The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system. The prostate makes a fluid that mixes with sperm and other fluids during ejaculation. These fluids help nourish and transport sperm. A normal prostate gland is about the size of a walnut.

Enlarged Prostate Treatment
Many effective pharmaceutical medicines are available to improve symptoms of prostate enlargement. However, there are also effective natural therapies, including the use of time-tested herbal products. Some of the commonly used herbs for enlarged prostate gland include saw palmetto, pygeum, stinging nettle, and rye pollen. Some plant extracts that have also been studied include beta sitosterol, genistein, daidzein, quercetin, rosaminic acid, and lycopene. Besides herbs and mainstream medications, there are also some basic behavioral changes that can combat prostate symptoms. Among them are: reducing fluid intake; limiting alcohol and caffeine, and avoiding them after about 3 p.m.; and not passing up a chance to use the bathroom, even when your bladder doesn't feel full.
   A combination of several herbs in a prostate formula has been combined to offer maximal herbal prostate support.

Prostate Power Rx - A highly Advanced Formula for Optimal Prostate Health
Developed by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Prostate Power Rx is a prostate formula supplement with Saw Palmetto, Pygeum, Stinging Nettle, Quercetin, and Key Ingredients for support of normal prostate size

This prostate formula is carefully formulated with important herbs and nutrients to provide optimal prostate health. Clinical research on prostate gland has been conducted with some of the potent herbs in Prostate Power Rx. This prostate formula has been designed to support: Normal prostate size and Cellular support against oxidants and harmful substances in the prostate

Supplement Facts
Saw Palmetto extract (standardized to contain 45% fatty acids - serenoa repens fruit)
Stinging Nettle 4:1 extract (urtica diocia root)
Quercetin (one study shows the combination of quercetin and finasteride works very well)
Rosemary 4:1 extract - 100 mg* (Rosemarinus officinales leaf)
Beta Sitosterol phytosterol
Pygeum 4:1 bark extract (Pygeum Africanum)
Daidzein (standardized to contain 40% isoflavones) (treatment with the isoflavones daidzein and genistein, the estrogen-like compounds found in soy, block prostate growth in rats)
Genistein (standardized to contain 40% isoflavones)
Lycopene (Lycoperscion escatatum fruit)

Directions: Take 1 or 2 prostate power capsules a day before breakfast or lunch. Some people have reported that Prostate Power Rx also has sex enhancing properties.

Click Prostate Power Rx to find out details or to subscribe to a FREE and very popular newsletter
Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Twice a month you will receive an email with a review of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics, including prostate gland and men's health, and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

Testimonial sent to us by email:
Thanks Physician Formulas and Ray Sahelian, M.D. For about nine months I had mixed results using another prostate product that contained Beta-Sitosterol, 600 mg plus a number of minerals such as, zinc, copper, manganese, etc. etc.. I replaced the aforementioned prostate supplement with your prostate product and within two to three weeks I experienced a truly significant improvement in my condition. Now after about six weeks of use I am a very happy camper. I now only get up during the night ,one or two times as opposed to three, four and sometimes five times. Also, during the day I have very much more control over my need to find a men's room. I highly recommend Prostate Power RX. JB, Hollister, California

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Dr. Sahelian and his research staff have tested various doses and extracts of dozens of herbs from a number or raw material suppliers to determine the ideal dosage and combination for optimal aphrodisiac properties with the fewest side effects. After years of trial and error,  a UNIQUE proprietary blend with 11 herbal extracts from the best raw material suppliers has been created which works within hours. This UNIQUE aphrodisiac blend is a close kept secret only known to the doctor and his research staff. You will only find this exact combination in Passion Rx.

In recent years science has made breakthroughs in the understanding of sexual dysfunction. But, for hundreds of years, civilizations around the world have known about locally grown herbs that achieve wonderful results with far fewer side effects than prescription drugs.
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Prostate Health Research Update
Saw palmetto for benign prostate hyperplasia.
N Engl J Med. 2006 Feb 9;354(6):557-66.
Bent S, Kane C, Shinohara K, Neuhaus J, Hudes ES, Goldberg H, Avins AL.
Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco
In this double-blind trial, we randomly assigned 225 men over the age of 49 years who had moderate-to-severe symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia to one year of treatment with saw palmetto extract (160 mg twice a day) or placebo. The primary outcome measures were changes in the scores on the American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI) and the maximal urinary flow rate. Secondary outcome measures included changes in prostate size, residual urinary volume after voiding, quality of life, laboratory values, and the rate of reported adverse effects. There was no significant difference between the saw palmetto and placebo groups in the change in AUASI scores, maximal urinary flow rate, prostate size, residual volume after voiding, quality of life, or serum prostate-specific antigen levels during the one-year study. The incidence of side effects was similar in the two groups. In this study, saw palmetto did not improve symptoms or objective measures of benign prostate hyperplasia.

A Vitex agnus-castus - chaste berry - extract inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in prostate epithelial cell lines.
Planta Med. 2005 Oct;71(10):910-6.
Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, University of Basel, Schonbeinstrasse Basel, Switzerland.
Extracts of Vitex agnus-castus fruits ( chaste berry ) are described to have beneficial effects on disorders related to hyperprolactinemia (cycle disorders, premenstrual syndrome). A chaste berry extract has recently been shown to exhibit antitumor activities in different human cancer cell lines. In the present study, we explored the antiproliferative effects of a chaste berry extract with a particular focus on apoptosis-inducing and potential cytotoxic effects. These data suggest that chaste berry contains components that inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in human prostate epithelial cell lines. The extract may be useful for the prevention and/or treatment not only of benign prostatic hyperplasia but also of human prostate cancer.

A mix of dietary supplements including antioxidants and plant-based estrogens may slow the rise of a biomarker for prostate cancer progression in some men. The study of 37 men with the disease found that 6 weeks on the supplements generally lowered patients' levels of male sex hormones, which fuel prostate cancer growth, and, in some patients, put the brakes on rising levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA).] PSA is a protein produced by the prostate gland; rising PSA levels in a man's blood can signal cancer or, in men already diagnosed with the disease, cancer progression. However, the PSA effects seen in this study do not necessarily mean the supplement was hindering the men's tumors from growing, according to the study authors. The question of whether the change in patients' PSA rise translates into a change in tumor size "remains unresolved," they report in the International Journal of Cancer. But more "thought-provoking" is the possibility that diet changes could help lower a man's risk of developing prostate cancer, said lead study author Dr. Ries Kranse, of Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The supplement mixture he and his colleagues studied included a powder-based drink that contained green tea extract, a soy extract supplying estrogen-like compounds called phytoestrogens, and antioxidants such as lycopene. Patients also used margarine spiked with cholesterol-fighting plant sterols and the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium. The men in the study, all of whom had prostate cancer and rising PSA levels, used the supplements for 6 weeks; each also used inactive, or placebo, supplements for another 6 weeks. Kranse and his colleagues found that the patients' male hormone levels were lower when they were on the supplement compared with when they were taking the placebo. In the 21 men who showed a dip in a hormone measure called the free androgen index, the supplement also appeared to slow rising PSA levels. When these men were on the placebo, it took an average of 36 weeks for their PSA levels to double, versus 115 weeks with the supplement. This finding, according to Kranse, suggests that if the supplement proves capable of slowing or stopping tumor growth, it would be through the hormonal effects of the estrogen-like compounds. If this is the case, he said, a "dietary intervention" could eventually serve as an alternative to certain hormone-suppressing drugs used in prostate cancer treatment. The current findings are in line with studies of the general population that suggest diets rich in antioxidants and phytoestrogens may lower the risk of prostate cancer. Fruits and vegetables are prime antioxidant sources, while phytoestrogens are found in foods such as soybeans and soy products, whole grains and flaxseed. SOURCE: International Journal of Cancer, February 20, 2005.

Preventing diseases of the prostate in the elderly using hormones and nutriceuticals.
Aging Male. 2004 Jun;7(2):155-69.
The prostate has only one function, namely to secrete fluid containing substances that are needed for reproduction. This requires an extremely high concentration of androgens in the tissues. Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) seems to be related to the long-term exposure of the prostate to the strong androgen 5alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and, possibly, to estrogens. The relation between prostate cancer and androgens is suggested to be U-shaped, with both extremes of androgen concentrations being associated with increased risk of invasive cancer. In the treatment of patients with BPH, the lipidic liposterolic extracts of Serenoa repens were as effective as the pharmaceutical inhibitors of the 5alpha-reductase enzyme or alpha1-adrenergic blockers in relieving urinary symptoms. In addition to moderately inhibiting the 5alpha-reductase activity, Serenoa seems to exert anti-inflammatory and complementary cellular actions with beneficial effects on the prostate. Unlike the pharmaceutical 5alpha-reductase inhibitors, finasteride and dutasteride, Serenoa does not suppress serum PSA, facilitating the follow-up and the early detection of prostate cancer. We suggest a strategy to prevent prostate cancer that aims at providing men with partial androgen deficiency correct testosterone substitution with a sustained release buccal bio-adhesive tablet. In addition, food supplementation with extracts of Serenoa repens and a combination of the antioxidants selenium, (cis)-lycopene and natural vitamin E, together with fish oil rich in long-chain polyunsaturated essential fatty acids of the omega-3 group seems warranted. Clearly, a holistic approach including careful clinical and biological monitoring of the aging man and his prostate remains mandatory.

Do dietary lycopene and other carotenoids protect against prostate cancer?
Int J Cancer. 2004 Oct 28
To determine whether dietary intake of lycopene and other carotenoids has an association with prostate health and cancer, a case-control study was conducted in Hangzhou, southeast China during 2001-2002. The cases were 130 incident patients with adenocarcinoma of the prostate. The controls were 274 hospital inpatients without prostate cancer or any other malignant diseases. The risks of prostate cancer for the intake of carotenoids and selected vegetables and fruits rich in carotenoids were assessed. The prostate cancer risk declined with increasing consumption of lycopene, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin. Intake of tomatoes, pumpkin, spinach, watermelon and citrus fruits were also inversely associated with the prostate cancer risk. The results suggest that vegetables and fruits rich in lycopene and other carotenoids may be protective against prostate cancer.

Reduction of rat prostate weight by combined quercetin - finasteride treatment is associated with cell cycle deregulation.
J Endocrinol. 2004 Jun;181(3):493-507.
Benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer are major public health problems. We report herein that daily treatment of male rats with 50, 100 or 150 mg quercetin per kg body weight. Concomitantly, serum testosterone levels were increased by 1.79-, 1.83- and 3.48-fold, while serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels were 125%, 92% and 73% of the control. A slight increase in prostate weight coupled with dilated prostate lumens full of secretory materials were observed. Finasteride alone caused a significant decrease in serum DHT level and prostate weight. Co-administration of quercetin with finasteride prevented the finasteride-induced decrease in serum DHT levels but significantly enhanced the reduction in wet prostate weight, which was reduced by 26.9% in finasteride-treated animals to 31.8%, 40.0% and 48.2% after finasteride given together with the three doses of quercetin. The combined treatment altered cell cycle-regulated proteins in a wide spectrum. In conclusion, quercetin-finasteride treatments caused wide cell cycle deregulation in rat prostates, which, in turn, decreased the proliferation rate, changed the secretion activities of epithelial cells and resulted in a marked reduction in wet prostate weight. The results suggest that quercetin synergizes with finasteride to reduce the wet prostate weight through a cell cycle-related pathway, which may be androgen independent. This combination may be good for prostate health.

Phytoestrogen tissue levels in benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer and their association with prostate diseases.
Urology. 2004 Oct;64(4):707-11.
To compare phytoestrogen tissue levels in men with small-volume benign prostate hyperplasia (prostate enlargement), large-volume prostate enlargement, and prostate cancer. Prostate tissue samples of men consuming a Western diet who underwent surgery for prostate enlargement or prostate cancer were collected and frozen. In the prostate tissue samples, the enterolactone and genistein levels were determined. We subsequently compared the tissue levels in patients with prostate enlargement and prostate cancer and studied the impact of enterolactone and genistein on prostate volume. The enterolactone tissue levels were comparable in patients with prostate enlargement and prostate cancer and revealed no correlation to prostate volume. The genistein tissue levels tended to be lower in patients with prostate cancer compared with the entire prostate enlargement group. In addition, the genistein tissue levels were significantly greater in men with small-volume prostate enlargement compared with those with large-volume prostate enlargement. Our data suggest an involvement of genistein in the pathogenesis of prostate enlargement and, possibly, of prostate cancer. The impact of enterolactone is currently unknown.

For many men, a routine PSA blood test to screen for prostate cancer has become an annual ritual. Now the developer of the test says it can't be relied on for this purpose, and has led to overly zealous treatment of men with prostate enlargement. Dr. Thomas A. Stamey at Stanford University first reported in 1987 that levels of PSA in the blood could be used as a marker of prostate cancer. "What we didn't know in the early years is that benign growth of the prostate is the most common cause of a PSA level between 1 and 10 ng/mL," Stamey notes in a university press release. Standard units of measurement of PSA are nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood. Stamey's group found that the average size and invasiveness of prostate cancers have been dropping over the past two decades, to the point that the cancers being discovered may not be clinically meaningful.

Lycopene: modes of action to promote prostate health.
Arch Biochem Biophys. 2004 Oct 1;430(1):127-34.
Epidemiological evidence strongly suggests that lycopene consumption contributes to prostate health cancer risk reduction. Preclinical studies show that lycopene acts via different mechanisms, which have the potential to cooperate in reducing the proliferation of normal and cancerous prostate epithelial cells, in reducing DNA damage, and in improving oxidative stress defense. The mechanisms include inhibition of prostate IGF-I signaling, IL-6 expression, and androgen signaling. Moreover, lycopene improves gap-junctional communication and induces phase II drug metabolizing enzymes as well as oxidative defense genes. These findings provide plausible explanations for the epidemiological findings how lycopene can contribute to reduced prostate cancer risk. The novel finding that lycopene reduces local androgen signaling in the prostate suggests also efficacy in prevention of benign prostate hyperplasia. Intervention trials in humans are required to finally prove clinical efficacy of the lycopene molecule in prostate health.

Lycopene and prostate health.
Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2002;5(1):6-12.
The role of diet and dietary supplements in the development and progression of prostate cancer represents an increasingly frequent topic of discussion in the urologist's office. The role of antioxidants including carotenoids in all this has been the subject of great interest for some time. Lycopene, the carotenoid that gives tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables their red colour, has been of particular interest recently as regards its role in prostate cancer. The aim of this review is to briefly outline the biology and chemistry of lycopene, the scientific basis for its proposed anticancer properties and evaluate what conclusions the practicing urologist may draw from the data thus far. The media and industry have raced to encourage not only diets high in lycopene but also dietary lycopene supplements for prostate problems but there is probably only sufficient evidence to recommend to patients a diet rich in all vegetables and fruits of which tomatoes and tomato based products should certainly be a part.

Pilot study to explore effects of low-fat, flaxseed-supplemented diet on proliferation of benign prostate epithelium and prostate-specific antigen.
Demark-Wahnefried W. Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
Urology. 2004 May;63(5):900-4.
Dietary factors may influence prostate health and have an impact on prostate growth, prostate symptom, and disease. A small number of studies have suggested that flaxseed-supplemented, fat-restricted diets may thwart prostate cancer growth in both animals and humans. Unknown, however, is the potential effect of such a diet on benign prostate epithelium. We undertook a pilot study to explore whether a flaxseed-supplemented, fat-restricted diet affects the proliferation rates in benign prostate gland epithelium. We also explored the effects on circulating levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), total testosterone, and cholesterol. Fifteen men who were scheduled to undergo repeat prostate biopsy were instructed to follow a low-fat (less than 20% kcal), flaxseed-supplemented (30 g/day) diet and were provided with a supply of flaxseed to last throughout the 6-month intervention period. The PSA, total testosterone, and cholesterol levels were determined at baseline and at 6 months of follow-up. Statistically significant decreases in prostate specific antigen and cholesterol were observed. No statistically significant change was seen in total testosterone. Although 6-month repeat biopsies were not performed in 2 cases because of prostate specific antigen normalization, of the 13 men who underwent repeat prostate biopsy, the proliferation rates in the benign epithelium decreased significantly. These pilot data suggest that a flaxseed-supplemented, fat-restricted diet may affect the biology of the prostate and associated biomarkers. A randomized controlled trial is needed to determine whether flaxseed supplementation, a low-fat diet, or a combination of the two regimens may be of use in controlling overall prostate growth.

Melatonin Pharmacotherapy for Nocturia in Men With Benign Prostate Enlargement.
Drake MJ, Mills IW, Noble JG. J Urol. 2004;171:1199-1202.
Nocturia is a common condition often attributed in aging men to benign prostate enlargement. Older adults are prone to nocturnal sleep disturbance, of which disturbed circadian rhythm may be a component since it improves with nighttime administration of melatonin. This study was designed to investigate melatonin as a potential treatment for nocturia associated with bladder outflow obstruction in older men.  A total of 20 men with urodynamically confirmed bladder outflow obstruction and nocturia were entered into a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled crossover study assessing the effect of 2 mg controlled release melatonin at night on nocturia. Symptoms were assessed at baseline and after each 4-week treatment period using a frequency volume chart, the International Prostate Symptom Score and symptom problem index. Baseline frequency of nocturia was 3.1 episodes per night. There were 7 men (35%) with detrusor overactivity and 10 (50%) had nocturnal polyuria. Melatonin and placebo caused a decrease in nocturia of 0.32 and 0.05 episodes per night and a decrease in the nocturia bother score of 0.51 and 0.05, respectively. Nocturia responder rates differed between the active medication and placebo groups. Daytime urinary frequency, International Prostate Symptom Score, relative nocturnal urine volume, maximum urinary flow rate and post-void residual were unaffected by melatonin treatment. Melatonin treatment is associated with a significant nocturia response rate, improvement in nocturia related bother and a good adverse effect profile.

Use of supplements containing selenium may reduce the risk of advanced prostate cancer. The fact that no effect was seen against early prostate cancer suggests that selenium works by slowing cancer progression rather than by preventing it all together. A recent study links the consumption of the essential mineral selenium with a lower risk of prostate cancer. There are now seven population studies in the past six years that examined the possible connection between selenium and prostate cancer. All but one of them have found selenium protective. Yet, since scientists are still uncertain how prostate cancer starts or can be prevented, it is too early to say that selenium definitely protects the prostate.

Men over 50 who have higher levels of testosterone have a higher risk of prostate cancer. The findings may mean that men should be cautious about testosterone replacement therapy.

Ejaculation frequency is not related to increased risk for prostate cancer.

Treatment with equol, the major active form of daidzein, the estrogen-like compound found in soy, blocks prostate growth in rats.

A molecule produced in the intestine when soy is digested stops a hormone which can fuel prostate growth or cause baldness. Writing in the journal Biology of Reproduction, they said the finding could explain why Japanese men, who eat more soy, rarely have prostate cancer. They said the molecule could be used as a treatment for cancer and baldness. The team found that the molecule, equol, "handcuffs" the male hormone DHT - a by-product of testosterone. The researchers say this could be particularly important for men who have been diagnosed with either an enlarged prostate (benign prostate hyperplasia), or cancer of the prostate. DHT has also been implicated in research into the causes of male pattern baldness.

Findings from a new animal study suggest that selenium use may decrease age-related DNA damage in the prostate and increase epithelial cell apoptosis. Therefore, dietary supplementation with the mineral could be useful in preventing prostate cancer. Dr. David J. Waters, from Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana, and colleagues evaluated the prostate glands of 49 elderly male dogs that were randomized to receive a regular diet or a diet supplemented with selenium for 7 months. Prostate gland cells and lymphocytes from selenium-treated dogs demonstrated significantly less DNA damage than cells from control animals. Although the exact mechanism was unclear, it did not appear to involve the plasma antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase. The authors state. "Further study of the process of carcinogenesis within the prostate of animal species vulnerable to spontaneous cancer development may provide important insights into the putative anticancer mechanisms of selenium and identify biomarkers that predict the prostate's response to selenium." J Natl Cancer Inst 2003;95:237-241.

Inhibitive effect of soybean isoflavone on prostate gland hyperplasia in rats
Hunan Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 2003 Aug;28(4):343-6.
To explore the inhibitive effect of soybean isoflavone on benign prostate hyperplasia in rats. By subcutaneously injecting testosterone propionate to induce prostate hyperplasia in rats, the changes of prostate wet weight, prostatic index, morphological change, prostate -specific acid phosphatase (PAP), acid phosphatase in the control, the model, low, moderate, high dose of soybean isoflavone groups were observed. The ventral prostate wet weight, prostatic index, and PAP in the low, moderate, and high dose groups were significantly lower than those in the models. The ventral prostate wet weight, prostatic index, and PAP in the moderate, and high dose groups were significantly lower than those in the low dose group. Soybean isoflavone inhibits prostate hyperplasia and the increase of acid phosphatase and PAP in a dose-dependent manner in rats. Soybean isoflavone may serve as supplementary therapy and prevent benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate disease.

Anti-androgenic action by red clover-derived dietary isoflavones reduces non-malignant prostate enlargement in aromatase knockout (ArKo) mice.
Prostate. 2003 Jun 15;56(1):54-64.
Red clover (RC)-derived dietary isoflavones have been implicated as potential preventative agents for the development and prevalence of non-malignant prostate gland diseases. This study investigated whether dietary isoflavones inhibit prostate growth in vivo in the aromatase knock-out (ArKO) mouse that exhibits lifelong elevation of androgens leading to prostate enlargement. Adult (11-week-old) wild-type (WT) and ArKO mice were fed on protein matched isoflavones free (IF) and RC (isoflavone rich) diets for 28 days. Individual prostate lobes and testes were weighed and collected for histological analysis and serum androgens were measured.  This study demonstrates that RC-derived isoflavones have a significant effect on prostate growth, and are capable of reducing the enlarged non-malignant prostate phenotype of the adult ArKO mouse, by acting as anti-androgenic agents rather than weak estrogenic substances.

Isoflavones and the prevention and treatment of prostate gland disease: is there a role?
Cleve Clin J Med. 2003 Mar;70(3):203-4, 206, 208-9
Epidemiologic and experimental data suggest that isoflavones have benefits for preventing and treating some prostate disease. Isoflavone supplements may therefore be an important tool for men concerned about prostate disease, such as those with benign prostate hypertrophy undergoing watchful waiting or those concerned about the potential for prostate cancer. Conclusive proof of a relationship between isoflavones and the prevention and treatment of prostate disease can only come from prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trials.

Prostate Gland natural supplement emails
Q. I read frequently that supplements that increase testosterone can result in unwanted prostate growth or enlarged prostate. If male testosterone levels naturally decline with age, why does supplementing to bring these levels up to their former values cause ill effects and make an enlarged prostate worse? Why don't 18 year old males have giant prostates?(!)
    A. Good question. It's difficult to know exactly what's going on in prostate tissue and how testosterone, in different age groups, has an effect. But, it may be that the biochemical system within prostate tissue is quite able to handle high androgen levels in the youth but is not able to handle these high androgen levels too well as the person gets older thus leading to prostate enlargement. Additional testosterone is likely to lead to an enlarged prostate.

Q. Is there a prostate vitamin that helps with prostate health?
   A. Some prostate vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that could be helpful include Vitamin E, quercetin, sitosterol, lycopene, selenium, zinc, and some prostate herbs are saw palmetto, pygeum, rye pollen, and stinging nettle.

Q. Why is prostate massage good for? What prostate problem is prostate massage used for?
   A. Prostate massage involves massaging the prostate often with a finger in the anus or a vibrator, and in some people it is a way for sexual pleasure and could enhance orgasm. The prostate can also be indirectly massaged externally through the perineum. Prostate massage (also known as prostate milking) is sometimes carried out as a medical procedure for the treatment of prostatitis, and infection or inflammation of the prostate gland.

Q. Do prostate herbs help with enlarged prostate gland or reduce the severity of enlarged prostate symptom?
   A. In some people, the use of prostate herbs does improve symptoms of an enlarged prostate gland.

Q. Is prostate enlargement inevitable as men get older?
   A. Not inevitable, but a significant majority of men will have an enlarged prostate as they get older.

Q. My husband is 60 years old and he is currently treated with Adovart for benign prostate enlargement. When he started the therapy (to improve urinary flow etc) the prostate size was slightly above the highest normal range and 3 months later it reduced by 30%. For the past 3 years his erectile function gradually worsened (he was not able to sustain it all the time or for a long period of time) but with the use of Adovart he experienced a dramatic decrease of libido and sexual activity with no erections at all. Of course this is a vicious cycle that led to depression and anxiety but the worse part is that after a Doppler we discovered that both his penile arteries have decreased blood flow (22,5 mmHg and 16 mmHg with the normal 30 mmHg) although he has no heart problems, increased blood pressure, diabetes etc. His cholesterol is 230 mg% and his is currently on a diet. His cardiologist suggests aspirin and statins to control hypercholesteremia. I am very confused trying to figure out the optimal treatment for him since several systems are involved and I am interested in your opinion about alternative therapies to a more holistic approach.
   A. Please see the web page on impotence. Prostate Power Rx is an option if your doctor approves.

Q. I came across a product called Prostate Miracle. It claims that it is 3,000 times more potent than saw palmetto. Prostate Miracle is claimed to be 95% effective for prostate enlargement. Prostate Miracle is a natural, highly effective treatment for BPH. What is your opinion of Prostate Miracle? They also say Prostate Miracle is an excellent pre-emptive measure to prevent prostate cancer from developing.
   A. We have not tested Prostate Miracle and we therefore don't know if it works. The company promoting Prostate Miracle is clearly violating FDA rules which say that a supplement cannot claim to treat a medical condition. The claims are so blatant that the integrity of this company cannot be trusted. We are not sure how the number 3,000 has been determined. Apparently Prostate Miracle has 300 mg of beta sitosterol, which can be easily purchased by itself. Long term risks and benefits of beta sitosterol supplement use are not known. Since the company selling Prostate Miracle has not shown that their product prevents prostate cancer (it would take at least a 20 year study to find this out), they certainly have lost total credibility.

Q. Do you know if any of the supplements -the ones for prostate health or others would have an affect the PSA readings
   A. We still are waiting for good studies on the relationship between saw palmetto, herbs and PSA and we don't have enough information to know for sure.

Q. Are reishi mushroom extract and willow herb helpful for an enlarged prostate gland?
   A. I have not seen enough human research to know for certain.