Saw Palmetto and Pygeum Together: What to Know

Why take saw palmetto and pygeum together? They are two well-known traditional botanicals for prostate health, and they come from different plants with different compounds: saw palmetto from the berries of a small American palm, pygeum from the bark of an African cherry tree. Prostate Max+™ combines 200 mg of saw palmetto and 100 mg of pygeum per two-capsule serving with plant sterols, nettle, zinc and selenium, to promote a healthy prostate.* Here is what each part does and how the formula is put together.

Key takeaways

Saw palmetto and pygeum come from different plants and bring different compounds, which is why formulas often pair them.
Plant sterols, nettle root and pumpkin seed are the classic supporting ingredients in prostate formulas.
Zinc and selenium are minerals that the prostate uses in normal function.
The label directs two veggie capsules once a day, 20-30 minutes before a meal, so one bottle lasts 30 days.
The label says: "Do not exceed recommended dose. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement." Per NCCIH, saw palmetto may be unsafe during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Per the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, zinc may interact with some antibiotics, penicillamine and some diuretics, selenium with cisplatin, vitamin E with anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines, simvastatin, niacin, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and vitamin B6 with cycloserine, some antiepileptic drugs and theophylline. It also says people with Wilson's disease have a high risk of copper toxicity (Prostate Max+ gives 4 mg of copper per serving), and it reports that 180 mg (400 IU) a day of synthetic vitamin E as dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate may increase prostate cancer risk in men, based on the SELECT trial, and that high doses of vitamin E from supplements have been linked to a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Prostate Max+ uses that form, at 13 mg of vitamin E per serving.

What is saw palmetto?

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a small palm that grows across the southeastern United States. Its dark berries were a food for Native peoples and became a popular men's health botanical in the twentieth century. The berries are rich in fatty acids and plant sterols, and saw palmetto is a common ingredient in prostate formulas.

NCCIH reports that a 2023 review of 27 studies in men with an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) found that saw palmetto taken alone provides little or no benefit for BPH symptoms. NCCIH adds that definite conclusions could not be reached about the effects of combinations of herbs that include saw palmetto. In a one-year trial NCCIH cites, 225 men with moderate-to-severe BPH symptoms were randomly assigned to 160 mg of saw palmetto extract twice a day (320 mg a day) or a placebo, and the extract did not improve symptoms compared with placebo (Bent, New England Journal of Medicine, 2006). Prostate Max+ lists 200 mg of saw palmetto fruit per serving, less than the amount of extract used in that trial.

What is pygeum?

Pygeum (Pygeum africanum, also called Prunus africana or African plum) is an evergreen tree from the mountains of central and southern Africa. Its bark has been used in traditional African and European herbal practice for generations. The bark contains phytosterols, triterpenes and ferulic acid esters. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs page says several small clinical trials suggest pygeum extracts may help urinary symptoms in patients with BPH, but larger trials are needed to confirm safety and effectiveness, and the effects of long-term use are not known. Prostate Max+ lists 100 mg of pygeum bark powder per serving, not an extract.

Why pair saw palmetto and pygeum together?

Saw palmetto and pygeum come from different plants and bring different compounds, which is why formulas often pair them. Saw palmetto contributes fatty acids and sterols from a berry; pygeum contributes sterols and triterpenes from a bark. Using both brings two traditional botanicals into one daily formula.

Plant sterols, nettle root and pumpkin seed are the traditional partners in a prostate formula. Prostate Max+ includes all three, along with a small group of minerals and vitamins.

Prostate Max+ by CuraMyHealth, front label — Prostate Max+ — third-party tested, every batch

Inside Prostate Max+: what else is in the formula

Each two-capsule serving lists 18 ingredients by amount, plus a 176 mg blend of twelve more. Blend totals are on the label; the amounts inside each blend are not. Here is how the label breaks down:

Group	Per serving (2 capsules)
Lead botanicals	Saw palmetto 200 mg, pygeum bark 100 mg
Plant sterols and partners	Plant sterol complex (soy) 50 mg, nettle root 30 mg
Fruits, vegetables, leaves and bark	Raspberry, soursop and green tea 50 mg each; broccoli, tomato and cat's claw 30 mg each
Mushrooms	Maitake, reishi and shiitake 10 mg each
Vitamins and minerals	Vitamin E 13 mg, vitamin B6 2 mg, zinc 12 mg, selenium 55 mcg, copper 4 mg
Proprietary blend	176 mg: quercetin, juniper, uva ursi, buchu, L-alanine, L-glycine, pumpkin seed, burdock, cayenne, goldenseal, marshmallow, parsley

Zinc and selenium

Zinc and selenium are minerals that the prostate uses in normal function. Zinc is required for the activity of hundreds of enzymes, and selenium is part of selenoproteins that help protect against oxidative damage, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets on both. In Prostate Max+, zinc (12 mg) and selenium (55 mcg) each sit at about 100% of the Daily Value per serving. If you already take a multivitamin, add up your totals. One serving of Prostate Max+ gives 12 mg zinc, 55 mcg selenium, 4 mg copper, 2 mg vitamin B6 and 13 mg vitamin E. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists adult upper limits of 40 mg a day for zinc, 400 mcg a day for selenium, 10,000 mcg (10 mg) a day for copper and 100 mg a day for vitamin B6 from food and supplements combined, and 1,000 mg a day for vitamin E from supplements.

Tomato, broccoli and green tea

These are familiar foods and drinks in a vegetable-rich eating pattern. Tomato brings lycopene, broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable, and green tea leaf brings natural plant compounds. Their amounts in a capsule are small; think of them as a nod to that eating pattern, not a replacement for eating the foods themselves.

What Prostate Max+ supports

Prostate Max+ promotes a healthy prostate and aids in urinary flow.* It is a daily nutritional supplement for prostate health, not a substitute for regular check-ups. If you notice any change in urination, see your doctor rather than reaching for a supplement.

How to take saw palmetto and pygeum in Prostate Max+

The label directs two veggie capsules once a day, 20-30 minutes before a meal, so one bottle lasts 30 days. The full Suggested Use reads: "As a dietary supplement, take two (2) veggie capsules once a day. For best results, take 20-30 min before a meal with an 8 fl oz. glass of water or as directed by your healthcare professional." As for how long, NCCIH notes that saw palmetto has been used safely in research studies for up to 3 years; for pygeum, Memorial Sloan Kettering says the effects of long-term use are not known.

Take both capsules together 20-30 minutes before the same meal each day, so it becomes automatic.
Keep the habits that matter most: regular movement, plenty of vegetables, and routine check-ups.

Who should check with a professional first

The label's caution reads: "Do not exceed recommended dose. Pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if safety seal is damaged or missing. Store in a cool, dry place." NCCIH gives a stronger caution for one ingredient: saw palmetto "may be unsafe for use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding." The label also says Contains: Soy (from the plant sterol complex). The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements lists medicine interactions for zinc (some antibiotics, penicillamine, some diuretics), selenium (cisplatin), vitamin E (anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines, simvastatin, niacin, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) and vitamin B6 (cycloserine, some antiepileptic drugs, theophylline). For quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics, it says taking the antibiotic at least 2 hours before or 4 to 6 hours after a zinc supplement minimizes the interaction. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements also says people with Wilson's disease "have a high risk of copper toxicity"; Prostate Max+ gives 4 mg of copper per serving. Its vitamin E sheet reports that in the SELECT trial, 180 mg (400 IU) a day of synthetic vitamin E as dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate "may harm adult men in the general population by increasing their risk of prostate cancer," and that clinical trials have reported a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke from high doses of vitamin E from supplements. That is the form Prostate Max+ uses, at 13 mg of vitamin E per serving. The formula includes green tea leaf and goldenseal, and saw palmetto can interact with some medicines, including blood thinners, so bring the bottle to your doctor or pharmacist if you take any prescription.

Tested, every batch

Every batch of Prostate Max+ is third-party tested for purity and potency by an outside lab. It is manufactured in USA with globally sourced materials, in an NSF-certified, GMP-certified, FDA-registered facility, in a vegetable capsule. Read how we test on our Our Standards page.

Frequently asked questions about saw palmetto and pygeum

Can you take saw palmetto and pygeum together?

Yes. They are commonly combined in prostate formulas because they come from different plants with different compounds. Prostate Max+ contains 200 mg of saw palmetto and 100 mg of pygeum in each two-capsule serving. Its label says pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. NCCIH also says saw palmetto may be unsafe to use while pregnant or breastfeeding. The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements notes interactions between zinc and some antibiotics, penicillamine and some diuretics; selenium and cisplatin; vitamin E and anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines, simvastatin, niacin, chemotherapy and radiotherapy; and vitamin B6 and cycloserine, some antiepileptic drugs and theophylline. The same office says people with Wilson's disease have a high risk of copper toxicity, and Prostate Max+ gives 4 mg of copper per serving. It also reports, from the SELECT trial, that 180 mg (400 IU) a day of synthetic vitamin E as dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate may increase prostate cancer risk in men, and that high-dose vitamin E supplements have been linked to a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Prostate Max+ uses that form of vitamin E, at 13 mg per serving. If you take any medicines, check with your healthcare provider first.

Is Prostate Max+ vegan?

Yes. It uses a hypromellose (vegetable) capsule, and its product page lists it as vegan and vegetarian. It does contain soy, from the plant sterol complex.

How long should I take it before I judge it?

The label gives no timeline for results. It directs two capsules once a day, 20-30 minutes before a meal, and one bottle is a 30-day supply at that serving. The label also says "Do not exceed recommended dose" and that pregnant or nursing mothers, children under the age of 18, and individuals with a known medical condition should consult a physician before using this or any dietary supplement. For medicines, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements names interactions for zinc (some antibiotics, penicillamine, some diuretics), selenium (cisplatin), vitamin E (anticoagulant and antiplatelet medicines, simvastatin, niacin, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) and vitamin B6 (cycloserine, some antiepileptic drugs, theophylline). For copper, it says people with Wilson's disease have a high risk of copper toxicity (Prostate Max+ gives 4 mg per serving). For vitamin E, it reports that 180 mg (400 IU) a day of synthetic vitamin E as dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate may increase prostate cancer risk in men, based on the SELECT trial, and that high doses from supplements have been linked to a higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Prostate Max+ uses that form, at 13 mg per serving. NCCIH says saw palmetto "has been used safely in research studies for up to 3 years" and that it may be unsafe during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and Memorial Sloan Kettering says pygeum's "effects following long-term use are not known." Talk with your healthcare provider about how Prostate Max+ fits your routine.

Does Prostate Max+ contain a proprietary blend?

Yes. Eighteen ingredients are listed with their amounts, and a 176 mg blend lists twelve more by name, without their individual amounts.

Is there caffeine in Prostate Max+?

The formula contains 50 mg of green tea leaf per serving. Green tea leaf can contain small amounts of natural caffeine, so keep that in mind if you are sensitive to it.

Sources

Individual results vary.

*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.

Saw Palmetto and Pygeum Together: Inside Prostate Max+