benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). BPH is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland that usually occurs in older men, resulting in various symptoms associated with the interruption of normal urinary flow. The most useful supplement is Saw Palmetto. This little shrub is found primarily in the southern parts of our continent, mainly Florida. It is a concentrated form of the berries that is used in supplements. The usual dose is 160mg twice a day of an extract that contains at least 90% fatty acids. It may take several weeks before you notice the effects of this herbal product, but it can be very helpful. One study found that this herbal product worked as well as the drug finasteride, for helping to relieve symptoms of BPH. Those who use Saw Palmetto rarely experience side effects. One important thing to know is that Saw Palmetto will not interfere with a PSA Test. PSA, also called Prostate-Specific Antigen, is a test to determine if one has prostate cancer. Ask your Peoples Pharmacist if Saw Palmetto is the right product for you.
.....Recently, a study in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that there was no difference in symptom relief between Saw Palmetto and placebo in patients with moderate to advanced prostate problems. However, The |
American Botanical Council (ABC), found two issues with this study. “Our primary concern with this trial is the relatively advanced condition of the prostate problems in many of the men who were tested,” said Mark Blumenthal, Founder and Executive Director of ABC. Previous studies have shown benefit in patients with mildto moderate symptoms of BPH.  |
.....Another possible problem with thus study noted by the ABC, was almost twice as many serious adverse effects occurred in the placebo group as in thesaw palmetto group (11 vs 6 respectively). They felt that this suggested that the patient population might have had other serious illnesses, possibly interfering in the attempt to treat the moderate-to-severe BPH symptoms.
.....The American Botanical Council (ABC) is the leading nonprofit international organization working to educate consumers, healthcare professionals, researchers, educators, industry, and the media on the safe and effective use of herbs and medicinal plant products.
.....I’m still trying to find a common theme with all three of these supplements. Maybe there is a theme; listen to the health news, but don’t believe everything you hear. I find that most news organizations sensationalize all health reports; both good and bad. Also the latest news report is often viewed as the definitive answer, which ignores all prior information or study results. Ask your Peoples Pharmacist what she or he thought about health reports in the news for a balanced opinion.
Written By Ian Lloyd, Pharmacist & Chartered Herbalist
Peoples Pharmacy, Victoria |
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