Saw Palmetto Won't Ease Enlarged Prostate

Millions of older American men use the herbal supplement saw palmetto to treat an enlarged prostate, but a new study concludes the product doesn't work.

A few smaller studies had suggested the extract might be of limited benefit to men with enlarged prostate, clinically known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

However, this controlled, blinded study of 225 men found that, "over a 12-month period, saw palmetto was no better than placebo in changing symptoms for this condition," said lead researcher Dr. Stephen Bent, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.

For more on benign prostatic hyperplasia, head to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.