Prostate Saw Palmetto Herb benefit, side effects, how to treat an enlarged gland with natural therapies and home remedies without the need for prescription medications, unless the organ has reached a moderate to severe enlargement. Information on finasteride and dutasteride, Proscar, Avodart

The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system. It makes a fluid that mixes with sperm and other fluids during ejaculation. These fluids help nourish and transport sperm. A normal gland is about the size of a walnut. Many natural herbs, vitamins, minerals and supplements have been studied for their influence on enlargement issues. As men age, their libido decreases. Those who with to improve their sexual drive and overall sexual enjoyment should consider Passion Rx, a doctor formulated potent herbal product.

Prostate Power Rx herbal product - A Formula supplement put together by a medical doctor for optimal prostate health
Plus: Saw palmetto extract 320 mg

Prostate Power Rx is a formula supplement with Saw Palmetto, Pygeum, Stinging Nettle, Quercetin, Lycopene, Phytosterols, Genistein, Daidzein, and key Ingredients for support of a healthy prostate gland. It also has mild sexual enhancing properties.

This formula is carefully formulated with important herbs and nutrients to provide nourishment. Clinical research on prostate gland has been conducted with some of the potent herbs in this herbal formula. Many people notice this natural prostate supplement enhances their sexual performance and stamina.

Click Prostate Power Rx to find out details about the ingredients and dosage, to purchase saw palmetto extract supplement, Passion Rx sexual enhancer, other high quality herbal products

Prostate Enlargement information and review
As a man ages, it is common for the prostate gland to enlarge. Doctors call this condition "benign prostatic hyperplasia" or BPH. As the it enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press inward against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose, narrowing the space for urine to pass. In addition, the bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself. Urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with an enlarged prostate. A doctor can tell an enlarged prostate during a finger prostate exam.

Herbal remedy, plants and extracts
Saw palmetto, pygeum, stinging nettle, and several nutrients such as quercetin, lycopene, phytosterols, genistein, daidzein, and pumpkin seed oil. For natural prostate health, one should include plenty of phytosterols in one's diet. Many men find the addition of these herbs as supplements to be helpful. If you visit a health food store, or search online, you will find about a dozen or so different herbs promoted for prostate health, and dozens of various formulas with various combinations of herbs and beneficial substances. Natural prostate health and nutrition would also involve eating lots of fresh vegetables, whole grains, and fish.

Which prostate herb or plant is the most effective for treating BPH or providing relief for prostate symptoms?
   We have not seen many comparison studied testing the various prostate herbs to determine which is the most effective. The most popular prostate herbs are saw palmetto, pygeum africanum, stinging nettle, and rye pollen. Many prostate formulas also add phytosterols such as beta sitosterol, and lycopene, the tomato extract carotenoid. The best option appears to be a natural prostate formula supplement that has a combination of these herbs and nutrients.

I am interested in more info regarding saw palmetto and Prostate Power Rx. I'm a vegan. are your products vegan friendly v-caps? Should I alternate them? should I keep them refrigerated? Should I take them with, before or after meals?
   The saw palmetto capsules are made of gelatin. Vegetarians and vegans could open the capsule by pulling on each side and emptying the contents in water or juice. It is up to you and your health care provider regarding whether to take saw palmetto alone, Prostate Power Rx, or alternating them. Most people find it has a sufficient amount of saw palmetto and other prostate friendly herbs, therefore a saw palmetto supplement may not be necessary. The saw palmetto or Prostate Power Rx capsules can be taken in the morning before or with breakfast, and they do not need to be refrigerated.

Natural prostate cure
Some people find the use of a natural prostate formula and vitamins to be quite helpful in reducing symptoms of prostate gland enlargement, others find they need prostate medications to shrink their enlarged gland or have a cure. We know people who effectively use a combination of an herbal prostate formula along with pharmaceutical medicines such as finasteride or Proscar.

Pumpkin seed oil in combination
Effects of pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto oil in Korean men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Nutr Res Pract. 2009.
This study was to investigate the role of complementary and alternative medicine in the prevention and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. For this purpose, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed over 12 months on 47 benign prostatic hyperplasia patients with average age of 53.3 years and international prostate symptom score over 8. Subjects received either sweet potato starch (group A, placebo, 320 mg/day), pumpkin seed oil (group B, 320 mg/day), saw palmetto oil (group C, 320 mg/day) or pumpkin seed oil plus saw palmetto oil (group D, each 320 mg/day). From these results, it is suggested that administrations of pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto oil are clinically safe and may be effective as complementary and alternative medicine treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Vitamin
Is there a specific prostate vitamin that is recommended as treatment for symptom relief?
   We are not aware of a specific prostate vitamin that is deficient in the diet that would offer an effective treatment and help shrink it.

Zinc supplement benefit
Those who have a deficiency of zinc mineral are likely to benefit from taking a zinc supplement. Most people, though, are not deficient in this mineral and supplementation may not provide the desired remedy they seek in terms of treatment of enlarged prostate.

Treatment
Many effective pharmaceutical medicines are available to improve symptoms of prostate enlargement. However, there are also effective natural therapies, including the use of time-tested herbal products. Some of the commonly used herbs for enlarged prostate gland include saw palmetto, pygeum, stinging nettle, and rye pollen. Some plant extracts that have also been studied include beta sitosterol, genistein, daidzein, quercetin, rosaminic acid, and lycopene. Besides herbs and mainstream medications, there are also some basic behavioral changes that can combat prostate symptoms. Among them are: reducing fluid intake; limiting alcohol and caffeine, and avoiding them after about 3 p.m.; and not passing up a chance to use the bathroom, even when your bladder doesn't feel full.

Saw Palmetto and Prostate Cancer
Extract from the saw palmetto berry, a commonly used herbal supplement taken by men with enlarged prostates, may also have anti-cancer properties, researchers announced at a meeting of The American Society for Cell Biology. "Since we knew that saw palmetto berry extract had some effect on the prostate, we decided to take this a step further. We wanted to know if the saw palmetto had any effect on prostate cancer cells," said researchers at Children's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. The research team analyzed the effects of saw palmetto berry extract on cancer cells. To accomplish this, they exposed prostate cancer cells and a generic cancer cell line to various concentrations of saw palmetto berry extract. The cancer cell growth in laboratory cell cultures was then monitored. About one-fifth the amount of berry extract was needed to decrease the cell growth of the prostate cancer cells compared to the amount needed to slow down the growth of the generic cancer cells.

Saw Palmetto, prostate, PSA, and Hair
PSA is the blood test that is often recommended to monitor prostate tumor growth. Medical science has questioned the reliability of PSA testing as a screening tool for cancer detection. Although there is a lot of controversy and varied opinions, it appears PSA testing is not as accurate a tool as we previously thought.
     One of the causes of prostate enlargement is testosterone being converted into DHT (dihydrotestosterone). Excess DHT in prostate tissue is thought to lead to prostate growth, and excess DHT in hair tissue leads to hair thinning in men and women. Could we kill two birds with one stone by the use of saw palmetto? In recent years scientists have found that saw palmetto inhibits the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase in prostate tissue. This enzyme converts testosterone to DHT. Interestingly, there are two major forms of this enzyme, called types I and II. In humans, Type I 5 alpha-reductase is predominant in the sebaceous glands of most regions of skin, including scalp. The Type II 5 alpha-reductase isozyme is primarily found in prostate, seminal vesicles, epididymides and less so in hair follicles. At this time we don't have much research as to whether saw palmetto blocks the conversion of testosterone to DHT in hair tissue to a degree adequate enough to prevent or restore hair loss. My personal opinion, based on the early research, is that I suspect even if saw palmetto has a mild effect, it is not nearly as potent as the drug finasteride - an alpha reductase blocker - used for prostate enlargement (as Proscar) and hair regrowth (as Propecia). We do not know if there is an additive effect to finasteride if saw palmetto is taken along with it. There was a small study a few years ago that showed a potential benefit for hair growth in male pattern baldness when saw palmetto was combined with beta sitosterol. More research is certainly needed before we can come to any conclusions.
     Bottom line, the jury is still out regarding the role of saw palmetto, herbs and nutrients in hair growth, and we have little idea, even if they work, what dosages would be appropriate for long term use.

There is controversy regarding the use of the PSA test. It has not been proved that older men would benefit from getting a prostate specific antigen test since it is such a slow growing tumor.
   The standard PSA test produces many false positives and false negatives — meaning some men who think they do not have prostate cancer actually do, while others may undergo uncomfortable biopsies only to learn there is no tumor after all. There is controversy regarding the use of PSA for prostate health diagnosis and treatment.

Infection or prostatitis inflammation
Prostatitis is a general term for inflammation of the prostate gland.  An inflamed or swollen prostate can cause a variety of symptoms, including a frequent and urgent need to urinate and pain or burning when urinating — often accompanied by pelvic, groin or low back pain. Prostate infections are relatively common and usually occur in men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. Symptoms include frequency of urination, burning with urination, and a discharge from the penis. These symptoms occur because infection makes the prostate gland swell. The diagnosis is made by a rectal examination, urinalysis, and a check of the discharged fluid. The treatment involves antibiotics, soaking in a warm tub of water, and frequent ejaculation.

Prostate medicine and drugs by prescription
Several drugs are currently used as prostate medicine, the most commonly used is Proscar (finasteride) for prostate enlargement.  Avodart - Dutasteride manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline; Dutas - Generic Dutasteride manufactured by Dr. Reddy's; Fincar - Generic Proscar manufactured by Cipla; Flomax - Tamsulosin Hydrochloride manufactured by Boehringer Ingelheim; Proscar - Finasteride (5mg) manufactured by Merck;  Calutide - Generic Casodex manufactured by Cipla; Cytomid - Generic Flutamide manufactured by Cipla. The DHT inhibitors such as Proscar and Avodart are known to reduce libido and cause erection problems.