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Medical Video: Mayo Clinic Minute: Steam treatment for enlarged prostate
Prostate swelling is a condition commonly found in men aged 50 years and above. Although not cancer, a swollen prostate can cause many bladder problems that make it uncomfortable. Prostate swelling also makes you experience pain every time you urinate or after ejaculation.
To treat symptoms, your doctor may advise you to take prescription drugs, such as tamsulosin (Harnal) or dutasteride (Avodart), but you may feel reluctant to worry about the risk of side effects. Or, if you can choose, you want to not take medication often. Fortunately there are several natural herbal prostate drug alternatives to combat prostate growth.
Which herbal prostate drug is the most effective?
The most commonly used alternative prostate herbal medicines, including:
1. Saw palmetto
Saw palmetto is an herbal prostate drug that originates from a tiny palm tree in North America. Saw palmetto extract has long been used in traditional medicine to relieve symptoms of urinary problems, including those caused by an enlarged prostate.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), saw palmetto may be effective for removing common symptoms of prostate swelling, such as:
- Difficulty in starting to urinate
- Weak urine flow
- The urge is unbearable to urinate
- Go back and forth to urinate throughout the day
- Often wake up at night to urinate
- Always feel like pee after it's finished
On the other hand, a number of large-scale studies did not find that saw palmetto was more effective than placebo pills.
However, saw palmetto is safe to use and does not cause serious side effects if you want to try it. It takes around 4 to 6 weeks to see the optimal results.
2. Beta-sitosterol
Beta-sitosterol is a substance found in many plants. Several studies have found that beta-sitosterol can help empty the bladder and provide a stronger urine flow. This substance may also improve a number of symptoms of other prostate problems, but does not affect the size of the prostate itself.
No major side effects have been reported with the use of beta-sitosterol, although doctors still don't know what the long-term effects of this herbal prostate drug are.
3. Pygeum
Pygeum comes from the skin of the African plum tree and has been used in traditional medicine to treat urinary problems since ancient times. Pygeum is often used to treat symptoms of bladder problems due to prostate swelling, especially in Europe. This natural herbal medicine is claimed to be able to control the urge to go back and forth to urinate, have a stronger urine flow, and the ability to empty the bladder better.
Pygeum is safe, but can cause stomach pain in some people who consume it. But because strong scientific studies about pygeum have not been found, it is difficult to know for sure whether this drug is effective. The American Academy of Family Physicians does not recommend its use.
4. Rye pollen extract
Rye pollen extract is a pollen extract obtained from three types of weeds - rye, timothy, and corn. Rye pollen extract is claimed to improve a number of symptoms of prostate swelling, such as:
- Urination is not complete (urine is still dripping after it's finished)
- Back and forth urinating
- Pain when urinating
- Weak urine flow
- The irresistible urge to urinate
Some studies have shown that this herbal prostate drug can also shrink the prostate, and help you empty your bladder.
A review of studies published in BJU International found that men who consumed pollen extract reported an increase in symptoms, compared with those who took placebo pills.
Be careful about taking herbal prostate drugs
It is important to note that The American Urological Association does not currently recommend the use of herbal prostate drugs regularly to treat symptoms of prostate swelling. This is because the distribution of supplements and herbal medicines is not as tightly regulated as medical drugs prescribed by doctors, both by the US FDA and the Indonesian BPOM. This means that the quality, safety, effectiveness, and risk of side effects can vary. You also cannot be absolutely sure about the truth of the ingredients listed on the product packaging label.
If you want to try one of these herbal prostate medicines, you should talk to your doctor first. Wrong, wrong, taking herbal medicines can cause interaction clashes with prescription drugs, other therapies, or medical tests that you might need later on.
