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I’ve heard that in a man older than 50, the body begins to produce a toxic hormone called DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a by product of testosterone. This hormone causes the prostate to swell up, which, in turn, produces uncomfortable symptoms such as multiple trips to the bathroom at night. I’ve heard that saw palmetto berries suppress DHT and help shrink the prostate. Is this true? I can say that saw palmetto has really worked for me.

answer:
You’ve got it mostly right. Saw palmetto extract has been shown in more than a half-dozen double-blind clinical studies to improve urine flow, decrease frequency of urination, lessen urinary discomfort and aid in more complete emptying of the bladder. It’s arguable, however, whether the prostate actually becomes smaller.

Saw palmetto is so good that I recommend it to my middle-aged and older patients with prostate symptoms. I also prescribe it to help maintain a healthy prostate. I find it works best when combined with certain amino acids, vitamins, herbs, bee pollen and zinc.

Saw palmetto extract reportedly blocks DHT activity, but is DHT really guilty as charged? It seems odd that the prostate enlarges just at the age when a man’s overall male hormone levels drop. Odd, too, that tissue samples of enlarged prostate glands don’t show unusual levels of DHT.

Some researchers believe that estrogen causes an enlarged prostate in older men. Estrogen, which is always present in a man’s body, assumes more influence as male hormone levels decline. To play it safe, I sometimes suggest a man increase his consumption of soybean products such as tofu, soy milk or soy protein powder because the genistein in soy will control estrogen.

Anyhow, DHT is a normal (physiological) form of male hormone, not a “toxic hormone.” It is necessary for normal male development. Unfortunately, it also promotes male-pattern baldness. I have been wondering whether a saw palmetto scalp tonic would actually help grow new hair.