Best for Hormones
Best Saw Palmetto for Hormones
Top 9 products ranked · Reviewed May 2026 · 160–320 mg clinical dose
Why Saw Palmetto for Hormones
Saw Palmetto plays a supporting role in hormones. Saw palmetto is the most studied herbal treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A 2012 Cochrane review (32 RCTs, 5666 men) found evidence for mild improvement in urinary symptoms, though the largest STEP and CAMUS trials (NEJM 2006, 2011) showed no significant benefit over placebo for LUTS at 320 mg/day.
What dose to look for
Clinical studies typically use 160–320 mg of saw palmetto. Standard dose is 320 mg/day of liposterolic extract (85–95% fatty acids). Some studies use 160 mg twice daily. Products below this range may not deliver meaningful results.
What the research says
Saw Palmetto has strong clinical evidence for hormones benefits. Cochrane review of 32 trials (5,666 men); mixed results between earlier positive and later negative trials Learn more
Clinical research on Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)
WEAK — prostate / BPH axis; rigorous RCTs are null (high-value debunk) · No validated dose — 320 mg/day standard failed to beat placebo even at 960 mg/day
- •STEP RCT (NEJM 2006, 225 men, 1 year): saw palmetto produced NO improvement over placebo on urinary symptom score, flow rate, prostate volume, or PSA. The single most-cited rigorous trial — and it was negative. PubMed
- •CAMUS RCT (JAMA 2011, 369 men): escalated dosing to 960 mg/day — triple the standard — over 18 months with no benefit vs placebo on any endpoint. Closed the 'just use a higher dose' escape hatch. PubMed
- •Cochrane review (2012, 32 RCTs, 5,666 men) confirmed the null: no improvement in urinary symptoms or flow vs placebo. The AUA does not recommend it for BPH. PubMed
- •Manufacturer-funded Permixon (hexanic extract) trials report modest symptom benefit but lacked placebo arms — fatal in BPH, where the placebo response is large.