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Dietary supplement

+Men Saw Palmetto Complex Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Shaklee

Softgel Capsule Category: Botanical With Nutrients
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

+Men Saw Palmetto Complex is a dietary supplement by Shaklee with 2 active ingredients. Its ingredients are commonly taken for benign prostatic hyperplasia (bph) symptoms, urinary problems, hair loss.Based on those ingredients, 174 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Saw Palmetto Extract. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of +Men Saw Palmetto Complex by Shaklee

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 2 of its 2 active ingredients.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product has 2 active ingredients: saw palmetto extract and beta-sitosterol. Saw palmetto is derived from the berry of a small palm tree and is commonly used for prostate and urinary symptoms.

Beta-sitosterol is a plant sterol that may support cholesterol levels and prostate health. The formula also contains several inactive ingredients — pumpkin oil, soybean oil, beeswax, soy lecithin, gelatin, glycerin, and colorants — that serve as the capsule base and to keep the formula stable.

Does it work?

Strong evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Strong

Clinical evidence supports at least one of this product's ingredients for its stated purpose.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: Supports prostate health and urinary function.
  • We looked for evidence on: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), Non-neurogenic lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), Prostatitis, Chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), urinary flow, prostate symptoms.
  • The strongest evidence on file: Beta-sitosterol is rated "Likely Effective" for Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Saw Palmetto is rated "Possibly Ineffective" for Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
  • Also on file: Beta-sitosterol is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).

Saw palmetto is possibly effective for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), a surgical procedure. However, for benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate), the evidence rates it as possibly ineffective.

For other uses like male-pattern hair loss, chronic bronchitis, and lower urinary tract symptoms, there isn't enough reliable evidence to say whether it works. Beta-sitosterol, on the other hand, is likely effective for benign prostatic hyperplasia and possibly effective for high cholesterol and heart disease.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Saw Palmetto Beta-sitosterol

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 2 of the 2 matched ingredients.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 2 of 2.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 2 of 2.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Saw palmetto is generally well tolerated, though mild side effects can occur — the most common being abdominal pain, constipation, decreased sex drive, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea, and stuffiness. Rarely, people have reported heart rhythm changes or fixed drug eruptions on the skin.

Beta-sitosterol is also generally well tolerated short-term, with similar mild stomach side effects; it can occasionally worsen acne. Saw palmetto is rated likely unsafe in pregnancy and while breastfeeding due to its hormone-like effects and lack of safety data.

Beta-sitosterol doesn't have enough safety information for pregnancy or breastfeeding either. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using this product if you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Saw Palmetto Beta-sitosterol

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 2 matched ingredients can interact with medications — Saw Palmetto.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs.
  • For scale: 174 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking this product, double-check with your pharmacist or doctor if you take blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs (like warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel) — saw palmetto may raise your bleeding risk. Also confirm with your doctor or pharmacist if you take estrogen therapy or birth control pills, since saw palmetto might reduce their effectiveness.

No interactions are documented for beta-sitosterol, the product's other ingredient.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with clinical evidence supporting its stated purpose. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

This product may help with prostate health if you have an enlarged prostate (beta-sitosterol shows the stronger evidence here) or are recovering from prostate surgery, though you'll want to discuss it with your doctor first. If you take blood thinners, estrogen, or birth control, you'll need to check with your pharmacist before starting — saw palmetto can interfere with how they work.

This is not for use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist before adding it to your routine.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 2 of 2 active ingredients matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Feb 23, 2022.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about +Men Saw Palmetto Complex, straight from the product label.

Brand Shaklee
Net contents 60 Softgel(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Feb 23, 2022
DSLD ID 261131
Product type Botanical With Nutrients
Supplement form Softgel Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult Male (18-50 Years), Gluten Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for +Men Saw Palmetto Complex by Shaklee, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Softgel(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Softgel(s)
Servings per container
60
IngredientAmount% DV
Saw Palmetto Extract160 mg--
Beta Sitosterol15 mg--

Other ingredients: Pumpkin Oil, Soybean Oil, Beeswax, Soy Lecithin, Shakleeguard, Gelatin, Glycerin, Water, Caramel, Titanium Dioxide, Annatto, Turmeric

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formula

Supports prostate health and maintains proper urinary function for men

Contains standardized saw palmetto berry extract, pumpkin seed oil, and beta-sitosterol that can help men maintain proper urinary flow after a minimum of 4 to 8 weeks of daily use.

Plant-based, standardized to contain 85%–95% fatty acids and sterols

Formulation

Gluten free

Supports prostate health

No artificial flavors, sweeteners, or preservatives added.

Precautions

Caution: Use of saw palmetto does not replace regular visits to your physician. Seal under cap for your protection.

Manufactured in a facility that may also process tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, wheat, shellfish, and fish.

Brand IP Statement(s)

Shaklee Safe - Proven 100% Guaranteed Since 1956

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions: Take 1 softgel twice daily.

General Statements

Product questions: 925.734.3638

FDA Disclaimer Statement

These statements have not been evaluated by the food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

See for yourself

+Men Saw Palmetto Complex by Shaklee label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in +Men Saw Palmetto Complex by Shaklee

These are the 2 active ingredients this product is made of. Select any to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Softgel(s) Dosage formSoftgel Capsule Servings per container60 Amounts shown are per serving.

Most supplement products combine several ingredients, and a medication can interact with the product through any one of them. Each ingredient below shows whether it has known drug interactions.

Saw Palmetto Extract

Interacts with
174 drugs
160 mg per serving Form: Serenoa repens

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 bett...

Saw Palmetto Extract monograph & interactions

Beta Sitosterol

No known
interactions
15 mg per serving Form: Soybean Phytosterols

Beta-sitosterol is a plant sterol that may modestly lower LDL ('bad') cholesterol and may help ease urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate. Eviden...

Beta Sitosterol monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Pumpkin Oil, Soybean Oil, Beeswax, Soy Lecithin, Shakleeguard, Gelatin, Glycerin, Water, Caramel, Titanium Dioxide, Annatto, Turmeric. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

+Men Saw Palmetto Complex by Shaklee Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against +Men Saw Palmetto Complex?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
174Drugs
174 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in +Men Saw Palmetto Complex with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Saw Palmetto Extract3 drug types · 174 drugs

Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet Drugs

Saw palmetto might increase the risk of bleeding with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.
Saw palmetto is reported to prolong bleeding time. Theoretically, it might increase the risk of bleeding when used concomitantly with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Contraceptive Drugs

Saw palmetto might reduce the effectiveness of contraceptive drugs.
Saw palmetto might have antiestrogenic effects. Theoretically, it might interfere with contraceptive drugs taken concomitantly.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
Estrogens

Saw palmetto might reduce the effectiveness of estrogens.
Saw palmetto might have antiestrogenic effects. Theoretically, it might interfere with estrogens taken concomitantly.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for +Men Saw Palmetto Complex, from the product label.

Shaklee

See all Shaklee products
Name
Shaklee Corporation
Street Address
4747 Willow Road
City
Pleasanton
State
CA
ZipCode
94588
Phone Number
925.734.3638
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

+Men Saw Palmetto Complex by Shaklee: Common Questions

Does +Men Saw Palmetto Complex by Shaklee interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, +Men Saw Palmetto Complex has a known interaction with 174 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
+Men Saw Palmetto Complex contains 2 active ingredients, and an interaction can come from any of them. We check every ingredient, combine the results into one list per medication, and show which ingredient and mechanism is responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Can I take this if I'm on blood thinners?
No — not without talking to your doctor or pharmacist first. Saw palmetto may increase bleeding risk when combined with blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs. Check with your healthcare provider before starting.
Will this interfere with my birth control or hormone therapy?
It might. Saw palmetto appears to have antiestrogenic effects and could theoretically reduce how well estrogens or contraceptives work. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure it's safe to use together.
Does it really work for an enlarged prostate?
Beta-sitosterol is likely effective for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is the main active ingredient here doing the heavy lifting. Saw palmetto's evidence for an enlarged prostate rates as possibly ineffective, though it is possibly effective after prostate surgery.
What side effects should I watch for?
Most side effects are mild and temporary. The most common are stomach upset (nausea, constipation, or diarrhea), headache, dizziness, and fatigue. Rarely, acne can worsen, and very uncommonly, heart rhythm changes have been reported. Stop and call your doctor if you notice chest pain or palpitations.
Is it safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
No. Saw palmetto is rated likely unsafe in pregnancy and while breastfeeding because of its effects on hormones and lack of safety data. Beta-sitosterol doesn't have enough safety information either. Avoid this product if you're pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

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

Not sure if +Men Saw Palmetto Complex is safe with your meds?

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Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

+Men Saw Palmetto Complex label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

+Men Saw Palmetto Complex's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 29 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Saw Palmetto 22 references
  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
  16. Miroddi, M., Carni, A., Mannucci, C., Moleti, M., Navarra, M., and Calapai, G. Hot flashes in a young girl: a wake-up call concerning Serenoa repens use in children. Pediatrics 2012;130(5):e1374-e1376.
  17. 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
  18. Jipescu D, Patel A, Bohra H, Pientka A. Rare case of saw palmetto induced heart block. JACC 2017;69(11) supplement:2310.
  19. Morabito P, Miroddi M, Giovinazzo S, Spina E, Calapai G. Serenoa repens as an endocrine disruptor in a 10-year-Old young girl: a new case report. Pharmacology. 2015;96(1-2):41-3. doi: 10.1159/000431327.
  20. Gammoudi R, Ameur K, Ouni B, et al. Fixed drug eruption to Serenoa repens: first case report and consideration of the use of herbal medicine. Dermatol Ther 2020 Aug 29:e14247.
  21. Paulis G, Paulis A, Perletti G. Serenoa repens and its effects on male sexual function. A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Arch Ital Urol Androl 2021;93(4):475-480. PubMed
  22. Venkateswaran S, Declet-Bauzo R, Shodeinde M, Gilford P. Postoperative Retroperitoneal Hematoma: A Case of Saw Palmetto and the Importance of Primary Care Intervention. HCA Healthc J Med 2020;1(5):279-282. PubMed

See these in context on the Saw Palmetto monograph →

Beta-sitosterol 7 references
  1. Berges RR, Windeler J, Trampisch HJ, et al. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Beta-sitosterol Study Group. Lancet 1995;345:1529-32.
  2. Klippel KF, Hiltl DM, Schipp B. A multicentric, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol (phytosterol) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Br J Urol 1997;80:427-32.
  3. Wilt TJ, MacDonald R, Ishani A. beta-sitosterol for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review. BJU Int 1999;83:976-83. PubMed
  4. Oster P, Schlierf G, Heuck CC, et al. [Sitosterol in familial hyperlipoproteinemia type II. A randomized, double-blind, cross-over study]. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 1976;101:1308-11.
  5. Becker M, Staab D, Von Bergman K. Long-term treatment of severe familial hypercholesterolemia in children: effect of sitosterol and bezafibrate. Pediatrics 1992;89:138-42. DOI
  6. 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
  7. Lorenze A, Hsueh W, Nasr J. Beta-sitosterol-induced acute pancreatitis: A case report and review of the literature. Cureus. 2020;12(3):e7407. PubMed

See these in context on the Beta-sitosterol monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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