Interactions on record — worth a quick check against your medications. Based on 1 of 2 ingredients. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Saw Palmetto Berries Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Solgar

Capsule Category: Botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Saw Palmetto Berries is a dietary supplement by Solgar 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 Saw Palmetto Berries by Solgar

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 contains 2 active ingredients: saw palmetto extract and saw palmetto powder. Both come from the berry of the saw palmetto plant and are included to deliver the same active compounds.

The product also contains inactive ingredients—vegetable cellulose (capsule material), silica, and vegetable magnesium stearate (a flow agent)—which help hold the capsule together and allow it to be manufactured.

Does it work?

Moderate 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

This product doesn't appear to be marketed for a specific use, so we graded Saw Palmetto's overall clinical evidence instead.

Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports Saw Palmetto for:

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.
  • Since the label doesn't commit to one use, we graded the ingredient's overall clinical evidence instead.
  • On file: Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) — rated "Possibly Effective" (Natural Medicines).

The evidence on saw palmetto is mixed. It's rated possibly effective for recovery after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), a surgical procedure.

However, for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)—enlarged prostate—the evidence suggests it's possibly ineffective. For other uses like hair loss, chronic bronchitis, and lower urinary tract symptoms, there isn't enough reliable evidence yet to know whether it works.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Saw Palmetto

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 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Saw palmetto is generally well tolerated, and side effects when they occur are mild, infrequent, and reversible. The most common ones are abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea, and decreased libido.

Rarely, skin reactions (fixed drug eruptions with blisters) and cardiovascular effects like high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, or angina have been reported. You should not take this product if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

The safety data advises against it because of possible hormonal effects and insufficient information on safety during pregnancy and lactation. If you're in either situation, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before considering saw palmetto.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Saw Palmetto

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 1 matched ingredient 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 you take Solgar's Saw Palmetto Berries, double-check with your pharmacist or doctor if you're on blood thinners or antiplatelet drugs (like warfarin or aspirin)—saw palmetto may increase bleeding risk. Also confirm if you take hormonal birth control or estrogen therapy, as saw palmetto might reduce their effectiveness.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence behind its ingredients' uses. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Saw palmetto is generally well tolerated but does interact with blood thinners, birth control, and estrogen therapy—so check your medications first with your pharmacist or doctor. The evidence that it works is limited; it may help after certain prostate surgery but appears ineffective for enlarged prostate itself.

If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or have heart concerns, discuss this product with your own healthcare provider before starting.

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 Apr 23, 2020.

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 Saw Palmetto Berries, straight from the product label.

Brand Solgar
Barcode (UPC) 033984040236
Net contents 100 Vegetable Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Apr 23, 2020
DSLD ID 218983
Product type Botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Vegan, Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), Kosher, Women (not pregnant or lactating), 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 Saw Palmetto Berries by Solgar, 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 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Vegetarian Capsule(s)
UPC/BARCODE
033984040236
IngredientAmount% DV
Saw Palmetto extract300 mg--
Saw Palmetto powder220 mg--

Other ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose, Silica, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate

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.
Formulation

Solgar Full Potency Herbs include traditional herbal extracts in a base of active herbs to ensure that the full benefits are derived from the herbs. These products combine the advantage of both herbs and their active principles in the form of dry extracts. Our herbal formulas are specially prepared to include all the naturally occurring, synergistic constituents of the herb and not just selected, isolated active phytochemicals. Solgar herbal products offer the highest quality, purest herbs available worldwide.

Gluten, wheat & dairy free

Suitable for vegans

Non-GMO

Free of: Gluten, wheat, dairy, soy, yeast, sugar, sodium, artificial flavor, sweetener, preservatives and color.

Brand IP Statement(s)

2018 Solgar, Inc.

General Statements

Solgar since 1947

Formula

(Serenoa repens)

Full potency herbs

Solgar’s KOF-K certification #K-1250

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Seals/Symbols

GF Certified Gluten-free K Parve (Kosher)

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Use: As a dietary supplement for adults, take one (1) vegetable capsule one to three times daily, preferably with meals or as directed by a healthcare practitioner.

Precautions

Not intended for use by pregnant or nursing women. If you are taking any medications or have any medical condition, please consult your healthcare practitioner before taking any dietary supplement.

Discontinue use and consult your healthcare practitioner if any adverse reactions occur.

Not intended for use by persons under the age of 18. Keep out of reach of children.

Do not use if outer bottle seal is missing or damaged.

Storage

Store at room temperature.

See for yourself

Saw Palmetto Berries by Solgar label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Saw Palmetto Berries by Solgar

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

Serving size1 Vegetarian Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule 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
300 mg per serving

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

Saw Palmetto powder

Interacts with
174 drugs
220 mg per serving

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 powder monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Vegetable Cellulose, Silica, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Saw Palmetto Berries by Solgar Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Saw Palmetto Berries?

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 Saw Palmetto Berries 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 Saw Palmetto Berries, from the product label.

Solgar

See all Solgar products
Name
Solgar, Inc.
Street Address
500 Willow Tree Road
City
Leonia
State
NJ
ZipCode
07605
Phone Number
1-877-765-4274
Web Address
www.solgar.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Saw Palmetto Berries by Solgar: Common Questions

Does Saw Palmetto Berries by Solgar interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Saw Palmetto Berries 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?
Saw Palmetto Berries 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 a blood thinner like warfarin?
Not without checking first. Saw palmetto may prolong bleeding time, so it could increase your bleeding risk with anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting—they can advise whether it's safe for you or if you need monitoring.
Will this interfere with my birth control?
Possibly. Saw palmetto has antiestrogenic effects, which theoretically could reduce how well hormonal contraceptives work. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before taking it to make sure your birth control remains effective.
What are the most common side effects?
When side effects happen, they're usually mild and reversible. The most common are abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, fatigue, headache, nausea, and decreased libido.
Can I take this while pregnant?
No. The safety data rates saw palmetto as likely unsafe in pregnancy because of possible hormonal effects and lack of safety information. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether saw palmetto is appropriate for you.
Does this actually work for an enlarged prostate?
The evidence suggests it's possibly ineffective for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It may be possibly effective after prostate surgery (TURP), but for typical enlarged prostate, the data doesn't support its use.
Is this just saw palmetto, or does it have other stuff in it?
It's saw palmetto—the active ingredients are the extract and powder. The other ingredients are inactive: vegetable cellulose (the capsule), silica, and vegetable magnesium stearate (to help manufacturing). There are no added vitamins or herbs.

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

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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.

Saw Palmetto Berries label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Saw Palmetto Berries'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 22 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 →

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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