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Herbal Remedies for Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy
SAW PALMETTO (Serenoa repens) Most of the modern research on saw palmetto has been performed by medical doctors in Germany, France and Italy. There have been 18 published studies that confirm its effectiveness in shrinking the prostate and improving urinary flow. Saw palmetto contains numerous active substances that appear to act in a synergistic fashion. The herb blocks the 5 alpha-reductase enzyme, thus reducing production of DHT. It also interferes with the binding of DHT and estrogen to receptors on prostate cells. In other words, it prevents these hormones from stimulating growth of the prostate. Saw palmetto also contains a substance called beta sitosterol, which has potent immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory effects.
STINGING NETTLE (Urtica dioica) leaves are well-known to herbalists, who use them to make a tea for soothing an inflamed urinary tract. The tea is also used to lower blood pressure by its diuretic effect (increasing the flow of urine from the bladder). An extract of the root appears to be more specific for the prostate. Research shows that it can relieve the symptoms of urinary urgency and discomfort caused when an enlarged prostate impinges on the urethra. While nettle root has some of the same active ingredients as saw palmetto, it appears to act more like an anti-inflammatory than a hormone-blocking agent. It is usually used in a combination formula to enhance the action of saw palmetto and other herbs rather than as a single agent.
PYGEUM (Pygeum africanum) is a massive evergreen tree that grows on high plateaus in central and southern Africa and Madagascar, where it sometimes reaches heights of 120 feet. An extract of the bark has been studied in Europe for more than 30 years in thousands of patients with BPH and has been found to be effective at improving urinary flow, relieving urgency and decreasing inflammation. The results have been published in at least nine clinical reports from several medical centers. It contains several active ingredients, including ursolic acid and beta sitosterol (which appears to be a common substance in herbal remedies that enhance prostate health). Like saw palmetto, pygeum appears to block the detrimental effects of testosterone and estrogen on the prostate.
Dosage: Take 160 mg twice daily. To get the best effect, it is important to use a standardized, fat-soluble extract guaranteed to contain 85 to 95% fatty acids and sterols. Saw palmetto can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to achieve its full effect, so patience is required. Fortunately, it can be taken for indefinite periods of time and side effects (occasional stomach upset) are uncommon.
Dosage: Take 300 to 600 mg of stinging-nettle root daily. Stinging nettle is sometimes given as an alcohol-based tincture in a dosage of 1/2 to 1 teaspoon daily. Side effects are rare, but include mild stomach upset or diarrhea.
Dosage: Take 50 to 100 mg of pygeum two times daily, either as a single herb or in combination with saw palmetto and or nettles. The most potent pygeum extracts are standardized to contain 14% triterpenes (including beta sitosterol) and 0.5% n-docosanol.
