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Health Prostate Supplement- Saw Palmetto and Nettle VindicatedA health prostate supplement can be used to prevent prostate cancer, as well as benign prostatic hyperplasia, and support general prostate and urinary tract functioning. There are many supplements that work in this way, from the traditional herbs like saw palmetto, to modern discoveries like selenium, vitamin D, lycopene, lignans, soy, chili, the omega 3 fatty acids, and pomegranate peel. Saw palmetto is not used so much for preventing prostate cancer, though some of the others are. More details of this in the articles that follow. This article will focus on the traditional health prostate supplement herbs, saw palmetto and stinging nettle, as they have been found to be very effective, especially if used together, in treating the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, as well as generally benefiting the urinary tract. Fortunately, the health prostate supplement used in one of these successful trials is readily available in the US and Europe.
Health Prostate Supplement Herbs - Saw PalmettoSaw Palmetto is an herb that came under a bit of fire recently, with one study determining that it didn't help non cancerous prostate swellings (benign prostatic hyperplasia), for which the herb is specifically used by herbalists. On first glance, this finding may seem to prove saw palmetto is useless in it's speciality. However, a closer examination, both at this study and previous studies, show a very different picture. The study tested saw palmetto on 225 men, of average age 63, who had moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This is crucial when you consider that saw palmetto is actually recognized by herbalists as only being beneficial for mild to moderate benign prostatic hyperplasia. "Mark Blumenthal, from the American Botanical Council (ABC), echoed Shao when he stressed: “Most of the official international monographs that recognize the benefits of saw palmetto do so for stage 1 and 2 of BPH, ie the mild to moderate range of symptoms.” “These include monographs from the German government and the World Health Organization,” said Blumenthal." (www.nutraingredients.com) Other issues raised with the study are that it was done using one preparation of saw palmetto only. And scientists at this stage don't know what the active constituents in saw palmetto are, and thus health prostate supplements containing saw palmetto may vary considerably. Another study examined the combination of saw palmetto and nettle root, another urinary tract herb, in treating urinary problems in older men, and the results were positive. The saw palmetto and nettle root health prostate supplement used in this trial is sold in the US as ProstActive Plus and Prostol by Nature's Way. In Germany, it is Prostagutt forte. The men in the study, conducted at the Institute Of Urology in Moscow, all took a placebo (though they didn't know it) for the first month. Then, for 24 weeks, some men took the placebo and some the nettle-saw palmetto combination, and neither the researchers nor the men knew what they were taking. At the end of that period, all men took the saw palmetto-nettle combination for 24 weeks, to act as a control. There was an optional 48 week follow up period after that. The results were measured by a questionnaire measuring quality of life and a self rating index, as well as changes in urinary flow as measured by a regular tests (electronic uroflow recorder and ultrasound).
Those men who had taken the placebo in the 24 week period but were then given saw palmetto-stinging nettle in the control period that followed, then had a marked improvement when taking these health prostate supplements. A study by the University of Chicago found that saw palmetto actually helps men with lower urinary tract problems. This study followed 94 men who had urinary retention. In the first month of the study, all of the men were given a placebo twice a day. This interesting approach meant that 9 men who said they found an improvement taking the placebo were removed from the trial. The other 85 men were then randomly given either a placebo or saw palmetto for 6 months. They filled out questionnaires at the end of the first month, then the second month, the fourth, and the end of the sixth month. The questionnaires were to assess sexual function, quality of life, and their urinary tract symptoms. They also had their urinary flow rates measured at the same time as they filled out the questionnaires. The study found that at the end of 6 months the saw palmetto group had a 4.4 point improvement in their urinary flow rate, compared to the 2.2 improvement in the placebo group. There was no change in sexual function, and not a significant difference in other measures. However, this result led Dr Gerber, the director of the study, to conclude that: "Saw palmetto clearly offers symptomatic benefit as compared with placebo controls," Gerber said. "We can tell patients that this appears to be a safe, well-tolerated substance that can produce short-term improvement of urinary symptoms,"he continued. (Quoted from www.nutraingredients.com) So, health prostate supplements containing saw palmetto are good for helping relieve the symptoms of men with urinary tract problems. Saw palmetto also stimulates the immune system, and is a tonic for the neck of the bladder. It has antiseptic and diuretic properties as well. It can thus be used for cystitis and urethritis as well. Health Prostate Supplement Herbs - Nettle Root (also called Stinging Nettle)Nettle root is a very nutritious herb, with a lot of vitamins, minerals and carotenoids. Science has proven nettle root's diuretic effect, with an increased elimination of uric acid also. Studies have also found an improvement similar to the one above in managing the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, and in particular with night time urination. Treatment was "most effective after 3 months and before the enlargement becomes fibromatous." (Fisher and Painter) Nettle is useful for rheumatic problems and arthritis. It has anti-bacterial properties, and anti-fungal.
More information on health prostate supplements is available here.
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Those men taking the saw palmetto-nettle combination had a significant improvement in overall scores after the 24 week period compared to the placebo group. This included men who had moderate to severe symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, as well as those men who had symptoms of urinary obstruction and irritation.
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