A Prospective, 1-Year Trial Using Saw Palmetto Versus Finasteride in the Treatment of Category III Prostatitis/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
January 2004
in “The Journal of Urology”
TLDR Finasteride improves chronic pelvic pain, saw palmetto doesn't.
The study aimed to compare the effectiveness of saw palmetto and finasteride in treating chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. A total of 64 men were randomized to either finasteride or saw palmetto for 1 year. The study found that patients treated with finasteride had significant and durable improvement in all various parameters except voiding, while saw palmetto had no appreciable long-term improvement. Adverse events included headache in the saw palmetto group and decreased libido in the finasteride group. Further studies are warranted to ascertain the mechanism and reproducibility of these effects in a placebo-controlled trial.
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Cited in this study
research Effects of finasteride in patients with inflammatory chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study
Finasteride didn't significantly improve ICPPS symptoms, more research needed.
research The Effect of Finasteride on the Risk of Acute Urinary Retention and the Need for Surgical Treatment among Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Finasteride reduces urinary issues and surgery need in men with enlarged prostates by over 50%.
research Comparison of finasteride (proscar®), a 5α reductase inhibitor, and various commercial plant extracts in in vitro and in vivo 5α reductase inhibition
Finasteride effectively inhibits 5α reductase, while plant extracts like Permixon and Bazoton don't show significant results.