I'm new here. I made this post to warn the other members about the dangers of taking saw palmetto.

I'm a 27 year old female with PCOS and I have struggled with acne since I was 14. I'm not overweight like most women with PCOS are, I'm actually a bit underweight. The last time I had my hormone levels checked, it showed that my testosterone was slightly high. I also had elevated DHEA-S. My estrogen was normal.

Last year I decided to take Saw Palmetto to balance my hormones. At first I didn't notice any results, then a few months later I started getting stubborn acne on my left cheek. They were mostly inflamed whiteheads and pustules. They left red marks even though I NEVER popped or picked at them. I suspected my diet was the culprit so I cut out gluten/dairy and went on a low FODMAP diet. No improvement. The breakouts persisted. My mom suggested that maybe it was the saw palmetto causing it, so I stopped taking it to see if it my acne would improve. It has been a week and my skin is starting to clear up! While I was taking SP I had weird side effects like: constipation, feeling groggy when waking up in the morning, slight nausea after eating breakfast, bleeding gums, hair shedding, easy bruising, and delayed periods.

This is what I read about Saw Palmetto:

"The plant steroids insaw palmettoalsoact on progesteronereceptors, an action that causes a reduction in estrogen levels."

"Like aspirin, saw palmetto extract inhibits an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, according to researchers from a 2001 "Journal of Internal Medicine" article. This inhibition can thin your blood and delay clotting, causing cause prolonged bleeding or increased bruising. If you are taking an anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication, do not take saw palmetto, as it could overemphasize the blood-thinning properties of those drugs. People with stomach ulcers, hemophilia or other bleeding disorders should also avoid saw palmetto."

"Saw palmetto may damage your liver, especially if you have a history of liver problems or are at an increased risk for them. There have been reported cases of liver damage in people who took saw palmetto, although the exact cause of these rare side effects was not determined."

"Another risk that may plague women who have taken this herb for some time is the reduced ability to absorb iron. Whether you have had problems with anemia in the past or not, taking saw palmetto for an extended period may increase your risk of becoming anemic."

I know we think of herbal supplements as all natural and therefore safe, but the truth is that they can pose serious health risks. Your best bet is drinking tons of water, eating clean, sleeping at the right times, exercising, and living a stress free life.