Ingredient 3 of 8
Saw Palmetto in SodaPeak: How Much Is There and What the Prostate Trials Found
Saw palmetto is the third of eight ingredients in SodaPeak's 1,200 mg Test Boost blend, so it can weigh at most 400 mg per 2 capsules. Prostate trials used 320 mg a day, yet NCCIH reports that two NIH-funded trials found it no better than placebo for an enlarged prostate (NCCIH: Saw palmetto). It also carries a bleeding caution with blood thinners (MSK: Saw palmetto).
Written by the SodaPeak editorial teamUpdated
The basics
What is saw palmetto?
Saw palmetto is a short, fan-leaved palm that grows in the southeastern United States. Its dark berries are dried and turned into extracts.
For decades it has been sold to men for urinary and prostate symptoms. The SodaPeak label lists it as "Saw Palmetto Extract (Serenoa Repens) Fruit". So the capsule holds an extract of the berry, not the leaf or root.
Saw palmetto is not a vitamin or a mineral. Your body does not need it, and no Daily Value exists for it. The profile table sets the label facts beside the research.
| Label name | Saw Palmetto Extract (Serenoa Repens) Fruit |
|---|---|
| What it is | Serenoa repens fruit · Berry extract |
| Position on the label | 3 of 8 in the blend (labels list blend ingredients from most to least by weight) |
| Amount per serving (2 capsules) | Not disclosed; at most 400 mg by label math |
| Amount used in research | 320 mg a day in prostate trials |
| Strength of evidence | No better than placebo for BPH |
| Why it is used | Palm berry long sold for prostate and urinary symptoms |
| Main caution | Do not combine with warfarin or other blood thinners. |
Label math
How much saw palmetto is in SodaPeak?
The bottle does not say. Saw palmetto sits third inside the 1,200 mg Test Boost Proprietary Blend, and that blend prints one total for all eight ingredients.
FDA labeling rules put blend ingredients in order of weight, heaviest first (FDA labeling guide ch. IV (blends)). The third ingredient therefore cannot outweigh a third of the blend. That sets a ceiling of 1,200 divided by 3: at most 400 mg in a 2-capsule serving.
| Label position | Ingredient | Ceiling at 2 capsules | Ceiling at 1 capsule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horny goat weed | at most 1,200 mg | at most 600 mg |
| 2 | Tongkat ali | at most 600 mg | at most 300 mg |
| 3 | Saw palmetto | at most 400 mg | at most 200 mg |
| 4 | Nettle root | at most 300 mg | at most 150 mg |
A ceiling is the best case, not the likely case. Eight ingredients share 1,200 mg, and the two herbs listed above it take the biggest shares. The real saw palmetto amount is almost certainly lower than 400 mg. The full panel is on the SodaPeak Supplement Facts page.
The evidence
Does saw palmetto help an enlarged prostate?
The best trials say no. NCCIH, part of the National Institutes of Health, reports that a 2023 review of 27 studies found saw palmetto alone gives "little or no benefit" for symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (NCCIH: Saw palmetto).
- 2006: one year, 225 men
LiverTox describes a trial of 160 mg twice a day. Saw palmetto matched placebo on symptoms, urine flow, prostate size and quality of life (LiverTox: Saw palmetto).
- NIH trial: up to 3 times the dose
Raising the amount step by step did not help. Symptoms improved no more than with placebo (NCCIH: Saw palmetto).
- 2023: review of 27 studies
Pooled results pointed the same way (NCCIH: Saw palmetto).
Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) adds that saw palmetto did not change PSA readings, even at high doses, and has not been shown to prevent prostate cancer (MSK: Saw palmetto).
NIDDK says BPH affects 29 to 33% of men 65 and older, but infection, prostatitis or prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. It advises urgent care if you cannot urinate, see blood in your urine, or have pain with fever (NIDDK: Enlarged prostate (BPH)).
Side by side
How does SodaPeak's saw palmetto compare with trial doses?
On paper, the ceiling sits above the trial dose. LiverTox lists 320 mg a day as the amount used in prostate studies (LiverTox: Saw palmetto). SodaPeak's best case is 400 mg, but only if saw palmetto filled a full third of the blend.
| Measure | SodaPeak, 2 capsules | Prostate trials |
|---|---|---|
| Daily amount | at most 400 mg (real figure not printed) | 320 mg, or 160 mg twice a day (LiverTox: Saw palmetto) |
| Daily amount at 1 capsule | at most 200 mg | 320 mg |
| Extract strength | Not published | Standardized extracts |
| Result for BPH symptoms | Not published | No better than placebo (NCCIH: Saw palmetto) |
| Tested as a product | Not published | Saw palmetto alone |
Dose is not the real problem here. Even full trial doses did not beat placebo.
A strange fit
Why is saw palmetto in a blend called Test Boost?
The label does not explain it. The blend's name hints at testosterone, but saw palmetto works the other way in the lab. MSK describes it as antiandrogenic, because it blocks 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme that turns testosterone into a stronger form (MSK: Saw palmetto).
MSK also lists lower sex drive among its possible side effects (MSK: Saw palmetto). That sits oddly next to herbs sold for desire, such as horny goat weed.
The bottle itself claims only one thing: "Supports healthy muscle*". It makes no testosterone claim, and no study of SodaPeak exists. A 2020 review of 50 so-called T boosters found the same pattern across the market: names and claims ran well ahead of the data (Clemesha 2020: T-booster claims).
Safety
What are the side effects of saw palmetto?
Most side effects are mild and uncommon. NCCIH lists digestive upset, dizziness and headache (NCCIH: Saw palmetto). LiverTox says complaints in trials were usually no more frequent than on placebo (LiverTox: Saw palmetto).
- Stomach upset is the most common complaint. Taking capsules with the label's 8 oz. glass of water may help.
- MSK lists reduced libido as a possible effect, likely tied to its antiandrogen action (MSK: Saw palmetto).
- Liver problems are rare. LiverTox rates it "D", with a few cases that cleared within one to three months of stopping (LiverTox: Saw palmetto).
- NCCIH says it may be unsafe during pregnancy or breastfeeding (NCCIH: Saw palmetto).
Saw palmetto is one of eight ingredients, so any reaction could come from another herb. For the other seven, check SodaPeak side effects.
Medicines
Can you take saw palmetto with blood thinners?
MSK says not to. Its guidance is to avoid saw palmetto with warfarin or other blood thinners, because bruising and bleeding may increase (MSK: Saw palmetto). It may also strengthen the effect of clopidogrel.
MSK cites case reports of bleeding around the heart in a man on rivaroxaban, heavy bleeding during surgery, and a blood collection after surgery (MSK: Saw palmetto). SodaPeak also contains horny goat weed, which may slow clotting (RxList: Horny goat weed). If you take any blood thinner or have surgery planned, ask your doctor before using SodaPeak.
The herbs that interact with blood thinners article explains which ones matter and why.
Our take
Is the saw palmetto in SodaPeak worth it?
As a reason to buy, no. Saw palmetto is a well-studied herb with a mild side-effect profile. But the strongest trials found no prostate benefit, and the bottle never says how much is inside.
In its favor
- Named clearly, third by weight
- Usually mild side effects
- Ceiling of 400 mg could reach trial doses
Against it
- No better than placebo in NIH trials
- Real amount hidden inside the blend
- Bleeding risk with blood thinners
- Antiandrogen effect in a blend named Test Boost
The deeper story is in saw palmetto and the prostate.
Keep exploring
What else is in the SodaPeak blend?
Saw palmetto follows tongkat ali and comes just before nettle root. Every ingredient has its own page with the same label math and sources.
FAQ
Saw palmetto in SodaPeak: common questions
What is the saw palmetto dose in SodaPeak?
SodaPeak does not print a saw palmetto amount. It is third in a 1,200 mg blend listed by weight, so it can weigh at most 400 mg per 2 capsules, or 200 mg per capsule. The true amount is almost certainly lower because eight ingredients share the blend.
Is saw palmetto better than placebo for an enlarged prostate?
The strongest evidence says it does little or nothing. NCCIH reports a 2023 review of 27 studies found little or no benefit, and two NIH-funded trials found it no better than placebo, even at three times the usual dose. See a doctor for urinary symptoms.
Does saw palmetto lower testosterone?
Our sources report no blood testosterone results, but saw palmetto acts against androgens. MSK says it blocks 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme that makes a stronger form of testosterone, and lists reduced libido as a possible side effect.
Is saw palmetto safe with warfarin?
No. Memorial Sloan Kettering advises against taking saw palmetto with warfarin or other blood thinners because bruising and bleeding may increase. It may also add to the effect of clopidogrel. Ask your doctor before using any product that contains it, SodaPeak included.
Can saw palmetto cause liver damage?
Liver injury is rare. LiverTox gives saw palmetto a D rating, meaning a possible but rare cause, with a few cases that went away within one to three months after stopping. Dark urine or yellow eyes need a doctor.
What part of the saw palmetto plant is in SodaPeak?
The berry. The SodaPeak label lists "Saw Palmetto Extract (Serenoa Repens) Fruit". It does not say how strong the extract is or what it is standardized to, so you cannot compare it directly with the extracts used in research.
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by
Plain-language pages built from the bottle label, the order page and linked public health sources such as NIH, FDA and CDC.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a U.S. stocking partner for SodaPeak, not by the manufacturer. We earn money when you buy through our order links.
Keep reading
More about SodaPeak
Ingredients
All eight SodaPeak ingredients in label order, with the most each can weigh and what the research says.
Read more
Saw palmetto and the prostate
What two NIH-funded trials found on saw palmetto, the 320 mg dose, and which urinary symptoms need a doctor.
Read more
Side effects
Side effects and drug interactions for all eight SodaPeak ingredients, plus a five-question safety check.
Read moreU.S. stocking partner for SodaPeak
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