Drug & supplement interaction

Saw Palmetto + Abiraterone

No Known Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated July 2026 · Pair last verified Sep 13, 2026
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Saw Palmetto and Abiraterone in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first.

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Interaction report

Saw Palmetto and Abiraterone

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Abiraterone and Saw Palmetto in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Saw Palmetto safety at a glance

Saw Palmetto overall Use caution Generally well tolerated in adults but should be used under guidance, especially for prostate or urinary symptoms.
Pregnancy Likely Unsafe When used orally. Saw palmetto has hormonal activity; avoid using. Read the full pregnancy detail
Breastfeeding Likely Unsafe When used orally. Saw palmetto has hormonal activity; avoid using. Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center) — the full detail is in the Special populations card below. Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Pharmacist analysis

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On the whole, saw palmetto has very few reported drug interactions due to its lack of effects on liver metabolizing enzymes (e.g., CYP P450 enzymes).

There have been some reports of minor interactions with anticoagulants, estrogens, and contraceptives due to saw palmetto's purported effects on blood clotting and various hormones in the body. However, these interactions have generally only been seen in lab studies and for most individuals, are not considered clinically significant.

As always, however, be sure to talk to your doctor before starting any new medications or supplements so you can be appropriately monitored.

Comprehensive analysis does not indicate a significant interaction.

—

Still wondering about combining Abiraterone and Saw Palmetto? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Abiraterone

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Abiraterone is filed under 9 classifications — including cytochrome p450 2c19 (cyp2c19) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 2c9 (cyp2c9) inhibitors, cytochrome p450 1a2 (cyp1a2) inhibitors. Saw Palmetto has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — the most serious being anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs (moderate), contraceptive drugs (moderate) and estrogens (moderate) — and none of Abiraterone’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Saw Palmetto Does Interact With Other Medications

Saw Palmetto has 174 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Abiraterone isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 174 No known interaction 2,656 (incl. Abiraterone)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Saw Palmetto

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Saw Palmetto. Pick one to open its full report.

What to actually watch for

What Saw Palmetto Itself Has Been Linked To

This is not an interaction — nothing below involves Abiraterone. It is the side-effect record for Saw Palmetto on its own, from the licensed Natural Medicines monograph. If something new turns up after you add Saw Palmetto, this list is the first place to look. 5 entries are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Severe muscle breakdown Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Orally, saw palmetto may cause fatigue, weakness, muscle pain, and back pain, although these adverse events are rare. A case of saw palmetto-related rhabdomyolysis was reported in an 82-year-old male presenting with kidney dysfunction, increased C-reactive protein levels, and elevated serum creatine kinase.”

    Saw Palmetto · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in back pain.

    1 source cited
    1. 73358. Hanaka, M., Yoshii, C., Yatera, K., Ito, C., Chojin, Y., Nagata, S., Yamasaki, K., Nishida, C., Kawanami, T., Kawanami, Y., Ishimoto, H., and Mukae, H. [A case of rhabdomyolysis caused by saw palmetto of healthy foods]. J.UOEH. 6-1-2012;34(2):193-199. PubMed
  • Bleeding in the gut Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Gastrointestinal complaints such as nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, gastralgia, and halitosis are the most frequently reported adverse effects associated with saw palmetto. Less often, cases of duodenal ulcer, dyspepsia, or heartburn have been reported. Meteorism (intestinal gas accumulation) has also been reported with saw palmetto, although causality was unclear.”

    Saw Palmetto · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    4 sources cited
    1. 6772. Stepanov VN, Siniakova LA, Sarrazin B, Raynaud JP. Efficacy and tolerability of the lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (Permixon) in benign prostatic hyperplasia: a double-blind comparison of two dosage regimens. Adv Ther 1999;16:231-41.
    2. 73329. Aliaev, IuG, Vinarov, A. Z., Lokshin, K. L., and Spivak, L. G. [Efficiency and safety of prostamol-Uno in patients with chronic abacterial prostatitis]. Urologiia. 2006;(1):47-50.
    3. 73354. Mantovani, F. Serenoa repens in benign prostatic hypertrophy: analysis of 2 Italian studies. Minerva Urol.Nefrol. 2010;62(4):335-340.
    4. 60442. Morgia, G., Mucciardi, G., Gali, A., Madonia, M., Marchese, F., Di, Benedetto A., Romano, G., Bonvissuto, G., Castelli, T., Macchione, L., and Magno, C. Treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome category IIIA with Serenoa repens plus
  • A slow heartbeat / A heart attack / Heart failure / An irregular heartbeat / Chest pain / Raised blood pressure Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Occasionally, cases of hypertension, postural hypotension, tachycardia, angina pectoris, arrhythmia, extrasystole, angiopathy, myocardial infarction, and congestive heart failure have been reported in patients using saw palmetto orally. One case of severe bradycardia and second degree heart block was reported in a 64 year-old male taking an unknown amount of saw palmetto for a few weeks.”

    Saw Palmetto · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in angina.

    1 source cited
    1. 96413. Jipescu D, Patel A, Bohra H, Pientka A. Rare case of saw palmetto induced heart block. JACC 2017;69(11) supplement:2310.
  • Pancreatitis Worth acting on Additional detail

    “A case report describes a patient who developed acute hepatitis and pancreatitis while taking saw palmetto. Symptoms resolved when saw palmetto was discontinued, and reemerged upon re-challenge. Other cases of acute hepatitis and pancreatitis, with elevated alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and bilirubin have been reported in patients using saw palmetto orally.”

    Saw Palmetto · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in hepatitis.

    3 sources cited
    1. 14457. Jibrin I, Erinle A, Saidi A, Aliyu ZY. Saw palmetto-induced pancreatitis. South Med J 2006;99:611-2. PubMed
    2. 73350. Wargo, K. A., Allman, E., and Ibrahim, F. A possible case of saw palmetto-induced pancreatitis. South.Med.J. 2010;103(7):683-685. PubMed
    3. 73351. Lapi, F., Gallo, E., Giocaliere, E., Vietri, M., Baronti, R., Pieraccini, G., Tafi, A., Menniti-Ippolito, F., Mugelli, A., Firenzuoli, F., and Vannacci, A. Acute liver damage due to Serenoa repens: a case report. Br.J.Clin.Pharmacol. 2010;69(5):558-560.
  • Shortness of breath Worth acting on Additional detail

    “Rhinitis is one of the more commonly reported adverse effects of saw palmetto. One patient taking saw palmetto extract 160 mg twice daily reported "breathlessness". Two cases of respiratory depression have been reported in patients using saw palmetto extract (Permixon) 320 mg.”

    Saw Palmetto · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in depression.

    3 sources cited
    1. 73348. Agbabiaka, T. B., Pittler, M. H., Wider, B., and Ernst, E. Serenoa repens (saw palmetto): a systematic review of adverse events. Drug Saf 2009;32(8):637-647. PubMed
    2. 73388. Braeckman J. The extract of Serenoa repens in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a multicenter open study. Current Therapeutic Research 1994;55(7):776-785. DOI
    3. 6772. Stepanov VN, Siniakova LA, Sarrazin B, Raynaud JP. Efficacy and tolerability of the lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (Permixon) in benign prostatic hyperplasia: a double-blind comparison of two dosage regimens. Adv Ther 1999;16:231-41.

Showing the 10 most notable of 35 recorded effects — ranked by how unusual each one is across medicines generally, with serious effects weighted up.

Everything above comes from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record for Saw Palmetto — expand a row for the licensed statement it rests on. We haven’t matched Abiraterone to its FDA label in our system yet, so we can’t compare its own side-effect list here — the leaflet that comes with your prescription is the authoritative list for Abiraterone.

Special populations

Saw Palmetto in Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Pregnancy And Lactation Likely Unsafe

When used orally. Saw palmetto has hormonal activity; avoid using.

DISCLAIMER: This tool is intended for informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. Patients should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before making decisions about therapies and/or health conditions.© 2026 Therapeutic Research Center

Overlapping uses

What Abiraterone Is Prescribed For, and What Saw Palmetto Has Been Studied For

These two come up together because they touch the same health topic — not because they do the same job. Abiraterone is a prescription medicine with approved uses on its FDA label. Saw Palmetto is a supplement: what follows is what researchers have looked at it for, and how strong that evidence is.

Abiraterone is prescribed for: Abiraterone acetate tablets are used to treat two types of advanced prostate cancer: metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC — cancer that has spread and keeps growing despite low testosterone levels) and metastatic high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC — cancer that has spread but still responds to hormone-lowering treatment). It is always taken together with a corticosteroid — most products pair with prednisone, while Yonsa is specifically indicated with methylprednisolone. All products — including Abiraterone, Abiraterone Acetate, Abirtega, Yonsa, and Zytiga — are taken by mouth as a tablet. Yonsa is approved only for metastatic CRPC, while the other products (Abiraterone, Abiraterone Acetate, Abirtega, and Zytiga) are approved for both metastatic CRPC and metastatic high-risk CSPC.

Saw Palmetto has been studied for:

  • Prostate cancer studied, not established Saw Palmetto has been studied for this. Natural Medicines rates the evidence: Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate Read what the research shows

    Saw Palmetto for prostate cancer

    Small preliminary studies suggest that saw palmetto does not reduce prostate cancer risk or symptoms associated with prostate cancer.

Effectiveness ratings and the research summaries above are the verbatim record from the Natural Medicines database, which grades evidence from “Effective” down to “Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate”. A rating below the top of that scale means researchers have looked at it — not that it works, and never that it can stand in for a prescribed medicine. Do not stop or replace Abiraterone on your own; if you are taking Saw Palmetto for the same health topic, tell your prescriber, especially if the medicine is being adjusted to a target.

From our Q&A

Questions About Saw Palmetto or Abiraterone

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Saw Palmetto or Abiraterone, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Abiraterone

This page covers Saw Palmetto only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Abiraterone page lists 181 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Grapefruit (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major) and St. John's Wort (major).

By severity: 6 major · 137 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Abiraterone page

“Six of the 181 supplement entries on file for abiraterone (Zytiga), a hormone therapy for advanced prostate cancer, are rated major, and those six deserve your attention first. Grapefruit and St.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Abiraterone interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Saw Palmetto as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 3,466 real supplement products containing Saw Palmetto, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Saw Palmetto. Even though Saw Palmetto itself has no known interaction with Abiraterone, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Saw Palmetto and Abiraterone Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Saw Palmetto
Top 10%

#76 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Abiraterone
Top half

#1,255 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Saw Palmetto reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Saw Palmetto and Abiraterone records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Saw Palmetto

What is Saw Palmetto?

Saw Palmetto
  • Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms
  • Urinary problems
  • Hair loss
  • Prostate health
  • Inflammation

Saw palmetto is a plant extract most often used for urinary symptoms linked to an enlarged prostate (BPH). The best research suggests it works no better than a placebo for most men, though it is generally well tolerated. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using it, especially for prostate or urinary problems that need proper evaluation.

Serenoa repens · Arecaceae · Fruit (berries) · Capsules, softgels, tablets, liquid extracts, dried berries, tea

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Saw Palmetto is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Saw Palmetto record says about it on its own.

Saw Palmetto: dosing

There is no official, agreed-upon dose for saw palmetto. Products vary in strength and how they are prepared, and many are standardized to a certain percentage of fatty acids.The safest approach is to follow the dosing directions on the product label and not exceed them. They can help you decide whether it is appropriate and what dose is reasonable for you.

From our Saw Palmetto monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Saw Palmetto monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Abiraterone

What Is Abiraterone Used For?

Abiraterone acetate tablets are used to treat two types of advanced prostate cancer: metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC — cancer that has spread and keeps growing despite low testosterone levels) and metastatic high-risk castration-sensitive prostate cancer (CSPC — cancer that has spread but still responds to hormone-lowering treatment). It is always taken together with a corticosteroid — most products pair with prednisone, while Yonsa is specifically indicated with methylprednisolone.

All products — including Abiraterone, Abiraterone Acetate, Abirtega, Yonsa, and Zytiga — are taken by mouth as a tablet. Yonsa is approved only for metastatic CRPC, while the other products (Abiraterone, Abiraterone Acetate, Abirtega, and Zytiga) are approved for both metastatic CRPC and metastatic high-risk CSPC.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Abiraterone

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (40,959 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Fatigue 2,680 reports
Prostatic specific antigen increased 2,017 reports
Therapy cessation 1,563 reports
Hot flush 1,491 reports
Asthenia 1,317 reports
See full Abiraterone drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Saw Palmetto

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Saw Palmetto — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
174Moderate
0Minor
2,655No known interaction
174 Moderate 2,655 No interaction
Moderate

174 interactions

Showing 60 of 174 moderate interactions — see all 174 on the Saw Palmetto page.

No interaction 2,655 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Saw Palmetto against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,655 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Saw Palmetto list.

See the full Saw Palmetto interactions page
See every supplement checked against Abiraterone, ranked by severity
Evidence & sources

Saw Palmetto References

The 22 references that drive our Saw Palmetto monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Wilt TJ, Ishani A, Stark G, et al. Saw palmetto extracts for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review. JAMA 1998;280:1604-9. PubMed
  2. Carraro JC, Raynaud JP, Koch G, et al. Comparison of phytotherapy (Permixon) with finasteride in the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia: a randomized international study of 1,098 patients. Prostate 1996;29:231-40. DOI
  3. Di Silverio F, D'Eramo G, Lubrano C, et al. Evidence that Serenoa repens extract displays an antiestrogenic activity in prostatic tissue of benign prostatic hypertrophy patients. Eur Urol 1992;21:309-14. PubMed
  4. Stepanov VN, Siniakova LA, Sarrazin B, Raynaud JP. Efficacy and tolerability of the lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (Permixon) in benign prostatic hyperplasia: a double-blind comparison of two dosage regimens. Adv Ther 1999;16:231-41.
  5. Cheema P, El-Mefty O, Jazieh AR. Intraoperative haemorrhage associated with the use of extract of Saw Palmetto herb: a case report and review of literature. J Intern Med 2001;250:167-9. PubMed
  6. Jibrin I, Erinle A, Saidi A, Aliyu ZY. Saw palmetto-induced pancreatitis. South Med J 2006;99:611-2. PubMed
  7. Prager N, Bickett K, French N, Marcovici G. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of botanically derived inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. J Altern Complement Med 2002
  8. Avins AL, Bent S, Staccone S, et al. A detailed safety assessment of a saw palmetto extract. Complement Ther Med 2008;16:147-54. PubMed
  9. Morgia, G., Mucciardi, G., Gali, A., Madonia, M., Marchese, F., Di, Benedetto A., Romano, G., Bonvissuto, G., Castelli, T., Macchione, L., and Magno, C. Treatment of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome category IIIA with Serenoa repens plus
  10. Aliaev, IuG, Vinarov, A. Z., Lokshin, K. L., and Spivak, L. G. [Efficiency and safety of prostamol-Uno in patients with chronic abacterial prostatitis]. Urologiia. 2006;(1):47-50.
  11. Agbabiaka, T. B., Pittler, M. H., Wider, B., and Ernst, E. Serenoa repens (saw palmetto): a systematic review of adverse events. Drug Saf 2009;32(8):637-647. PubMed
  12. Wargo, K. A., Allman, E., and Ibrahim, F. A possible case of saw palmetto-induced pancreatitis. South.Med.J. 2010;103(7):683-685. PubMed
  13. Lapi, F., Gallo, E., Giocaliere, E., Vietri, M., Baronti, R., Pieraccini, G., Tafi, A., Menniti-Ippolito, F., Mugelli, A., Firenzuoli, F., and Vannacci, A. Acute liver damage due to Serenoa repens: a case report. Br.J.Clin.Pharmacol. 2010;69(5):558-560.
  14. Mantovani, F. Serenoa repens in benign prostatic hypertrophy: analysis of 2 Italian studies. Minerva Urol.Nefrol. 2010;62(4):335-340.
  15. Hanaka, M., Yoshii, C., Yatera, K., Ito, C., Chojin, Y., Nagata, S., Yamasaki, K., Nishida, C., Kawanami, T., Kawanami, Y., Ishimoto, H., and Mukae, H. [A case of rhabdomyolysis caused by saw palmetto of healthy foods]. J.UOEH. 6-1-2012;34(2):193-199. PubMed

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Saw Palmetto and Abiraterone Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Saw Palmetto with Abiraterone?
We do not list a known interaction between Saw Palmetto and Abiraterone. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Are Saw Palmetto and Abiraterone used for the same thing?
They overlap in purpose, which usually means the real question is whether you need both rather than whether they are safe together. This page lists the shared uses and how strong the evidence is for Saw Palmetto in each. That is a conversation for your prescriber, especially if Abiraterone is being adjusted to a target.
How was the Saw Palmetto and Abiraterone combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Abiraterone is filed under 9 classifications, and Saw Palmetto has documented interactions with 3 drug classes — none of Abiraterone's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Saw Palmetto interact with any other medications?
Yes. Saw Palmetto has 174 documented drug interactions in our database — Abiraterone is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Abiraterone interact with any supplements?
Yes. Abiraterone has documented interactions with 181 supplements in our database — Saw Palmetto is not one of them. The Abiraterone interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Where next

Keep Exploring

Saw Palmetto monograph Uses, safety profile, and every drug interaction in one place Abiraterone drug information The full plain-English guide to this medication Abiraterone supplement interactions Every supplement checked against Abiraterone, ranked by severity Supplement interaction checker Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z Every drug we’ve checked against herbs & supplements References The 22 citations behind this page Ask a pharmacist Free, personal answer from our licensed team

Still Have a Question About Abiraterone and Saw Palmetto?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.