Saw Palmetto
What’s New This Month
- Products listed: Ten saw palmetto products now appear in our buying table. None holds NSF/ANSI 173 certification or NSF Certified for Sport. 1
- FDA letter: On 7 April 2026 FDA told Nature’s Elements, Inc. that its saw palmetto “DHT Blocker” claims make the product an unapproved drug, and cited manufacturing violations. 2
- Sexual function: A 2026 review of six trials found no clinically meaningful sexual-function benefit, at very low certainty. 3
- Hair trial: The 180-day results are now readable: terminal hair count rose 18.6 on saw palmetto and fell 10.1 on placebo (40 versus 20 people). The trial registry names the product maker as a collaborator. 4
- Safety reports: A 2026 case report describes liver injury in a man on warfarin; causality cannot be definitively established. A 2026 study of FDA adverse-event reports found reports involving aspirin were more likely to mention bleeding. 5 6
Overview
Saw palmetto is an extract from the berries of a small palm tree native to the southeastern United States. It is sold as capsules, softgels and oils. 7
It is sold mainly to men for prostate and urinary symptoms and, more recently, as a “DHT blocker” for hair loss. 7
Sellers also market it for testosterone support, women’s hormone balance, libido, bladder health and immunity.
How We Researched It
We rate each marketing claim with a modified version of GRADE, the system medical researchers use to say how sure we can be (i.e., high, moderate, low or very low), and check each trial with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, which asks whether a study’s design could skew its results. For saw palmetto we used more than 30 evidence rows, from 1994 through 2026. We also checked 10 regulators and safety databases. A Cochrane review of 27 trials exists.
Research NotesTop three benefits
Hair GRADE: Very Low
In a trial of 60 people, saw palmetto gave more terminal hairs than placebo at 90 days, and the 180-day count held: +18.6 versus -10.1. 8 4
Bias check: It is one small trial with no confidence interval published. The paper declares no conflicts and states no funding; the trial registry names the product maker, Valensa International, as a collaborator. 4
Women’s Hormonal Balance GRADE: Very Low
No human trial has tested saw palmetto for hormone balance in women. Two teenage girls given it for hair growth developed hot flashes. 9
Bias check: Two case reports do not show it changes hormones in general. 9
Inflammation GRADE: Very Low
Our review found no human trial of saw palmetto for inflammation to cite, so we rate the evidence insufficient.
Bias check: There is no trial to check, so the rating rests on the absence of evidence, not on study results.
Benefit Evaluation
| Claim | Claim Verdict | Research Confidence | Supporting Evidence | Safety Risk | Product Quality | FactStack™ Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hair | Promising | Very Low | Promising | Caution | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Prostatitis and Pelvic Pain | TBD | Low | TBD | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Women’s Hormonal Balance | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Inflammation | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Bladder Infections | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Immune Support | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Testosterone and DHT | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Libido and Sexual Function | Doubtful | Very Low | Doubtful | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Prostate Cancer Prevention | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Prostate Health | Unsupported | Moderate | Unconvincing | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Urinary Function | Unsupported | Moderate | Unconvincing | Caution | Inconsistent | Warning |
What Sellers Say vs. What Studies Show
| “An 18-trial review proves it helps an enlarged prostate.” | That 1998 review has been superseded; the 2023 Cochrane review of 27 trials found little or no benefit, with high certainty. 10 |
| “It’s a natural DHT blocker, like finasteride.” | In a head-to-head trial, saw palmetto did not lower blood DHT at all, while finasteride cut it 65%. 11 |
| “It regrows hair, with 60% better quality and 83% more density.” | Those numbers come from three separate small studies, not one pooled result. 12 |
| “It raises testosterone by 38%.” | That figure comes from a 14-day trial of a saw palmetto blend; the authors themselves called the difference not significant. 13 |
| “It’s proven safe with no side effects.” | Trials show good short-term tolerance, but a 2026 case report documents liver injury, and FDA adverse-event reports involving aspirin were more likely to mention bleeding. 5 6 |
| “It won’t interfere with a PSA test.” | True: PSA did not differ from placebo even at 960 mg a day. 14 |
Trial ParametersIf you try it
| Who | Men with urinary symptoms already assessed by a doctor who want a low-risk trial, and adults curious about hair thinning. No marketed benefit is established. |
| Dose | No authority dose. Trials used 320 mg a day of lipid extract; higher doses did no better. |
| Ceiling | None established. No toxicity was seen up to 960 mg a day for 72 weeks. |
| Duration | Judge at 3 months against a symptom score and stop if unchanged. Stop before surgery. |
| Form | A hexane extract stating the dose on the label. Avoid berry blends. |
| Ask First | Blood thinners or aspirin; surgery within 2 weeks; hormone therapy or hormonal contraception; pregnancy, breastfeeding or trying to conceive; children; unchecked urinary symptoms. |
How to Take It
| Pick a plan | Trials used 320 mg a day of a lipid extract. Judge it at 3 months; in a trial of up to 960 mg a day, higher doses did no better. 10 16 |
| Time of day | Not reported. |
| With food | Not reported. |
| What to expect | Large trials found no meaningful change in urinary symptoms; the Cochrane gain was about 0.9 points on a symptom score at 3 to 6 months, and zero at 12 months. 10 |
| How to take | Take it as the label directs, and check that the label names the extract type. |
Works With / Don’t Mix With
✓ Works with
Not reported. We found no supplement shown to add to saw palmetto’s effect.
A doctor’s check. For urinary symptoms or hair loss, a medical evaluation and approved treatments are the usual route; we did not compare them here.
⚠ Ask first / don’t mix
Blood thinners or aspirin. In a 2026 study of FDA adverse-event reports, saw palmetto reports involving aspirin were more likely to mention bleeding. Health Canada’s monograph lists no bleeding caution, so this goes beyond the label. Ask a clinician first. 6 15
Hormone therapy or hormonal birth control. Health Canada says women on oral contraceptives or hormone replacement should ask first. 15
Prostate cancer. Health Canada asks men to have a practitioner rule out prostate cancer before use. 15
Pregnancy or breastfeeding. Health Canada says not to use it if pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive. 15
Manufacturer Recalls & WarningsLast 36 months, newest first
| Date | Maker / Brand | Product | Action | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2026 | Nature’s Elements, Inc. | Saw palmetto “DHT Blocker” products | FDA warning letter 719302: DHT and alopecia claims make the product an unapproved drug; also cited for manufacturing violations. | 2 |
Where to Buy
We compare products side-by-side not just on price, but on whether NSF lists the product as NSF/ANSI 173 Contents Certified (an independent lab confirms the label matches the contents), whether it is NSF Certified for Sport, whether USP lists it as USP Verified, and whether the seller says it is manufactured in the USA. We leave out a brand’s products for this supplement when, in the last 36 months, the FDA took action against that brand over this supplement (a Class I or II recall, a warning letter, an import alert or an advisory letter). We also leave out any brand with an FDA Class II recall or warning letter on any product. We also leave out any product named in a California Prop 65 notice or a non-US recall, along with that brand’s products of the same ingredient and form. Brands with other actions stay listed and are marked in the Recall Screen column. Our goal remains to provide you, the Consumer, with the information and data necessary to make an informed purchasing decision. Prices reflected below are static and subject to change.
Ratings above describe the ingredient’s research, not any product listed below.
| # | Retailer | Product | Price | NSF 173 | NSF Sport | USP | Mfg. in USA (per seller) | Recall Screen | Affiliate link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amazon | Flomentum Saw Palmetto 320 mg Oil Extract, 180 Softgels | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on Amazon ↗ | ||
| 2 | HerbsPro | Now Foods, Saw Palmetto Berries, 550 mg, 100 Caps | $8.73 | ✓ | ✓* | View on HerbsPro ↗ | |||
| 3 | iHerb | Force Factor, Fundamentals, Saw Palmetto, 60 Capsules | $9.96 | ✓ | ✓* | View on iHerb ↗ | |||
| 4 | iHerb | Nature's Bounty, Saw Palmetto, 450 mg, 100 Capsules | $12.37 | ✓ | ✓ | View on iHerb ↗ | |||
| 5 | Green's Nutrition | Solaray Saw Palmetto 50 Caps | $13.39 | ✓ | ✓* | View on Green's Nutrition ↗ | |||
| 6 | iHerb | Nutricost, Saw Palmetto, 120 Capsules (500 mg per Capsule) | $13.95 | ✓ | ✓* | View on iHerb ↗ | |||
| 7 | iHerb | Nature's Craft, Men's Saw Palmetto, 60 Capsules | $16.99 | ✓ | ✓ | View on iHerb ↗ | |||
| 8 | Green's Nutrition | Nature's Life Saw Palmetto Berries 100 Caps | $19.59 | ✓ | ✓ | View on Green's Nutrition ↗ | |||
| 9 | HerbsPro | 21st Century, Saw Palmetto, 450 Mg, 200 Veg Caps | $19.78 | ✓ | ✓ | View on HerbsPro ↗ | |||
| 10 | Green's Nutrition | Solaray Saw Palmetto Berry Extract 60 Softgels | $25.19 | ✓ | ✓* | View on Green's Nutrition ↗ |
Sources
1. NSF/ANSI 173 certified dietary supplement listings, search for saw palmetto. NSF, 8 Oct 2026. info.nsf.org/Certified/Dietary/
2. Warning letter to Nature’s Elements, Inc., MARCS-CMS 719302. US Food and Drug Administration, 7 Apr 2026. www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/natures-elements-inc-719302-04072026
3. Dong C et al. Saw palmetto and sexual function: meta-analysis of 6 randomized trials. Sexual Medicine, 2026. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42751554/
4. Ablon G. Saw palmetto extract and hair growth: 180-day results of the randomized placebo-controlled trial (NCT06920758). Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2026. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12881706/
5. Jayasree Rajendran R et al. Cholestatic liver injury associated with saw palmetto in a man on warfarin: case report. Cureus, 2026. doi.org/10.7759/cureus.115418
6. Guo B et al. Saw palmetto adverse events: FAERS disproportionality analysis and network toxicology (online 21 Jul 2026). Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2027; online 2026. doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2026.122221
7. Saw palmetto: usefulness and safety. NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Apr 2025. www.nccih.nih.gov/health/saw-palmetto
8. Ablon G et al. Saw palmetto extract and terminal hair count: randomized trial. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025. doi.org/10.1111/jocd.70585
9. Miroddi M et al. Hormonal effects of saw palmetto in two adolescent girls: case reports. Pediatrics, 2012. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23027164/
10. Franco JVA et al. Serenoa repens for benign prostatic hyperplasia: Cochrane systematic review of 27 trials (n=4,656). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD001423.pub4
11. Strauch G et al. Comparison of finasteride and Serenoa repens on serum DHT in healthy men: 1-week randomized trial. European Urology, 1994. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7805711/
12. Evron E et al. Saw palmetto for androgenic alopecia: a review of the literature. Skin Appendage Disorders, 2020. doi.org/10.1159/000509905
13. Anderson ML et al. Saw palmetto and astaxanthin blend and hormone levels: crossover trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2014. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25183955/
14. Andriole GL et al. Effect of increasing doses of saw palmetto extract on PSA (CAMUS trial). Journal of Urology, 2013. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23253958/
15. Natural health product monograph: Saw palmetto. Health Canada, 19 Dec 2025. webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/dbImages/1098
16. Barry MJ et al. Effect of increasing doses of saw palmetto extract on lower urinary tract symptoms (CAMUS trial, 369 men, up to 960 mg a day). JAMA, 2011. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21954478/
17. openFDA food and drug enforcement (recall) records, search for saw palmetto. US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA), Queried 8 Oct 2026. api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json
18. Health Canada recalls and safety alerts, search for “saw palmetto” (archive included): no results. Health Canada, Queried 8 Oct 2026. recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en
19. California Proposition 65 60-day notice list, search for saw palmetto: no notices. California Office of the Attorney General, Queried 8 Oct 2026. oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-day-notice-list
20. CAERS adverse-event reports naming a saw palmetto product, 26 Nov 2024 to 15 Nov 2025 (openFDA food event records). US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA), Data updated 7 Jul 2026. api.fda.gov/food/event.json
21. Import Alert 99-22 (Provita Nutrition and Health Inc., Prostate Pro, undeclared soy allergen). US Food and Drug Administration, Published 24 Apr 2023. www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_561.html
22. Functional ingredient listing: saw palmetto fruit extract (prostate health), read in translation. Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (Food Safety Korea), Checked 8 Oct 2026. www.foodsafetykorea.go.kr/
