Dr Oz Prostate — Saw Palmetto For Prostate — The Man Show
Dr. Oz goes inside the body to illustrate how an enlarged prostate can cause urination problems in men as they grow older. Learn about the symptoms and treatment options in this segment of the Dr Oz Enlarged Prostate And Urine Trouble.
Prostate problems just about happens to all men as they get older, and the telltale sign of this problem is his urine. Dr Oz is talking about Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), enlarged prostate also known as Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy. It has a number of symptoms, and, if left untreated, can cause damaged to the urinary tract, bladder, and kidneys.
Kirk and Nicole joined Dr Oz today, and Dr Oz asked Nicole what the sound of Kirk’s urine sounds like, and she stated years ago when he urinated he peed like a race horse, now it when he urinates it’s a trickle, and there are noises that come out of him. Dr Oz did a demonstration of what it is like for men trying to urinate with BPH, and it was not a pleasant experience that men should have to go through such an ordeal to pee. It started with the anticipation of waiting to pee once in front of the toilet, then only for a short stream turning to a trickle, stop and start then only to have urine sprayed all over themselves.
Dr Oz recommended Saw Palmetto as the first line of therapy, and it’s an inexpensive herb. Make sure your physician knows about these herbs because they do have interactions with certain pills, but it is worth trying Saw Palmetto for Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) stated Dr Oz.
The other thing Dr Oz said was that non-steroidals(aspirin) are pretty effective at lowering the risk benign prostatic hypertrophy, because fundamentally we think it’s about inflammation. Inflammation of the gland causes it to get thickened and a little swollen and that causes a lot of the problem.
The symptoms of BPH may involve problems emptying the bladder or problems with bladder storage.
BPH Symptoms related to bladder emptying include:
- Difficulty starting a urine stream (hesitancy and straining).
- Decreased strength of the urine stream (weak flow).
- Dribbling after urination.
- Feeling that the bladder is not completely empty.
- An urge to urinate again soon after urinating.
- Pain during urination (dysuria).
BPH Symptoms related to bladder storage include:
- Waking at night to urinate (nocturia).
- Frequent urination.
- A sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate.
As valuable as saw palmetto is you should not consider it alone for BPH. There is also some evidence suggesting that a low-fat diet, zinc supplements, and essential fatty acids (from sources such as flax oil) and another herb, Pygeum africanum, are useful for treating BPH. Some warn that men with BPH should avoid alcohol. You should also be sure to consult an M.D., especially for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and a digital rectal examination (DRE) to rule out prostate cancer.
Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hypertrophy/BPH)
Numerous human trials report that saw palmetto improves symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) such as nighttime urination, urinary flow, and overall quality of life, although it may not greatly reduce the size of the prostate. The effectiveness may be similar to the medication finasteride (Proscar®) with fewer side effects.
Finasteride:
In 1992, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of a 5 mg pill of finasteride, for treating a noncancerous enlargement of the prostate that can block the flow of urine. Finasteride is marketed as Proscar for this use. At a much lower dosage (1 mg), finasteride is used to prevent hair loss and promote hair growth and is marketed as Propecia.
Saw Palmetto Benefits
It does have antiandrogenic, anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac, expectorant, immune stimulant, and urinary antiseptic effects.
Saw Palmetto is mainly used for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia. An enlarged prostate (BPH) is thought to be caused by an increase in the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the prostate and this herb inhibits that conversion. Saw Palmetto also works synergistically with zinc and essential fatty acids.
Saw Palmetto For Prostrate Gland And Urinary Tract Problems
It is best taken as a standardized extract, saw palmetto will often prove effective in relieving mild to moderate BPH symptoms, improving urine flow and effective emptying of the bladder. A useful anti-inflammatory, it can also be taken to treat inflamed prostrate-prostrate infection (prostatitis) and has longstanding traditional use in chronic urinary tract problems such as cystitis and urethritis. Using Saw Palmetto may also enhance sexual functioning and sexual desire.
