06-03-2016, 16:19
Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
February 23 2006 at 7:02 AM Janet (no login)
As a newcomer, this is my question: is extract of Saw Palmetto better than the whole herb?
Molly
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
February 23 2006, 7:08 AM
I would say no, always go for the whole herb. Extract of Saw Palmetto is the man-made chemical extraction of the deemed active constituent, which immediately prompts two questions. Does one constituent alone reflect the benefits of the Saw Palmetto plant? And does this constituent become better absorbed in an extract than in the whole herb itself? I would say no to both questions.
Alison
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
February 23 2006, 7:29 AM
The traditional view is that the value of a herb lies in the whole herb. For that reason if you go to see a herbalist and are prescribed herbs you will almost always be given the whole of the herbs. The fact that practising herbalists very seldom use extracts should enable you to draw your own conclusion.
Steph
(no login)
Hi Janet:-)
February 23 2006, 7:55 AM
I certainly wouldnt aurgue that Molly and Allison are totally correct in everything they said (and Molly is studying Herbology so she knows)however for NBE purposes u may consider the SP extract for 2 main reasons,the number of pills u will have to take is less,if ur bothered by that factor (some of us are) and b/c most of us are on the extract form so when u have a problem /question/ concern,more of us will be able to help u b/c we're more familur w/ that form of SP.Ofcourse it goes w/out saying u should choose whatever makes more sense to u though:-)
Janet
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
March 5 2006, 8:21 AM
Thanks for your answers. However, I have another question. If some people here are using Saw palmetto extract, why are they using the whole of other herbs? It seems that people choose the whole herb in all other cases and only in the case of Saw palmetto do they choose extract. Also, isn't extract inflexible and makes it harder to vary the amount you take?
Steph
(no login)
What it boils down to
March 5 2006, 9:07 AM
Hi Again Janet,u sound more "partial" towards the whole herb so if thats the case then u should take that form,I personally take Fenugreek in extract form as well,with many girls its simply a case of "availability",some girls do take the SP whole and when they have a question it ofton seems to cause confusion when trying to attain a clear and direct answer,PrettySoulful had a great routine going that included the SPE and it kind of evolved from there,u will always hear debate on the two so it boils down to u choosing what is right for u and ur body:-)
Lisa
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
March 5 2006, 1:20 PM
I prefer the extract because first of all what Steph said but also because with the extract the amounts never vary, with the herb form I have heard that you can never be exactly sure how potent each pill is and they may vary.
Sabrina
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
March 5 2006, 3:26 PM
Potency of whole herbs may vary, but it's still always greater than the potency of extracts. At least that's what herbalists seem to believe. The only advantage of extracts that seems based in fact is that if you take an extract you need less capsules than if you take the whole herb (for those that have a desire to take less capsules).
Cathy
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
March 5 2006, 8:19 PM
I would say Lisa is right. With the extract the amounts never vary, but with the whole form you can never be exactly sure how potent each pill is because there's always some degree of natural variance.
February 23 2006 at 7:02 AM Janet (no login)
As a newcomer, this is my question: is extract of Saw Palmetto better than the whole herb?
Molly
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
February 23 2006, 7:08 AM
I would say no, always go for the whole herb. Extract of Saw Palmetto is the man-made chemical extraction of the deemed active constituent, which immediately prompts two questions. Does one constituent alone reflect the benefits of the Saw Palmetto plant? And does this constituent become better absorbed in an extract than in the whole herb itself? I would say no to both questions.
Alison
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
February 23 2006, 7:29 AM
The traditional view is that the value of a herb lies in the whole herb. For that reason if you go to see a herbalist and are prescribed herbs you will almost always be given the whole of the herbs. The fact that practising herbalists very seldom use extracts should enable you to draw your own conclusion.
Steph
(no login)
Hi Janet:-)
February 23 2006, 7:55 AM
I certainly wouldnt aurgue that Molly and Allison are totally correct in everything they said (and Molly is studying Herbology so she knows)however for NBE purposes u may consider the SP extract for 2 main reasons,the number of pills u will have to take is less,if ur bothered by that factor (some of us are) and b/c most of us are on the extract form so when u have a problem /question/ concern,more of us will be able to help u b/c we're more familur w/ that form of SP.Ofcourse it goes w/out saying u should choose whatever makes more sense to u though:-)
Janet
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
March 5 2006, 8:21 AM
Thanks for your answers. However, I have another question. If some people here are using Saw palmetto extract, why are they using the whole of other herbs? It seems that people choose the whole herb in all other cases and only in the case of Saw palmetto do they choose extract. Also, isn't extract inflexible and makes it harder to vary the amount you take?
Steph
(no login)
What it boils down to
March 5 2006, 9:07 AM
Hi Again Janet,u sound more "partial" towards the whole herb so if thats the case then u should take that form,I personally take Fenugreek in extract form as well,with many girls its simply a case of "availability",some girls do take the SP whole and when they have a question it ofton seems to cause confusion when trying to attain a clear and direct answer,PrettySoulful had a great routine going that included the SPE and it kind of evolved from there,u will always hear debate on the two so it boils down to u choosing what is right for u and ur body:-)
Lisa
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
March 5 2006, 1:20 PM
I prefer the extract because first of all what Steph said but also because with the extract the amounts never vary, with the herb form I have heard that you can never be exactly sure how potent each pill is and they may vary.
Sabrina
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
March 5 2006, 3:26 PM
Potency of whole herbs may vary, but it's still always greater than the potency of extracts. At least that's what herbalists seem to believe. The only advantage of extracts that seems based in fact is that if you take an extract you need less capsules than if you take the whole herb (for those that have a desire to take less capsules).
Cathy
(no login)
Re: Is extract of Saw Palmetto better?
March 5 2006, 8:19 PM
I would say Lisa is right. With the extract the amounts never vary, but with the whole form you can never be exactly sure how potent each pill is because there's always some degree of natural variance.