Science Daily reports on a study which claims that saw palmetto, a herbal supplement widely used in the treatment of prostrate related urinary problems, performs no better than placebo.

Investigators designed the current trial to determine whether daily doses of up to 960 milligrams — three times the standard daily dose — would prove better than a placebo at improving lower urinary tract symptoms in men due to BPH,” said Star. “We were disappointed to find that higher doses of saw palmetto did not improve symptoms more than placebo.”

“This was a well-designed study that addressed limitations of earlier, smaller trials — it was a multicenter study with a larger sample size and tested different doses of a carefully analyzed saw palmetto product,” Briggs said. “The NIH is committed to bringing rigorous science to the study of natural products and to building the evidence base that can guide consumer decisions.”