The Men's Curse - Brief Article

Vegetarian Times, March, 2000 by Ellen Cavalli

During their lifetime, more than 50 percent of American men will contract prostate enlargement, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

BPH is a nonlethal yet inconvenient condition in which the prostate gland becomes enlarged--up to two or three times its normal size and causes increased frequency of urination and reduced force and speed of flow. Men with BPH can wake up as many as six times in the night with the urge to urinate. While doctors still aren't sure exactly how BPH develops, it's thought that age and hormonal fluctuations play a role.

Herbalists routinely recommend the "big three" remedies for BPH--saw palmetto, pygeum and stinging nettles, which have been clinically shown to reduce the swelling of the prostate and alleviate the accompanying symptoms. In fact, saw palmetto has been proven to reduce swelling and improve symptoms within four to six weeks. And though effective, it should be noted that pygeum has suffered from overharvesting and is threatened with extinction. (Conservation efforts are under way.) Stinging nettles begin to relieve symptoms (frequent urination, etc.) after one week of taking and are often combined with one of the other two in manufactured herbal remedies.

In their book, Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (Prima Health, 1998), Michael Murray, N.D., and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., recommend 45 to 60 milligrams (mg.)of zinc per day and 63 to 126 mg. of flower pollen extract (e.g., Cernilton), two to three times a day in addition to herbs. Research has shown both remedies to be effective in diminishing--even preventing--BPH and its symptoms. One cautionary note: It's still important to consult your health care practitioner to rule out serious diseases, such as prostate cancer.

Contributing to this month's column are Robert Rountree, M.D., of Helios Health Center, Boulder, Colo.; Mindy Green, director of education at the Herb Research Foundation, also in Boulder; and Steven Foster, of Fayetteville, Ark., author of the award-winning 101 Medicinal Herbs (Interweave Press, 1998).

Herb               Function

Saw palmetto       Anti-inflammatory; most effective
(Serenoa repens)   herb for BPH

Pygeum             Anti-inflammatory; has been
(Prunus fricana)   shown to diminish prostate
                   enlargement

Stinging nettles   Anti-inflammatory and diuretic;
(Urtica dioica)    relieves urinary problems, including
                   those associated with BPH

Herb               Dosage(*)

Saw palmetto       Tincture: 20-40 drops, up to
(Serenoa repens)   4x/day
                   Capsules: 160-320 mg. standardized
                   extract 3x/day; or 585
                   mg. nonstandardized extract
                   capsules 3x/day with meals

Pygeum             Capsules: 50-200 mg. extract of
(Prunus fricana)   powdered bark, divided into 3
                   doses/day

Stinging nettles   Capsules: up to 6 (435-mg.)
(Urtica dioica)    capsules per day
                   Tea: Steep 1 tsp. dried root in
                   cup of hot water (10-15 minutes)
                   and divide into 2 or 3 doses/day

Herb               Comments

Saw palmetto       Can be used long-term as a
(Serenoa repens)   preventive. No known side
                   effects or contraindications.
                   Occasionally causes stomach
                   upset.

Pygeum             Gastrointestinal side effects
(Prunus fricana)   have been reposed, including
                   stomach upset and nausea. No
                   known contraindications.

Stinging nettles   Less effective on its own; therefore,
(Urtica dioica)    combine with saw palmetto
                   or pygeum. Very safe
                   herb; no known side effects or
                   contraindications.

(*) Dosages given are recommendations only; check with your health care professional before taking any herbal supplement.