Proven Herbal Ingredients for BPH, Prostatitis & Prostate Health

Scientists do not know all the prostate's functions. One of its main roles, though, is to squeeze fluid into the urethra as sperm move through during sexual climax. This fluid, which helps make up semen, energizes the sperm and makes the vaginal canal less acidic.

Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man's life, the enlargement doesn't usually cause problems until late in life. BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH. As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. 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 BPH.

Many people feel uncomfortable talking about the prostate, since the gland plays a role in both sex and urination. Still, prostate enlargement is as common a part of aging as gray hair.

As life expectancy rises, so does the occurrence of BPH. In the United States alone, 375,000 hospital stays each year involve a diagnosis of BPH.

The size of the prostate does not always determine how severe the obstruction or the symptoms will be. Some men with greatly enlarged glands have little obstruction and few symptoms while others, whose glands are less enlarged, have more blockage and greater problems. Sometimes a man may not know he has any obstruction until he suddenly finds himself unable to urinate at all.

• Frequent or sudden need to urinate
• Frequent waking up to urinate at night
• Weak, variable, or dribbling urine stream
• Need to strain or push bladder to urinate
• Difficulty beginning urination
• Feeling that your bladder never completely empties
• Pain or burning during urination

Throughout their lives, men produce both testosterone, an important male hormone, and small amounts of estrogen, a female hormone. As men age, the amount of active testosterone in the blood decreases, leaving a higher proportion of estrogen. Studies done with animals have suggested that BPH may occur because the higher amount of estrogen within the gland increases the activity of substances that promote cell growth.

Another theory focuses on dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a substance derived from testosterone in the prostate, which may help control its growth. Most animals lose their ability to produce DHT as they age. However, some research has indicated that even with a drop in the blood's testosterone level, older men continue to produce and accumulate high levels of DHT in the prostate. This accumulation of DHT may encourage the growth of cells. Scientists have also noted that men who do not produce DHT do not develop BPH.

Some researchers suggest that BPH may develop as a result of "instructions" given to cells early in life. According to this theory, BPH occurs because cells in one section of the gland follow these instructions and "reawaken" later in life. These "reawakened" cells then deliver signals to other cells in the gland, instructing them to grow or making them more sensitive to hormones that influence growth.

Severe BPH can cause serious problems over time. Urine retention and strain on the bladder can lead to urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence. If the bladder is permanently damaged, treatment for BPH may be ineffective. When BPH is found in its earlier stages, there is a lower risk of developing such complications.

You may first notice symptoms of BPH yourself, or your doctor may find that your prostate is enlarged during a routine checkup. When BPH is suspected, you may be referred to a urologist, a doctor who specializes in problems of the urinary tract and the male reproductive system. Several tests help the doctor identify the problem and decide whether surgery is needed. The tests vary from patient to patient, but the following are the most common.

Digital Rectal Exam (DRE)
This exam is usually the first test done. The doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum and feels the part of the prostate next to the rectum. This exam gives the doctor a general idea of the size and condition of the gland.

Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Blood Test
In order to rule out cancer as a cause of urinary symptoms, your doctor may recommend a PSA blood test. PSA, a protein produced by prostate cells, is frequently present at elevated levels in the blood of men who have prostate cancer. However, much remains unknown about the interpretation of PSA levels, the test's ability to discriminate cancer from benign prostate conditions, and the best course of action following a finding of elevated PSA. Because many unanswered questions surround the issue of PSA screening, the relative magnitude of its potential risks and benefits is unknown. Both PSA and ultrasound tests enhance detection when added to DRE screening. But they are known to have relatively high false-positive rates, and they may identify a greater number of medically insignificant tumors. Thus, PSA screening might lead to treatment of unproven benefit that could result in morbidity (including impotence and incontinence) and mortality. It cannot be determined from earlier studies whether PSA screening will reduce prostate cancer mortality. Ongoing studies are addressing this issue.

Rectal Ultrasound
If there is a suspicion of prostate cancer, your doctor may recommend a test with rectal ultrasound. In this procedure, a probe inserted in the rectum directs sound waves at the prostate. The echo patterns of the sound waves form an image of the prostate gland on a display screen.

Urine Flow Study
Sometimes the doctor will ask a patient to urinate into a special device that measures how quickly the urine is flowing. A reduced flow often suggests BPH.

Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)
IVP is an x-ray of the urinary tract. In this test, a dye is injected into a vein, and the x-ray is taken. The dye makes the urine visible on the x-ray and shows any obstruction or blockage in the urinary tract.

Cystoscopy
In this exam, the doctor inserts a small tube through the opening of the urethra in the penis. This procedure is done after a solution numbs the inside of the penis so all sensation is lost. The tube, called a cystoscope, contains a lens and a light system, which help the doctor see the inside of the urethra and the bladder. This test allows the doctor to determine the size of the gland and identify the location and degree of the obstruction.

Prostate Dr. is a unique and proprietary blend of three highly effective herbal remedies combined in therapeutic dosage, and will address all the major symptoms of BPH and bring fast relief. Used regularly Prostate Dr. will also prevent recurrent episodes of BPH and Prostate problems.

There are also remedies that use just Beta-sitosterol. This is one of the active ingredients in Saw Palmetto berries and is extracted from the herb in order to treat the symptoms of BPH. While it is true that beta-sitosterol is one of the main active ingredients of saw palmetto and one that has a significant effect on reducing inflammation of the prostate gland, it is not the only active ingredient in saw palmetto - a complex medicinal herbal plant which contains literally thousands of active ingredients which work together in a synergistic way.

Most naturopaths advise against the extraction of only one active ingredient of a herb - stating that it is the combination of many different active ingredients in individual herbs which makes the most effective remedy and also reduces the risk of side effects.

For this reason, Prostate Dr. has been created with the addition of two extra remedies to increase the effectiveness of the Sabal Serrulata (Saw Palmetto) - Epilobium Parviflorum and Hypoxis Rooperi.

Clinical studies have revealed that Epilobium Parviflorum has an inflammation-inhibiting and healing effect on acute and chronic inflammation of the prostate and can help to reduce the gland to its normal size. In addition it has antibacterial properties (Prostatitis may be caused by a bacterial infection) and is useful in the treatment of urinary system disorders.

Hypoxis Rooperi (extract of African Potato) is effectively used to strengthen the immune system, treat testicular tumors, prostate hypertrophy and urinary infections and is an excellent tonic for male sexual health.

• Epilobium Parviflorum: Clinical studies have revealed that Epilobium Parviflorum has an inflammation-inhibiting and healing effect on acute and chronic inflammation of the prostate and can help to reduce the gland to its normal size. It is recommended that all men over the age of 50 take this herb regularly as a preventative and to maintain prostate and bladder health.
• Sabal Serrulata (Saw Palmetto): Recent clinical studies have suggested that Sabal Serrulata can be as effective as finasteride in relieving certain symptoms of BPH and in reducing the DHT levels thought to be associated with BPH occurrence The main active ingredients are the plant sterols (including beta- sitosterol) as well as various fatty acids, Together they are responsible for not only reducing inflammation in the prostate gland, but also for the promotion of hormone production involved in maintaining male sexual health and therefore also the health of the prostate gland.
• Hypoxis Rooperi (extract of African Potato): Used extensively in African Traditional Medicine to strengthen the immune system, treat testicular tumors, prostate hypertrophy and urinary infections. The activity of Hypoxis Rooperi against BPH is ascribed to phytosterol glycosides, mainly B-sytosterol.

Caution: Do not combine with finasteride or other medications used to treat BPH.

1. Goepel M, Hecker U, Krege S. Saw palmetto extracts potently and noncompetitively inhibit human a1-adrenoceptors in vitro. Prostate. 1998;38(3):208–215.
2. Koch E. Extracts from fruits of saw palmetto (Sabal serrulata) and roots of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica): viable alternatives in the medical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and associated lower urinary tracts symptoms. Planta Med. 2001;67(6):489-500.
3. Marks LS, Partin AW, Epstein JI, et al. Effects of saw palmetto herbal blend in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. J Urol. 2000;163(5):1451-1456.
4. Wilt TJ, Ishani A, Stark G, MacDonald R, Lau J, Mulrow C. Saw palmetto extracts for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systemic review. JAMA. 1998;280(18):1604-1609.