Prostatonin: Herbal Product Eases Urinary Prostate Symptoms
As men age, many begin to suffer annoying urinary problems — frequent trips to the bathroom, waking at night to urinate, inability to fully empty the bladder, and increased sensations of urgency. These annoyances are often caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — an increase in the size of the prostate gland.
Medication and surgery can help men with serious cases of prostate enlargement, but there is no medical treatment for mild cases. Several herbal preparations, however, can alleviate the symptoms of early BPH. A new product combines extracts of two of these herbs to produce what may be the most effective non-medical treatment yet.
Nettle root and African plum tree bark (pygeum) have both been approved in Europe for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and have been widely used there for over 30 years. The new combination, marketed under the name Prostatonin, has been shown in clinical studies to be more effective than either of its ingredients.
In a study of 25 men who used Prostatonin for one month, nighttime urination was reduced by more than half, and residual urine volume (the urine left in the bladder after urination) was reduced by three-quarters.
Another study with 134 men reported significant improvements after eight weeks in nighttime urination, urine flow, and residual urine volume. In addition, the men reported significant improvements in urgency and urinary frequency (both day and night). Neither Prostatonin nor either of the extracts alone has any reported side effects other than occasional gastrointestinal upset.
Each of the herbs in Prostatonin blocks the action of two enzymes that help the body produce dihydrotestosterone and estrogen, hormones that scientists believe contribute to the enlargement of the prostate. Pygeum is much more effective at this than nettle root, but it is also much more expensive and harder to find. By combining the two extracts, Prostatonin offers a preparation that is more effective than either ingredient alone and may turn out to be cheaper, too.
While there is no research addressing the long-term benefits of these herbal products for prostate health, some researchers reason that a product that relieves these symptoms may also delay the growth of the prostate, and thus reduce the severity of benign prostatic hyperplasia.