Saw Palmetto to the Rescue
'Help,' said my brother Stewart, over the phone one night. 'I've just found out that I have a minor prostate problem. Do you know of a natural remedy?'
For the previous few months he had been having to get up two or three times during the night to go to the toilet and it was slowly getting worse. Sensibly, he went to see his doctor who referred him to the local hospital where he was diagnosed with Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy (BPH).
Over time the prostate enlarges (this can be due to hormonal changes, poor diet and lifestyle or ageing) and begins to squeeze the tube from the bladder making it difficult and uncomfortable to empty the bladder, especially at night. Untreated, this condition can slowly deteriorate, sometimes resulting in bladder infections, impotence and ultimately in having the prostate surgically removed.
Stewart had been prescribed several different drugs to help reduce the prostate but each had made him feel really ill. When the doctor told him that he would have to stay on the tablets for the rest of his life, he suddenly remembered his little sister who knew a bit about natural remedies! Did I have something for his problem?
Definitely! An amazing little berry grown in Florida and used for hundreds of years by the native population to alleviate men's problems - Saw Palmetto. This little known plant has now been researched over recent years*. The oil in the berry contains substances called free fatty acids and these have been shown to inhibit adverse hormonal action in the prostate. The best thing about it is that it can be taken for as long as needed!
So, I recommended that Stewart take one 320mg capsule of Saw Palmetto oil every day (research has shown 320mg of the oil to be the most effective dose).
'Is there anything else I should be doing?' asked Stewart. 'Absolutely,' I said. 'Diet is very important.'
Luckily Stewart eats plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, white meats such as chicken and very few fried foods apart for a penchant for the odd chip! Saturated fats, such as those in most processed foods, dairy products, red meats and hard fats are best avoided.
I told him to cut down on tea and coffee and drink plenty of still water. Pumpkin seeds contain high levels of zinc, magnesium and essential fatty acids so a handful of them every day sprinkled on breakfast cereal, salads or just nibbled as they are is a good idea and a general multivitamin and mineral supplement can help too. Constipation can aggravate the condition so it is important to have good bowel health as well. Keeping fit is really important too.
So, what was the outcome? Stewart took the capsules daily, kept an eye on his diet and exercise, and six months later went for another check up at the hospital. He was told by the doctor not to come back as everything seemed fine. He said to me, 'I bet I'm the only man that has been told that!
Several years down the line Stewart is still symptom free and has not had to go back to the doctors. Sometimes little sister does know best!
*References:
Wilt T et al. Saw palmetto extracts for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. JAMA 1998; 280(18); 1604-1609
Gerber S, Fitzpatrick J. The role of a lipido-sterolic extract of Serenoa repens inthe management of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. BJU 2004; 94: 338-344
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