Saw Palmetto for Enlarged Prostate "Does saw palmetto really shrink an enlarged prostate gland?" No, the herb saw palmetto, or Serenoa repens, will NOT shrink an enlarged prostate, regardless of what you might read on other "natural" websites. It may, however, help some men better manage some of the symptoms of enlarged prostate. "Saw palmetto may help some men better manage symptoms of an enlarged prostate but it WILL NOT shrink an enlarged prostate." What Saw Palmetto Might Do For You Nearly 20 studies, some of which have been very well designed, have found saw palmetto may help as many as 50% of the men who take it for 30 days or more. Not all saw palmetto studies have produced positive results but the overwhelming majority have, at least so far. In particular, saw palmetto seems to help men with urine flow. Saw palmetto seems to increase flow rate and decrease the volume of urine that remains in the bladder after urination. The ability to allow men to urinate more completely probably explains why men who take saw palmetto may have to make fewer trips to the bathroom at night. Who Shouldn't Take Saw Palmetto? This herb isn't for men who've actually been diagnosed with prostate cancer, unless they're working closely with a doctor. It's also not for men who have gone beyond Stage I or II with an enlarged prostate. And, of course, you have to remember that only your doctor can give you medical advice. So if you have any questions about saw palmetto for your prostate, your primary care provider is the man to ask. References: Shi, R., et al. (2008). Effect of saw palmetto soft gel capsule on lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a randomized trial in Shanghai, China. Wadsworth, T., et al. (2007). Effects of dietary saw palmetto on the prostate of transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate model (TRAMP).