Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Symptoms and Remedies

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, commonly referred to as “BPH”, is a non-malignant enlargement of the male prostate gland.

The prostate gland is located right beneath the bladder and encircles the urethra - the tube that drains urine from the male’s bladder. The primary purpose of the prostate gland is to produce seminal fluid that helps to nourish and transport sperm.

At birth the prostate is no larger than a pea but it continues to grow throughout adolescence and early adulthood until it reaches the size of a walnut. Many men, if not all men, usually experience another period of prostate growth in their mid- to late 40s. During this second period of growth the cells in the portion of the prostate that surrounds the urethra begin to reproduce more rapidly. This growth often compresses the urethra leading to partial blockage of urine flow. This condition is referred to as Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

About half of all men in their 60s and up to 90 percent of men over age 70 suffer from some form of BPH. Treatment for BPH depends on the severity of the condition and may include surgery, medication or nonsurgical therapies.

Supplements that may be helpful

While health stores market a variety of herbs for the treatment of prostate enlargement, long-term studies indicate that only saw palmetto may be helpful for individuals with BPH. Even so, scientific data supporting the efficacy of saw palmetto is lacking.

Today, saw palmetto extract has become a leading natural remedy for BPH. When regularly used saw palmetto extract has shown to help manage symptoms associated with BPH. It is believed that saw palmetto may function in a similar manner to the medication finasteride by preventing the development of a form of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), associated with growth of prostate tissue. Most studies have used up to 320 mg per day of saw palmetto extract standardized to contain 80 to 95 fatty acids.

Saw palmetto is not a fast working supplement. Most men supplementing with saw palmetto experience an improvement in their urinary symptoms within a few months. If after three months no improvement is seen then saw palmetto may not be effective for you. Saw palmetto appears to be safe for long-term use. There are no known side effects from long-term use of saw palmetto.

Beta-sitosterol is another supplement that may be helpful for men with BPH. In one double-blind trial, 200 male participants were given 20 mg of beta-sitosterol or a placebo three times daily for six months. Study participants who received beta-sitosterol experienced a notable improvement in urinary symptoms associated with BPH while those participants who received the placebo reported no significant change.

Preliminary trials indicate that rye pollen extract may also be useful for improving the long-term symptoms of BPH. Double-blind trials have also reported the similar findings.

Supporting Literature

Berges RR, Windeler J, Trampisch HJ, et al. Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Lancet 1995;345:1529–1532.
Buck AC, Cox R, Rees RW, et al. Treatment of outflow tract obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia with the pollen extract, cernilton. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Br J Urol 1990;66:398–404.
Hayashi J, Mitsui H, Yamakawa G, et al. Clinical evaluation of Cernilton in benign prostatic hypertrophy. Hinyokika Kiyo 1986;32:135–141.
Horii A, Iwai S, Maekawa M, Tsujita M. Clinical evaluation of Cernilton in the treatment of the benign prostatic hypertrophy. Hinyokika Kiyo 1985;31:739–744.
Ueda K, Jinno H, Tsujimura S. Clinical evaluation of Cernilton® on benign prostatic hyperplasia. Hinyokika Kiyo 1985;31:187–191.
Schneider HJ, Honold E, Mashur T. Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Results of a surveillance study in the practices of urological specialists using a combined plant-base preparation. Fortschr Med 1995;113:37–40.
Koch E, Biber A. Pharmacological effects of sabal and urtica extracts as a basis for a rational medication of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urologe 1994;334:90–95.