Do Saw Palmetto capsules contain alcohol?
I have just started taking these to help my Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and have just read the ingredients and it says that it contains ethanol.Isnt ethanol the same as alcohol??I must avoid alcohol and just wondered if anyone would know if taking these capsules means that I am consuming alcohol???Any advice would be welcome.Thanks
Comments
oldtime is correct in that the alcohol is in the capsules because the capsules you're taking are an alcohol extraction... that means alcohol was used as the solvent to extract the active ingredients (in this case, steroidal saponins) from the raw herb.
I do not necessarily agree that the amount is negligible...
The label on your product should tell you precisely how much alcohol is in each capsule. To achieve a therapeutic dose of saw palmetto, you should be taking about 1-2 ml (standardized to 1:50, 60%) three times daily. In terms of alcohol content, that'd be equivalent to about 1.5 teaspoons of vodka each day. Certainly, this isnt enough to be concerning for most patients from a general health standpoint. However, some patients avoid alcohol for religious reasons. Or they're recovering alcoholics, for whom even small amounts of alcohol can be a problem, etc.
Alcohol extraction (tincture) is not the only extraction method for saw palmetto (Serenoa repens.) If you're avoiding alcohol for health or religious reasons, you might consider a decoction (hot water extraction... like a tea, but you simmer the herb in water for 5-10 minutes and then strain and drink.) Talk to a local ND or herbologist or ask at the health food to find raw herb and proper dosing, or ask about a glycerine extract.
Hello Elsbeth,
Dr T is right. If you have any of the problems outlined by Dr T which restricts you from taking even that much alcohol then you should shift to some other natural product.
As POS is a condition characterized by an imbalance of hormones in women which can affect menstrual periods and ovulation, women often get very embarrassed and upset by some of the symptoms associated with this condition such as excessive hair growth, acne, obesity and the growth of small cysts on the ovaries. It is also one of the leading causes of infertility.
Dong Quai, one of the most important of the Chinese tonic herbs, is used as a nourishing blood tonic and to support the menstrual cycle. Dong Quai has been used for centuries by Asian healers to support balance of female hormones and to promote hormonal health during the menopause and perimenopause. More recently, clinical research has confirmed the effectiveness of this tonic herb.
You may read more at http://www.healthherbsandnutrition.com/products/do...
It should help you
Good Luck
Yes, ethanol is a type of alcohol... but in a capsule, there is going to be a very negligible amount of alcohol that would just help the extraction or absorption. The actual quantity would be less than a drop and you would get more than that amount from most of the foods that you eat anyway. There is nothing to worry about with that one.