More Sexual matters aside, saw palmetto was widely and routinely used in the early decades of the twentieth century to treat urinary tract ailments, particularly chronic cystitis, an inflammation of the bladder. From 1906 to 1950, it was officially listed as a drug in the United States, and it was prescribed both here and in Europe as a treatment for gonorrhea. After World War II, it fell out of favor in the United States, but research continued in Europe. Scientists found that patients who consumed an extract of the berries had increased urine volume, a decrease in frequent urination, and more ease of urination. As with many botanical medicines, it s difficult to identify exactly what active ingredients are working in saw palmetto .
Scientists believe that it has steroidlike properties.
In the case of BPH, it interrupts a critical chemical process, says William Page-Echols, D.O., an assistant clinical professor of family medicine who teaches alternative medicine at the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing. BPH occurs when testosterone, the male sex hormone, is converted by an enzyme to a more potent hormone that causes cells and tissues to grow and proliferate. That growth is perfectly fine when the male sexual organs are developing, but later in life, when the organs are fully developed, the continued cell growth becomes a liability. Taken daily, saw palmetto inhibits the enzyme so the hormone conversion doesn t occur, says Dr. Page-Echols. Several studies in Europe show that saw palmetto is an effective treatment for many men, especially those in the early stages of enlarged prostate.