Natural Remedies for Prostate Problems

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

04 May 2006 04:58 PM

It's almost unavoidable, men: as you age, you will probably experience some issues thanks to an enlarged prostate.

Don't panic. An enlarged prostate doesn't automatically mean prostate cancer; you may have an infection (or prostatitis) or just a natural enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia). The main symptom of prostate issues is increasingly frequent overnight bathroom trips. If you are waking up a lot more than you used to, you may want to talk to your doctor about a prostate check-up.

You may be able to ease some of your prostate symptoms with a combination of nettle and saw palmetto. Both are known in folk medicine as helpful in easing bladder problems like frequent urination and bladder irritation. And a group of eighteen recent studies from Europe are showing that nettle and saw palmetto may actually work, especially in treating BPH.

On average, the men who participated in these studies found that the herbal remedies worked almost 30% better than placebos did. A study focusing on the effects of nettle found that men who took the herb had 24% fewer symptoms. A study focusing on the effects of saw palmetto and nettle combined found that nighttime bathroom trips decreased 35% over six months!

Studies of nettle and saw palmetto have suggested that the herbs may help inhibit an enzyme that can cause prostate enlargement.

If you would like to try adding a nettle and/or saw palmetto supplement to your diet, check with your local health food store. Look for a combination that has 160 milligrams of saw palmetto and 120 milligrams of nettle; these are the dose amounts used in several studies. Side effects were rare, but included shortness of breath and diarrhea.

Talk to your doctor before adding any supplement to your diet; if you are experiencing symptoms of prostate enlargement, you really should talk to your doctor anyway! If the cause is prostate cancer, early detection can make a big difference.

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Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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