Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a tree with thorn-shaped leaves arranged in a fan that grows up to 10 feet tall. Its mature fruit is utilized in the production of medication. It’s found mainly in the subtropical South-eastern United States, primarily along the south Atlantic and Gulf Coastal plains and sand hills. In sandy coastal locations, it grows in clumps or dense thickets, and as undergrowth in pine woods or hardwood hammocks.

In males, saw palmetto appears to reduce the amount of pressure on the tubes that carry urine. Saw palmetto may also inhibit testosterone from being converted to dihydrotestosterone, a more powerful version (DHT). DHT levels that are lower may assist to avoid various types of hair loss.