Our Ingredients: Saw Palmetto | LIBERTY | Supplements for high performers

Saw Palmetto: Key takeaways

Saw palmetto is best known for supporting prostate health and urinary comfort, especially for symptoms like night-time urination, weak blatter control, or weak flow. [1] [15]
Saw palmetto is also a known to reduce hereditary hair loss, because it helps reduce the conversion of testosterone into DHT, a hormone linked to male pattern baldness. [7] [12] [16]
Therefore, saw palmetto is a common staple in male longevity supplement stacks.
Saw palmetto is generally well tolerated and it does not appear to change PSA readings in clinical research. [1]
Liberty uses a patented form of SabalSelect® saw palmetto, which is commonly known as having the highest bio-availability and the most scientific reasearch backing.

What is saw palmetto?

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a small palm native to the south-eastern United States. Its berries have a long history of traditional use for male urinary comfort and more recently, hair loss reduction. Modern supplements typically use a fat-soluble extract because the best-studied active fraction contains fatty acids and sterols. [9] [1]

If you have ever looked at saw palmetto supplements and felt confused, you are not alone. “Saw palmetto” is not one single ingredient. Different extraction methods can produce highly different chemical profiles, which is one reason study results can vary drastically. [8]

This is why patented, standardised extracts matter more than high daily milligram numbers from a non-patented source. [8] [9]

Benefits

Supports prostate health
Supports bladder health and urinary comfort
Helps prevent hair loss
Supports stable testosterone levels

Supports prostate health

Prostate health matters more with age, but also with lifestyle load: stress, alcohol, late nights and less-than-perfect nutrition can all make symptoms worse. [15]

While the overal scientific conclusion is that saw palmetto supports prostate health, research outcomes are mixed. [2] [3] [4] The realistic takeaway is that prostate outcomes depend heavily on the type of extract and study design, not just “saw palmetto” in general. [8]

Read all you need to know about prostate health in our Health Guide. [15]

Supports bladder health and urinary comfort

When men talk about “bladder issues,” they often mean practical symptoms like urgency, frequent urination, waking at night, or feeling like the bladder never fully empties. These symptoms are closely linked to prostate mechanics and irritation, which is why bladder comfort and prostate support usually go together. [15]

In clinical research, some standardised extracts have shown improvements in urinary symptom scores (such as IPSS), urinary flow and residual urine volume, although other trials show no meaningful difference versus placebo. [2] [3] [6]

Read all you need to know about prostate health in our Health Guide. [15]

Helps prevent hair loss

Causes of hair loss can generally be divided in hereditary and stress related. Hereditary hair loss is primarily caused by an increased production of DHT, a testosterone-derived hormone that reduces the flow of nutrients to the hair follicles. [7] [16]

Saw palmetto has been studied for its ability to influence an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase, which converts testosterone into DHT. By reducing the production of 5-alpha-reductase, saw palmetto indirectly impacts hereditary hair loss. [7] [16]

A systematic review from 2020 concluded that saw palmetto shows promising evidence for androgenetic alopecia. [12] While in 2023, a randomised, placebo-controlled trial using a standardised saw palmetto oil reported improvements in hair outcomes over 16 weeks. [13]

Read all you need to know about hair loss in our Health Guide. [16]

Supports stable testosterone levels

A key reason saw palmetto is increasingly recommended as testosterone-level stabiliser is its link with DHT conversion. DHT is a direct derivative of testosterone, and is strongly involved in both prostate enlargement pathways and hereditary hair loss. [7] [17]

Importantly, research suggests saw palmetto’s effect on DHT can be more local (for example within prostate tissue or hair follicles) rather than dramatically shifting testosterone levels across the whole body. In a safety review study, saw palmetto intake was associated with reduced DHT content and reduced 5-alpha-reductase activity in prostate tissue after supplementation. [7]

Read all you need to know about testosterone and the male menopause in our Health Guide. [17]

Recommended dosage

Saw palmetto is best used as a daily routine ingredient, because changes in urinary comfort and related symptoms are typically evaluated after several months, not after a few days. [2] [3]
Although no formal dose range exists, most studies use 50–320 mg/day for 6–12 weeks. [9] [18]
Liberty uses 75 mg/day of SabalSelect®, commonly known as having the highest bio-availability on the market. This makes 75 mg a highly effective daily dose, because you are getting a concentrated extract profile rather than the generic, variable berry powder common in non-patented saw palmetto supplements. [8] [9] [11]

Safety & interactions

Saw palmetto is generally well tolerated, with mild digestive complaints being the most commonly reported side effect. [1] [18]
It does not appear to affect PSA readings, including in higher-dose research. PSA is commonly used as part of prostate health monitoring. [1]
If you use blood thinners (such as warfarin), speak to your health practicioner before consuming saw palmetto. [18] [19]
Avoid use during pregnancy, breastfeeding or trying to become pregnant (women only). [7] [18]

SabalSelect® saw palmetto

Hypercritical CO2 extraction: SabalSelect® is produced using a unique patented process, which delivers a consistent extract with an exceptionally high bio-availability. [9]
High standardization: SabalSelect® is standardized to 85–95% fatty acids, plus defined ranges of sterols and beta-sitosterol, which helps avoid the “random saw palmetto” problem. [9]
Science-backed evidence: SabalSelect® has been evaluated in numerous controlled research studies, including a double-blind placebo-controlled study in 200+ subjects measuring urinary outcomes (IPSS, flow rates, residual volume). [9]
Quality over quantity: Saw palmetto outcomes vary between studies partly because different extracts are chemically different. SabalSelect®'s standardized extract supplies a higher, more stable bio-availability, and therefore a higher effectiveness, than non-branded generic saw palmetto extracts with higher daily doses. [8]

Frequently Asked Questions about saw palmetto

Is saw palmetto mainly for the prostate or for hair?

Both. The common link is DHT, which plays a role in prostate-related urinary symptoms and androgen-related hair thinning. [7] [12]

How long does it take to notice an effect?

Most studies look at 8–12 weeks (or longer). Saw palmetto is not an “instant result” ingredient. [2] [3]

Why do some studies show little effect while others look positive?

Because “saw palmetto” is not one fixed ingredient. Extract type, standardization, and study design can change outcomes. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to chose a patented version (such as SabalSelect) over a generic high-dose version. [8]

Does saw palmetto affect PSA?

No. Current evidence suggests it does not meaningfully affect PSA readings, even in higher-dose studies. [1]

Can women take saw palmetto?

It is sometimes used, but safety data is much stronger in men, and it should be avoided during pregnancy, breastfeeding or when trying to get pregnant. [7] [18]

Can I combine saw palmetto with other prostate-support ingredients?

Yes, and that is often how it is used in real life (for example alongside lycopene or lifestyle changes), but persistent prostate issues should always be evaluated medically. [15] [18]