As men, taking care of ourselves should be a top priority. Our overall health directly affects our quality of life and determines how well we function physically, mentally, and emotionally.
To many of us, this means exercising regularly and eating a balanced and sustainable diet, but these are just two parts of a three-part puzzle. The last, and oftentimes neglected, part is proper supplementation.
You can think of proper supplementation as the capstone to any great diet and exercise regimen. The right supplements don't only magnify the benefits of your diet and exercise program but can also come with tremendous benefits of their own.
Which brings us to the topic of this post: Saw palmetto supplements and their health benefits for men.
What Saw Palmetto Supplements Can Do for You
If you're wondering how saw palmetto can help you as a man, you're in the right place. Discover how this age-old medicinal plant can help you in many ways, from keeping a healthy head of hair to avoiding chronic diseases.
So, let's dive in!
What is Saw Palmetto?
Saw palmetto is a small shrub-like palm found mostly in the southeastern United States, particularly in the South Atlantic, Gulf Coastal plains, and sand hills.
For centuries, native Americans have used saw palmetto for its nutritional, sedative, diuretic, and medicinal benefits. They used it to treat several conditions, including viral coughs and disorders of the reproductive organs in men and women.
Today, this humble palm is used as a dietary supplement with benefits especially geared towards men. You can find Saw Palmetto in the form of softgels, capsules, or tablets as well as liquid, ground, or dried extract, and as a tea.
1. Promotes Prostate Health
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland found just below the bladder and in front of the rectum. Despite its small size, the prostate is a doubly important gland to all men.
If you've ever wondered how your body can switch between urination and ejaculation, you have your prostate to thank for that. Apart from acting as a muscle-controlled mechanical switch, the prostate also produces fluid that makes up part of a man's semen.
It's perfectly normal for the prostate to grow bigger as you age. It's when there's too much enlargement that issues start to occur. One of the most common prostate issues is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is a noncancerous, gradual yet abnormal enlargement of the prostate.
BPH (also known as "enlarged prostate") is most common in aging men, with a prevalence of up to 75% of men in their 70s, but can start occurring after 40 years of age.
This medical condition, while noncancerous, can be bothersome. BPH prevents you from completely emptying your bladder and leads to more frequent urination, which can interrupt your nighttime sleep. It can also lead to bladder, urinary tract, and kidney problems down the line.
Two studies have looked into saw palmetto's effectiveness against BPH. The studies showed evidence that saw palmetto helped increase urine flow and reduced nighttime urination when compared to a placebo.
2. Influences Testosterone Levels
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. It's responsible for developing male reproductive tissues, promoting bone and muscle mass, as well as growing body hair.
Testosterone also helps improve cognition, metabolism, energy output, social and sexual behavior, the cardiovascular system, overall mood, and helps prevent osteoporosis.
As men, we'd want to keep our testosterone levels as high as possible. Unfortunately, testosterone production usually slows down as we age. In fact, testosterone deficiency is common, especially in men aged 50 and above.
Sub-optimum levels of testosterone can be a problem as it usually leads to frailty, anxiety, depression, difficulty when concentrating, accumulation of adipose fat, sexual performance issues, and bone loss.
Fortunately, studies have shown that saw palmetto can help regulate testosterone levels naturally.
It's all in how saw palmetto reacts with the enzyme 5-alpha reductase. 5-alpha reductase is an enzyme that helps convert testosterone to DHT (dihydrotestosterone). By decreasing the activity of 5-alpha reductase, saw palmetto helps preserve testosterone levels.
3. Manages Thinning Hair
Losing 50-100 hair strands a day is normal according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). However, shedding any more than this can lead to thinning hair which is a problem that every man wants to avoid. This condition doesn't usually lead to baldness but it will make your hair look patchy in some places.
Several factors contribute to thinning hair. Possible causes may include genetics, age, stress, and hormone imbalances.
Thinning hair can lead to feelings of anger, anxiety, depression, embarrassment, and social withdrawal as well as a decrease in confidence, work, and sexual performance. Needless to say, no man wants to lose his hair.
Thankfully:
Saw palmetto can help alleviate thinning hair by helping to balance your hormones.
As mentioned earlier, saw palmetto supplements block the activity of the 5-alpha reductase, an enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which causes hair thinning. Saw palmetto also reduces the uptake of DHT, preventing it from binding to specific hormone receptors.
4. Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Properties
Inflammation and oxidative stress often occur hand-in-hand in the human body. Inflammation occurs as a natural defense mechanism against pathogens, tissue damage, or irritants. However, too much of it can also cause oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress happens when there are too many unstable molecules, called free radicals, and too few antioxidants to rid them from your body. When oxidative stress occurs, chronic inflammation may follow. Left unchecked, chronic inflammation can lead to tissue and DNA damage which can contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain cancers.
To help prevent this, your body needs something to combat the inflammation. This is where antioxidants come in. Antioxidants combat free radicals by reducing their capacity to do damage.
Studies have found that saw palmetto is high in antioxidants and has been shown to help reduce inflammation. One study, saw palmetto reduced swelling and inflammation markers in mice with enlarged prostates. Another study on rats with BPH showed a decrease in inflammation and a marked increase in antioxidant status.
In Conclusion
Saw palmetto is a shrub-like palm with several benefits backed by science. It can help you keep your prostate healthy, balance and maintain testosterone levels, combat hair thinning, and help prevent chronic diseases.
If you're looking for a simple and effective way to experience the benefits of saw palmetto for yourself, feel free to shop at Mohebi Life for natural hair supplements for men today.