Get with the Flow: Herbs for Prostate Health

Three herbs have particular promise in reducing the symptoms of BPH. An extract taken from the saw palmetto berry, a dwarf palm native to Florida, has been the most extensively studied herbal remedy for this condition. Saw palmetto is believed to block the same enzyme as finasteride resulting in a shrinkage of the prostate tissue and resultant improvement in urinary flow. While no head-to-head studies between the two have been undertaken, some of the studies indicated that saw palmetto may actually work better than finasteride (and at a fraction of the cost).

The bark from an African tree known as Pygeum africanum provides another alternative to the treatment of BPH. Although fewer studies exist as to the effectiveness of pygeum for this condition, it is widely used in Europe and is generally considered safe. Researchers believe that pygeum has anti-inflammatory properties which reduce growth of some types of prostate cells. Many products on the market for "Prostate Health" contain a combination of saw palmetto and pygeum.

Even less well studied is stinging nettle which is also commonly used in products containing multiple herbs for prostate symptoms. It is known to have a gentle diuretic effect which improves urinary flow but may also have some anti-inflammatory effect on the prostate as well. While the mechanism of action isn't clear, clinical studies show that it improves urinary symptoms in men with BPH. (As you may already have guessed, scientific research on herbal therapies is scant due to the lack of funding for this type of research.)

And so AFTER you've had an adequate examination to show the absence of cancerous tissue in the prostate and IF you've decided to try an herbal remedy for prostate symptoms, your trip to the pharmacy will be less confusing if you look for the following items on the label of any product you choose: * Saw palmetto should be one of the ingredients if not the sole ingredient. It has the best scientific data to back its effectiveness. Each pill should contain 160 milligrams of saw palmetto extract to be taken twice daily. *The bottle should say that the extract of saw palmetto contains between 85 and 95 % fatty acids or "lipophilic constituents". *The presence of stinging nettle or pygeum are optional and certainly not dangerous. The recommended dose of pygeum is 100-200 milligrams daily of the extract. The recommended dose of stinging nettle

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