Encyclopedia of Health and Medicine

98 Alternative and Complementary Approaches
stood, though theories abound. Most doctors feel
that low doses of SAMe do no harm and thus are
worth trying if they might bring improvement.
The precautions that apply to other uses of SAMe
remain pertinent. People taking SAMe for chronic
back pain or CFS should do so only with the
knowledge of their doctors, to avoid any possible
interactions with prescription medications and to
monitor for adverse effects or further deterioration
of the underlying condition.
SAMe
Uses Risks/Side Effects Interactions
DEPRESSION serotonin syndrome MAOI antidepressants
OSTEOARTHRITIS gastrointestinal upset
chronic BACK insomnia
PAIN
CHRONIC FATIGUE
SYNDROME
See also CHONDROITIN; GLUCOSAMINE; ST. JOHN’S
WORT.
saw palmetto A botanical preparation made
from the berries of the saw palmetto tree (Sabal
serrulata) native to the American coastal southwest.
Saw palmetto prevents the PROSTATE GLAND
from enlarging, though it does not appear to
reduce enlargement that has already occurred.
Though many people believe saw palmetto can
prevent PROSTATE CANCER, so far there is no conclusive
evidence to support this effect.
Researchers do not know for certain what
ingredients in saw palmetto have an active effect,
though believe its fatty acids contain substances
that mildly suppress TESTOSTERONE and its precursors
(chemicals the body converts to testosterone).
This action reduces testosterone levels enough to
inhibit the growth of prostate cells but not so
much as to cause other symptoms related to low
testosterone such as diminished LIBIDO or ERECTILE
DYSFUNCTION. Such symptoms are common with
conventional medications such as finasteride
(Proscar) to treat BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA
(BPH), a condition affecting about half of men over
age 60. Many doctors recommend a trial of saw
palmetto before moving to finasteride, as saw palmetto
is significantly less expensive as well as less
likely to cause undesired side effects.
Men who take saw palmetto for BPH should
have an annual prostate examination to check for
early signs of prostate cancer. Saw palmetto is
available in numerous formulations as dietary
supplements, many of which include other ingredients.
Health experts recommend choosing products
that contain 90 to 95 percent saw palmetto
sterol oils or fatty acids. Combination products
may not contain enough saw palmetto to be effective.
Saw palmetto can cause gastrointestinal distress;
doctors recommend taking it with meals.
Men who have prostate cancer should take saw
palmetto only if their doctors approve; saw palmetto
may interfere with some hormone-based
prostate cancer treatments.
SAW PALMETTO (Sabal serrulata)
Uses Risks/Side Effects Interactions
stop PROSTATE stomach upset some PROSTATE
gland enlargement
CANCER
relieve BPH
treatments
symptoms
See also AGING, URINARY SYSTEM CHANGES THAT
OCCUR WITH; LYCOPENE; PROSTATE HEALTH; PROSTATITIS.
soy Researchers have noticed since the 1970s
that people whose diets include soybeans and soybased
foods such as tofu have lower blood cholesterol
levels and lower rates of CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE (CVD). Numerous research studies have isolated
various soy proteins such as genistein and
daidzein that have demonstrated their ability to
decrease low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.
The US Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), which regulates the health claims manufacturers
may make about their products, allows
manufacturers to tout this effect on products that
contain 25 grams or more of soy protein.
FOOD SOURCES OF SOY
immature soybeans (edemame) mature soybeans
roasted soy nuts
textured vegetable
tofu
protein (TVP)
miso
dried soybeans
tempeh
soymilk
soy protein isolate
soy flakes
soy cheese