[AnnieBL]

One factor here may be that many herbal products contain a number of different active constituents in different categories, the relative proportions of which can vary widely in different samples and with different modes of preparation and extraction. This both makes it difficult to explain how they work, militates against reproducible results in trials, and results in widely differing results in different people with different characteristics and problems. After all, it is difficult enough to predict reliably the effect of a single chemical compound in a prescription pharmaceutical administered with carefully controlled dosage and conditions. Saw Palmetto is a good example. The explanations of its action and the results of trials are all over the place. PM is even more complex. Essentially we largely have to rely on the anecdotal evidence of others and limited research findings to make judgements as to whether a particular product is likely to be helpful in our own particular and rather unusual situations and then experiment. We do fortunately have our own specialist gurus here to consult- e.g. "Ask your Mistress Lotus whether XYZ is right for me?" Certainly to my mind a much better bet than Dr Oz.