Taking saw palmetto for an enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), may be a natural way to avoid taking prescriptions that cause low libido. A recent study of one class of BPH drugs found that they caused erectile dysfunction (ED), even after patients stopped taking the medication.
Research appearing in the Journal of Sexual Medicine indicates that 5-alpha-reductase inhibitorsa group of pharmaceuticals prescribed for BPH and hair lossresulted in low libido among more than 4 percent of men taking them.
Some patients taking the prescription also reported experiencing some of the symptoms of depression.
The study’s authors concluded that trading sexual function for prostate function is not a swap that many men are willing to make. They noted that increased prescription of this class of medications may cause libido problems in thousands of American men.
In addition to using traditional medicine to overcome prostate enlargement, men may consider taking herbal supplements like saw palmetto extract to naturally reduce age-related swelling of the gland.