Get with the Flow: Herbs for Prostate Health

"I think I have prostate problems." Many middle-aged men have Mumbles these words to your healthcare provider, with the hope of alleviating the symptoms of urinary disturbing as the lack of urinary stream, incomplete emptying the bladder, a frequent need to empty the night and repeated emptying. It is estimated that over 50 percent of men develop these symptoms at some point in their lives, resulting in a significant reduction in the perceived quality of life.

The blame for this medical condition is common prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland that lies below the bladder and surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine flows, as it leaves the bladder. Only men have a prostate gland which has an important role in supplying components necessary for the fluid that transports sperm. Unfortunately, as men age, there are changes in levels of sex hormones in their bodies which translates into an accumulation of the hormone testosterone in the prostate. Inside the prostate gland, the testosterone is metabolized in its most potent form, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is partially responsible for the increase in prostate size. When the prostate is enlarged, is squeezed off the urethra, making it difficult for urine to pass. And so the problem.

Until 1990, only traditional medical models offer surgery for men with enlarged prostates (a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH). The surgery, called transurethral resection of the prostate or TURP, which involved using a device that went into the urethra via the penis and scrape out sections of the prostate. Besides being painful and expensive, often had to be repeated after several years. In 1990, a drug called finasteride (Proscar) was approved for prostate enlargement. It works by inhibiting the enzyme that turned testosterone into DHT, which in turn reduce the proliferation of prostate tissue. Its main "side effect" is its cost, nearly $ 800 dollars a year.

In the last decade, increasing attention has been paid to herbal medicines for enlargement of the prostate that have proven in clinical trials research to be effective in relieving symptoms in the prostate significantly lower cost and with remarkably few side effects. At the risk of sounding lofty, however, I refuse to say another word about these herbs useful until I am sure that I have reached the point as to what should be the first step before trying to use those resources if Symptoms of prostate:

Ask your health care provider for an examination of his prostate. It is not something to treat their own without first seeing a provider. Prostate cancer has the same symptoms that an enlarged prostate and is treatable if caught early.

Thank you. I feel better. More ... Three herbs have particular promise in reducing the symptoms of BPH. An extract taken from the saw palmetto berries, a dwarf palm native to Florida, has been the most extensively studied herbal remedy for this condition. Saw palmetto is cree to block the same enzyme as finasteride lead to a contraction of the prostate tissue and the resulting improvement in urine flow. Although no head-to-head between the two studies have been carried out, some of the studies indicated that Saw Palmetto can work better than finasteride (and at a fraction of the cost).

The bark of an African tree known as Pygeum africanum offers another alternative for the treatment of BPH. Although there are fewer studies on the effectiveness of Pygeum for this condition, is widely used in Europe and it is generally considered safe. Investigators believe that Pygeum has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce the growth of certain types of cells in the prostate. Many products on the market "Prostate Health" containing a combination of Saw Palmetto and Pygeum.

Even less well studied stinging nettle is that it is also commonly used on many products containing herbs for symptoms of prostate cancer. Are known to have a mild diuretic effect that improves urine flow, but may also have some anti-inflammatory effect on prostate as well. While the mechanism of action is unclear, clinical studies show that improving urinary symptoms in men with BPH. (As you may already have guessed, scientific research on herbal therapies is limited due to lack of funding for such research.)

And so, having had a proper examination to prove the absence of cancerous tissue in the prostate and whether it had decided to try an herbal remedy for symptoms of prostate cancer, his trip to the pharmacy will be less confusing if you look for the following themes of the label of any product you choose: * Saw palmetto should be one of the ingredients if not the only ingredient. It has the best scientific evidence to support its effectiveness. Each pill must contain 160 milligrams of extract Saw Palmetto to be taken twice daily.

* The bottle must say that Saw Palmetto extract contains between 85 and 95% of fatty acids or "Lipophylic constituents." * The presence of stinging nettle or Pygeum are optional, and certainly not dangerous. The recommended dose is Pygeum 100-200 milligrams of extract daily. The recommended dose of stinging nettle is 770 milligrams twice a day. Note: Most products contain far from the respective quantities of these plants so do not worry so much about these doses as it does on the dose of Saw Palmetto in the product. * There is some evidence that zinc, pumpkin seed oil, licorice and some amino acids are useful in promoting the health of prostate and many combination products containing these as well. They do not hurt. Note that can take up to three months before you notice the greatest relief of symptoms. It's probably best to wait so long before deciding that the product does not work for you. Fortunately, at about $ 15 a month, you will not have to take out a loan to see if it works!