Saw palmetto is a fan palm with the leaves with a bare petiole
terminating in a rounded fan of about 20 leaflets. The petiole
is armed with fine, sharp teeth or spines that give the species
its common name. The leaves are 1-2 m in length. The leaflets
50-100 cm long. The flowers are yellowish-white, about 5 mm
across, produced in dense compound panicles up to 60 cm long.
The fruit is a large reddish-black drupe and is an important
food source for wildlife.

Saw palmetto blankets forest floor in southern Highlands
County, Florida. Native Americans used the fruit for food, but
also in the treatment of a variety of urinary and genital
problems. The European colonists learned of the use of saw
palmetto. It was used as a crude extract for at least 200 years
for various conditions including asthenia (weakness), recovery
from major illness, and urogenital problems. Eclectic physician
H. W. Felter says “Saw palmetto is a nerve sedative,
expectorant, and a nutritive tonic, acting kindly upon the
digestive tract. Its most direct action appears to be upon the
reprodutive organs when undergoing waste of tissue…”

In modern times, much research has been done on extract made
from the fruits which are highly enriched with fatty acids and
phytosterols. This research has been the subject of a thorough
meta-analysis published in the medical journal JAMA and has
been shown effective for the treatment of men suffering from
enlargement of the prostate.

There are also small, positive clinical trials published on the
use of saw palmetto extracts topically and internally for
male-pattern baldness. In 2005, a long-term, placebo-controlled
trial showed that a combination of saw palmetto fruit and nettle
root extracts were effective in treating urinary tract symptoms
in older men. However, in February 2006, a large, blinded
placebo-controlled study published in the New England Journal
of Medicine showed no reduction of symptoms from enlarged
prostate by taking saw palmetto, as compared to placebo.

Other research has shown that it works by multiple mechanisms,
including inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase, interfering with
dihydrotestosterone binding to the androgen receptor, by
relaxing smooth muscle tissue similarly to alpha antagonist
drugs, and possibly by acting as a phytoestrogen.

Because the fruit is the part used and because a prolific
quantity is produced by an adult saw palmetto tree, this herbal
medicine is considered ecologically sustainable.

Though in vitro studies suggest saw palmetto has properties
that might make it useful against prostate cancer cells or to
reduce prostatitis, clinical trials are lacking.

Though men taking saw palmetto may develop mild nausea, reduced
libido, or erectile dysfunction, the rate of such problems is
clinically and statistically far less common than in men taking
drugs to treat BPH symptoms. There are no known drug
interactions. Saw Palmetto should generally be avoided in
pregnancy and lactation and in small children due to lack of
experience and knowledge in these populations and because of
the purely theoretical risk of hormonal interference.

While saw palmetto is generally considered safe, one of its
primary active ingredients, beta-sitosterol, is chemically
similar to cholesterol. High levels of sitosterol
concentrations in blood have been correlated with increased
severity of heart disease in men who have previously suffered
from heart attacks.

Disclaimer – The information presented here should not be
interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk
to a qualified professional for more information about saw
palmetto.

About The Author: Copyright ? 2006, Heather Colman. Find more
Saw Palmetto resources at:
http://www.saw-palmetto-support.info/sitemap.html and
http://www.ebookpalace.com

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HISTORICAL

The Chinese has used velvet antler for over 2000 years for its
powerful health promoting properties. The first documented
evidence of the use of deer antler velvet in China, as a health
tonic has been dated back 168BC. Traditional Asian usage has
been for the promotion of well being and prevention of illness.

WHAT IS DEER VELVET ANTLER?

Velvet antler is the growing stage of the horns borne on the
heads of male members of the deer family. They are called
velvet antlers during the phase of rapid growth and development
because of the velvet-like covering of skin.

Velvet antler is living tissue that grows at a very fast rate
of up to 2cm/day in some species. This means that cartilage,
bone, and support tissues such as nerves, blood vessels and
hair follicles must grow at this phenomenal pace. Velvet antler
is the only mammalian organ that regenerates like this. This may
be the reason for its powerful health benefits.

A RENEWABLE RESOURCE

Deer velvet antler is unique in that it grows each spring is
cast in the late winter and is replaced the following spring by
the same natural process. So velvet antler is not only a product
unique in the animal kingdom but it can be considered as a
renewable resource.

VELVET IN THE NEW AGE

From the growing antlers of deer comes a natural product with
the potency and flexibility to safely benefit a great many
people throughout the world. Although velvet antler’s
extraordinary properties were originally recognised in Asia,
particularly China, its relevance to the lifestyle needs of the
21st century are becoming apparent. These needs transcend the
barriers that separate Eastern from Western medicine. Perhaps
it is better to use the words `lifestyle choices’ rather than
`lifestyles needs’. `Choices’ implies a level of individual
responsibility to conduct life in a manner that is
self-directed. Lifestyle choice carries the further meaning of
expressing individual preference on how to maintain and advance
quality of life. Velvet antler can impact at several levels of
quality of life. Research evidence supports treatment,
restorative and protective roles. In addition, consumption of
velvet antler can not only provide an immediate benefit, but
also amplify and enhance long-term benefits.

Velvet antler is the health-promoting tonic that is right for
our times.

It is easy to become confused by the many purported – and
substantiated – benefits of taking velvet antler. It seems too
good to be true, in Westerners eyes that a single product could
benefit in so many different ways. It may be useful to simplify
the many benefits and state what velvet doesn’t appear to do.
We have no evidence of anti-bacterial, anti-viral or
anti-fungal activities of velvet. Velvet cannot `cure’ by
destroying active pathogens.

The actions of velvet are consistent with:

-restoration of normal body processes,
-strengthening of the body, possibly leading to mental and
physical performance increases, and
-protection of the body.

In Asia these functions are considered as `tonics’, but tonic
is not an easy word to define in English and hence may have
limited value. The benefits of velvet do not overlap with
Western medicine but in many respects can be thought of as
complementary. A good example is the use of velvet antler
extract to mitigate the damaging side effects of anti-cancer
drugs, while at the same time helping their effectiveness.

Product safety is another key issue for our times. Velvet
antler has been consumed for at least 2000 years and no general
toxicity or negative side effects are known. The fact that
velvet has been used safely by young and old male and female
alike for some 2000 years is evidence that velvet is a
relatively safe preparation.

This is important because people conscious of their quality of
life need this information to weigh up costs and benefits.

Velvet antler is a win-win product; safe to take yet known to
be effective. It is a product in transition from an Asian
medicine enshrouded in mystery to a functional supplement of
benefit to East and West alike. Exciting possibilities for this
product can eagerly be awaited – the current applications are
but a glimmer of the future of velvet antler.

TRADITIONAL USE

The benefits of velvet that we are rediscovering were well
known to the Chinese. It is unlikely that in even earlier
times the shaman cultures of North Asia were familiar with
medicinal plants and animals. So although the concept of
medicinal animals may seem odd, given that we accept medicinal
plants, historically medicinal animals have held an important
place. In Europe, for example, bee venom was used as a
treatment for arthritis until relatively recently. The
development of velvet antler as a traditional medium has been
greatest in China and there are many references in Chinese
literature to the benefits of velvet.

The functions of velvet antler are many but all fall into the
major categories of:

-general body strengthening,
-healing,
-promoting blood cell growth
-improving the immune system, and
-Influences cardiovascular function.

Recent research in China, Russian and New Zealand and Canada
has added to this list and has provided modern research support
for the traditional knowledge.

Traditional Chinese Medicine, while having curative functions,
focuses on promoting wellness as a medical goal in itself. In
both Chinese and Korean medicine velvet antler can be regarded
as an effective promoter of health. This may be because the
substances that promote rapid growth and regeneration of velvet
are responsible for the tonic actions. Western medicine lacks a
formal understanding of a tonic, but it is important for a
potential user of velvet antler to accept the context in which
to seek the benefits of velvet. In keeping with Chinese and
Korean use of velvet these are overall strengthening of the
body, healing and improving tissue function. View velvet antler
as a powerful restorer and strengthener not a curative in
itself. The mechanisms for this true tonic activity are as yet
only poorly understood. In the future this list of benefits may
lengthen.

About The Author: John Ryan is based in Upper Hutt, New
Zealand. He was a farmer for 15 years before venturing into
natural health products. He can be contacted through
http://www.velvita.com

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