Make HowStuffWorks your homepage
Home Remedies for Prostate Problems
It's a sad fact of growing older for the male species. Most men over the age of 60 (and some in their 50s) develop some symptoms of prostate problems. The three most common disorders are benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate; prostatitis, an inflammatory infection; and prostate cancer. BPH is so common that some physicians consider it a normal consequence of aging in males.The prostate's main role is to produce an essential portion of the seminal fluid that carries sperm. This walnut-shaped gland located just below a man's bladder starts to kick in near puberty and continues to grow and grow. This enlargement doesn't usually cause symptoms until after age 40, and it usually doesn't cause problems until age 60 or later.
An enlarged prostate is problematic because it presses on the urethra, creating difficulties with urination and weakening the bladder. Some of the symptoms of prostate problems include:
- difficulty urinating
- frequent urination, especially at night
- difficulty starting urination
- an inability to empty the bladder
- a dribble of urine despite the urgent need to urinate
- a burning sensation when urinating
- uncontrolled dribbling after urination
- pain behind the scrotum
- painful ejaculation
Changes in diet can help relieve some prostate discomforts and, in some cases, may reduce the chances of developing prostate cancer. Check out how home remedies from the kitchen can help.
Home Remedies from the Cupboard
Pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are used by German doctors to treat difficult urination that accompanies an enlarged prostate that is not cancerous. The seeds contain diuretic properties and plenty of zinc, which helps repair and build the immune system. The tastiest way to enjoy pumpkin seeds is to eat them plain. Remove the shells and don't add salt. You can also try a tea. Crush a handful of fresh seeds and place in the bottom of a 1-pint jar. Fill with boiling water. Let cool to room temperature. Strain and drink a pint of pumpkin seed tea a day.
 ©2007 Publications International, Ltd. Eating two servings of tomato per week can help men reduce their risk of prostate cancer by half. |
Corn silk. The silk from corn has been used by Amish men for generations as a remedy for the symptoms of prostate enlargement. When fresh corn is in season, cut the silk from 6 ears of corn. (Corn silk can be dried for later use, too.) Put in 1 quart water, boil, and simmer for ten minutes. Strain and drink a cup. Drink 3 cups a week.
Fish. From the deep comes a way to fight prostate cancer and tumor growth. Try to get 2 servings a week of fish high in omega-3 oils (the good oil), such as tuna, mackerel, or salmon.
Soy. Learning to like and use soy foods is an easy and good way to help nip prostate problems in the bud. Soy-based foods contain phytoestrogens, which are thought to help reduce testosterone production, which is believed to aggravate prostate cancer growth. The phytoestrogens are believed to limit the growth of blood capillaries that form around tumors of the prostate.
Tomatoes. Seize that salsa! Pour on the spaghetti sauce! Down that tomato juice! Learn to add more tomatoes to your diet. Studies have shown that as little as 2 servings of tomatoes (including cooked tomatoes) a week can help men reduce their risk of prostate cancer by half. These red orbs are full of lycopene, an antioxidant compound that helps fight cancer.
Watermelon seeds. The Amish use watermelon tea to flush out the system and help with bladder problems and prostate problems. Enjoy a slice of watermelon and spit the seeds in a cup. When you have 1/8 cup fresh watermelon seeds, put them in a 1-pint jar and fill with boiling water. Let the tea cool, strain, and drink. Drink 1 pint of tea every day for ten days.
Home Remedies from the Supplement Shelf
Saw palmetto. The extract of the berries of this plant has been shown to work as well or better than prescription drugs in improving urinary flow rates and reducing the symptoms of BPH, such as urinary hesitancy and weak flow. The extract works by altering certain hormone levels, thus reducing prostate enlargement. Palmetto extracts can be purchased at the health food store. Consult your physician for recommended dosages.
Stinging nettle. Stinging nettle has been used in Europe for more than a decade, and studies have shown it to reduce symptoms of prostate problems. Nettle helps by inhibiting binding of testosterone-related proteins to their receptor sites on prostate cell membranes. Take stinging nettle in extract form (as capsules). Check with your physician for the correct dosage.
Do Remember
- Drink 8 glasses of water a day.
- Limit your intake of fatty foods and red meats.
- Schedule an annual prostate exam. Catching problems early is vital.
- Watch your alcohol intake. Studies have shown that beer can raise prolactin levels in the body, which in turn can eventually lead to prostate enlargement.
As mentioned previously, saw palmetto is a natural supplement that can be particularly effective in treating prostate conditions. Continue to the next page to learn more.
For more information about men's health issues, visit the links below:
- To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH, is commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate gland. Learn how to treat this problem herbally in Herbal Remedies for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
- Learn all about the mysterious inner workings of the male body in How Work.Men
- In Home Remedies for Impotence, learn about cures from your cupboard that can help with this disorder.
- For home remedies to tackle an incontinence problem, visit Home Remedies for Incontinence.
- For information about erectile dysfunction, a common and treatable disorder, visit How Erectile Dysfunction Works.
Using Saw Palmetto to Treat an Enlarged Prostate
Although it is native to the United States, saw palmetto, like other alternative medicines, first became popular in Europe, where herbal remedies are big sellers.
In many European countries, a number of prescription and over-the-counter remedies for prostate enlargement contain saw palmetto extract. In Germany, for example, saw palmetto is an approved drug often recommended by physicians. This is because using saw palmetto to treat an enlarged prostate can be quite effective. Now saw palmetto is also very popular in the United States.
Saw Palmetto Studies
In Belgium, researchers gave saw palmetto extract to 505 men with benign prostate disease. At the end of the trial, the researchers concluded that saw palmetto had aided urinary flow, reduced residual urinary volume and prostate size, and otherwise improved the patients' quality of life. Saw palmetto, moreover, began to produce results within 45 days. Finasteride, on the other hand, can take six months to a year to work, if indeed it works at all.
After 90 days of saw palmetto treatment, 88 percent of patients and their physicians said they considered the therapy to be effective. Said the Belgian researchers: "The extract of saw palmetto appears to be an effective and well-tolerated pharmacologic agent in treating urinary problems accompanying benign prostate hypertrophy."
In a two-year study conducted in Germany, 88 men with mild BPH were randomly assigned saw palmetto or placebo (dummy pill). By the end of the study, the men taking saw palmetto were much less likely to have had their symptoms worsen compared to those men who were on the placebo.
But not all the studies of saw palmetto have been as encouraging.
In one double-blind trial, 110 patients took either a placebo or an
extract of saw palmetto for one month. The patients who received saw
palmetto showed statistical improvement, but not enough for the
researchers to conclude that saw palmetto was an effective treatment.
A very large trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine
in 2006 found no effect for saw palmetto compared to placebo. However,
the men in this study had significantly more severe BPH symptoms than
in previous studies. This research seemed to confirm that saw palmetto
is best for mild-to-moderate BPH symptoms and is unlikely to help in
more serious cases.
How Saw Palmetto Works
According to the late
pharmacognosist Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., former professor emeritus at
Purdue University School of Pharmacy in Indiana, an extract from saw
palmetto berries appears to counteract the effects of certain male sex
hormones, called androgens, that may cause prostate enlargement. He
said it also has an anti-inflammatory activity.
Just how saw palmetto achieves results remains unclear. Studies in mice have shown that an extract of saw palmetto berries inhibits the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase. That's the chemical, you'll recall, that spurs production of DHT, which causes prostate tissue growth.
Saw palmetto extract also appears to inhibit DHT from binding to cell receptor sites. This increases the breakdown of DHT and encourages its excretion. Other studies show saw palmetto can relax the prostate tissue by blocking the same receptors as alpha-blockers like tamsulosin.
Other research suggests saw palmetto appears to reduce the effects of excess estrogen. In a subsequent human
trial, 80 percent of men with benign prostate enlargement reported
significant improvement in symptoms after using saw palmetto extract.
How Does Saw
Palmetto Compare?
Medications used to treat BPH typically cost twice as much (or more) as saw palmetto. Prices vary from region to region, but as far back as 1993, the U.S. Office of Alternative Medicine concluded that $2.78 billion per year could be saved by using saw palmetto more widely. The savings would certainly be much more today.
Nonetheless, it's unlikely that you'll see saw palmetto as a federally approved drug any time soon.
In 1990, a company called Enzymatic Therapy petitioned the FDA to have saw palmetto approved for treatment of BPH. The federal agency rejected the application. FDA officials said they recognized results of clinical trials that showed "statistically significant" improvements in men who took the herbal extract. But the FDA concluded that such data was not "clinically significant."
What Should You Take?
So where does that leave you if you're suffering from symptoms of prostate enlargement? The first thing to do is to see your doctor to rule out other conditions, including prostate cancer. Then the two of you can determine whether it would be in your best interest to try prescription medications, saw palmetto extract, or a combination to treat your enlarged prostate.
When purchasing saw palmetto, be sure to buy an extract standardized to contain 85 to 95 percent fatty acids and sterols. Berries alone, although cheaper than the extract, would have to be taken in much greater amounts to achieve beneficial effects. Only standardized fatty acid sterols have been studied for their ability to shrink prostatic tissue.
As discussed in this article, there
are many steps you can take on your own to ease the symptoms of an
enlarged prostate. But remember to see your doctor regularly -- don't
let an enlarged prostate go untreated.
For more information about men's health issues, visit the links below:
- To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page.
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH, is commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate gland. Learn how to treat this problem herbally in Herbal Remedies for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
- Learn all about the mysterious inner workings of the male body in How Men Work.
- In Home Remedies for Impotence, learn about cures from your cupboard that can help with this disorder.
- For home remedies to tackle an incontinence problem, visit Home Remedies for Incontinence.
- For information about erectile dysfunction, a common and treatable disorder, visit How Erectile Dysfunction Works.
Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.
Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston. Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.
Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.
Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.
ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:
Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer Guide, and has written for publications including the Boston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.
David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.