from a US palm, pictured, in capsules, tablets, liquids and teas
???Men should not spend their money on this herbal supplement as a way to reduce symptoms of enlarged prostate because it clearly does not work any better than a sugar pill.???
Prof Andriole said there was no benefit to taking the supplement compared with the dummy treatment, and it had no greater effect on symptoms.
Earlier studies have produced conflicting results, although Professor Edzard Ernst, Britain???s first professor of complementary medicine, recently said there was evidence to support its use.
Saw palmetto, which uses berries from a US palm in capsules, tablets, liquids and teas, has been registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as a traditional herbal remedy to help relieve symptoms from an enlarged prostate.
However, registration is based on traditional use rather than the results of clinical studies.
Read more: Herbal supplement saw palmetto used to treat prostate problems 'does not work' | Mail Online