Herbal therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia
Herbal supplements often used to relieve symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol extracts.
Saw palmetto
Studies conflict on whether saw palmetto improves men's symptoms. In one new study, men taking saw palmetto were no better than those who took a placebo1
But two reviews of trials on different saw palmetto preparations report that more men rated their symptoms improved while using saw palmetto compared with a placebo. The reviews also report that:2
- The medicine finasteride was slightly more effective at improving symptoms than saw palmetto.
- The risk of erection problems when using saw palmetto was less than that of finasteride.
See more information on saw palmetto.
Beta-sitosterol extract
One review of trials using beta-sitosterol reports that beta-sitosterol reduced the American Urological Association (AUA) symptom index more than a placebo did.2
See more information on beta-sitosterol.
Generally, all the trials using these substances were short, and self-improvement scores can be biased. Because different preparations are available for each substance and they are not always equivalent, the results cannot be generalized to all preparations, and results may vary.
Talk with your doctor before starting any herbal therapy.
| Author: | Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: March 31, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Christopher G. Wood, MD, FACS - Urology/Oncology | |
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