Effect of Saw Palmetto Extract on Erectile Dysfunction and Libido in Patients with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Because of Benign Prostatic Obstruction

Abstract

Background: Herbal medicinal products containing extracts of saw palmetto berries (Serenoa repens) are used for treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) because of Benign Prostatic Obstruction (BPO). Improvement of sexual dysfunctions was also shown.

Methods:  Here we performed a multicentric open label clinical study on 84 men to confirm its effects on LUTS/BPO on Slovenian population and this is only the second study investigating the effect on sexual dysfunctions.

Results: In 6 months of treatment the International prostate symptom score (IPSS) improved from 12.7 to 9.2 (p = 7.0×10^-12) and the quality of life score improved from 2.4 to 1.7 (p = 9.2×10^-4). Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) levels did not change. The proportion of patients with unsatisfactory libido reduced from 26.5 % to 13.2 % (p=0.036) during the therapy and a non-significant trend of reduction of erectile dysfunction was observed.

Conclusion: Our results are in agreement with the previous research on the efficacy of saw palmetto, but regarding the libido and erectile dysfunction, further controlled studies are needed.

Keywords: Berries; Erectile Dysfunction; Libido; Saw Palmetto (Serenoa Repens); Slovenian Population

List of Abbreviations

BPE       :               Benign Prostatic Enlargement;

BPH       :               Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia;

BPO       :               Benign Prostatic Obstruction;

ED          :               Erectile Dysfunction;

IPSS       :               International Prostate Symptom Score;

LUTS     :               Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms;

PSA        :               Prostate-Specific Antigen;

QoL       :               Quality of Life