Solving Prostate Problems :: Health and Disease

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Solving Prostate Problems
by author Silvia Bommer, MD

Surprisingly, benign enlargement of the prostate is so frequent that it affects 10 percent of men under 40 and 80 percent of men age 80 and older. Symptoms of enlarged prostate can be successfully relieved in the early stages by the herbal remedy saw palmetto (Serenoa repens or Sabal serrulata).

The Swiss naturopath Alfred Vogel discovered the beneficial effects of saw palmetto during his exploration of the Americas in the 1950s. There he learned that the Seminole, a First Nation tribe of Florida, had used the berries of saw palmetto for hundreds of years for many conditions such as the onset of prostate enlargement and bladder infections. He also learned that the Seminole had another very important use for this small palm tree: they used it as a love medicine to help improve erectile dysfunction.

What Causes Prostate Problems?

With increasing age, male hormones change and testosterone levels decrease. The prostate, situated below the bladder, enlarges. Because the urethra runs through the prostate, the enlarged prostate narrows the flow, leading to one of the early symptoms of enlarged prostate: an increased urge to urinate, even during the night. Unfortunately, most men ignore this symptom.

As the disease progresses, men with an enlarged prostate experience additional symptoms such as delayed urine stream, dribbling, and the sensation of incomplete voiding. Since residual urine remains in the bladder after urination, an ideal growth medium for bacteria is created, and men face increased risk of urinary infection. In more advanced stages of the disease, urine is backed up to the kidneys. In these final stages only surgical intervention can help.

Berries: the Solution

Progression of benign enlargement of the prostate (BPH) can be halted or, at least, clearly delayed in the initial stages. Pharmaceutical preparations generally are effective but often have side effects such as loss of sex drive and erectile dysfunction. In contrast, organic saw palmetto is very well tolerated and is as effective as pharmaceuticals, if taken over a sufficient period of time. Researchers at the Center for Chronic Diseases in Minneapolis reported in Public Health Nutrition in 2000 that saw palmetto extract can increase urine flow and reduce frequency of night-time urination within 30 days of use.

Organic saw palmetto is the unrivalled leader in relief of symptoms of enlarged prostate and has been widely tested for its outstanding efficacy and tolerance. Organic saw palmetto soothes prostate symptoms in a natural way, without influencing the hormone cycle. It also acts against inflammatory alterations of the prostate and urethra. Accompanying swelling and irritation are reduced and voiding problems are solved.

When early symptoms of BPH appear, see a health care professional to get a proper diagnosis. Then try organic saw palmetto. If symptoms do not improve after three months, you must go back to the doctor.

Silvia Bommer, MD, specializes in plant medicine. As a member of the medical department of a leading Swiss phytopharmaceutical manufacturer since 1993, Dr. Bommer practises phytotherapy and homeopathy.

Source: alive #272, June 2005

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