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Pygeum Africanum Effectively Relieves Enlarged Prostate

If you're a man living in the United States, it's almost inevitable you'll eventually have to face prostate problems. Because as a man gets older the prostate gland tends to enlarge. This results in BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) which causes a lot of annoyances like frequent urination, dribbling, discomfort, and infections. It can even lead to cancer.

What does the prostate gland do, anyway?

The prostate is the size and shape of a walnut and is located under the bladder and directly in front of the rectum. It secretes a thin, milky, acidic fluid that:

• provides about half the fluid in semen
  
  
• helps transport sperm through the vagina and cervix
  
  
• helps moisten the lining of the urethra

What causes prostate problems?

In some men, the prostate gland enlarges without causing urinary problems—probably because their urethra is wider than average, or because the gland tends to enlarge outward. In most men, however, as BPH develops, the prostate presses against the neck of the bladder or urethra, squeezing the pipe shut, like stepping on a garden hose. This pressure can make it difficult to urinate and results in a variety of symptoms.

Also, the bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself, so urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH, including:

• Urgency—the need to go immediately
  
  
• During urination, there is a thin stream of urine that stops and starts instead of a full, steady stream
  
  
• Hesitancy or difficulty starting urine flow

• Dribbling after urinating
  
  
• Nocturia—having to get up frequently at night to urinate
  
  
• Increased frequency of urination

• Increased risk of infection if the bladder does not empty entirely and urine is retained
  

Why does BPH occur in the first place?

Male hormones

Another theory focuses on dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a substance derived from testosterone in the prostate, which may help control its growth. Most animals lose their ability to produce DHT as they age. However, some research has indicated that even with a drop in the blood's testosterone level, older men continue to produce and accumulate high levels of DHT in the prostate. This accumulation of DHT may encourage the growth of cells. Scientists have also noted that men who do not produce DHT do not develop BPH.

Some researchers suggest that BPH may develop as a result of "instructions" given to cells early in life. According to this theory, BPH occurs because cells in one section of the gland follow these instructions and "reawaken" later in life. These "reawakened" cells then deliver signals to other cells in the gland instructing them to grow, or making them more sensitive to hormones that influence growth.1

Fortunately, Americans are finally learning about Pygeum, the anti-inflammatory bark extract that European doctors have been prescribing for decades.

Pygeum helps prevent and reverse BPH

• Reduces inflammation
  
  
• Reduces prostate size2



• Promotes normal urination2
  
  
• Rids the prostate of cholesterol deposits that can occur with BPH
  
  
• Significantly ameliorates the uncomfortable symptoms associated with BPH including frequent urination and abdominal heaviness2

Pygeum africanum is an evergreen tree that grows in the mountainous forests of Africa. European doctors have been prescribing this bark extract for years to help preserve prostate health and promote a man's overall well being. In fact, in France and other countries, phytotherapeutic preparations (nutritional compounds derived from plants) such as Pygeum are the most widely used drugs for the treatment of BPH. In Asia, Africa, and India, phytotherapeutic medicine is considered a first-line treatment for BPH and has been utilized effectively for centuries.3

The powdered bark was traditionally used as a tea for relief of bladder and urinary disorders. The investigative work that European scientists did in determining the active constituents in the bark led to the development of the modern lipophilic (fat soluble) extracts used today. Thanks to the hundreds of studies that have been done in the past thirty years, we know that Pygeum is highly effective in helping to maintain a healthy prostate.

Active ingredients

• Pentacyclic triterpenoids (ursolic and oleanic acids) help inhibit inflammation, reduce swelling of the prostate, and increase the integrity of small veins and capillaries.



• Phystosterols (beta-sitosterol) act as an anti-inflammatory. Beta-sitosterol has also been shown to reduce the normally elevated levels of prostaglandins in patients with BPH.



• Ferulic esters (docosanol and tetracosanol) help rid the prostate of any cholesterol deposits that typically accompany prostate enlargement.5

Recently, numerous clinical trials have demonstrated the usefulness of Pygeum for BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia), including reduction of the frequency of nighttime urination,6 and the relief of other symptoms associated with BPH.7

Clinical studies

In fact, the men using Pygeum were more than twice as likely to report an improvement in overall symptoms. The need to get up during the night to urinate was reduced by 19%, residual urine volume or dribbling was reduced by 24%, and peak urine flow was increased by 23%.

The reviewers concluded that a standardized preparation of Pygeum africanum is a useful treatment option for men with lower urinary symptoms consistent with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Helps sexual dysfunction

Quality and recommended dosage

To make things worse, beta sitosterol is not the only active constituent in Pygeum. In fact, beta sitosterol is extracted from many different plants at a very small fraction of the cost. European Pygeum standards require the beta sitoserol content to be naturally occurring from the Pygeum itself, not added from other sources. The European standard assures you get all the actives found in Pygeum as proven in clinical studies.

Pygeum africanum has been shown to be safe and effective at dosages ranging from 50 mg twice a day to 200 mg once a day. A French study compared the efficacy and safety of Pygeum on 209 patients for 12 months, comparing it at 50 mg twice a day to 100 mg once a day. The double-blind test concluded that both dosages proved equally effective and safe at 2 months, and after 12 months the patients continued to improve.10

How safe is Pygeum?

Caution

Prostate conditions are usually benign, but if you have symptoms of BPH get a PSA test and examination by a doctor to rule out other complications. And don't be afraid to discuss the use of phytonutrients with your doctor. Print out this article and spread the word that Pygeum has been prescribed by European doctors for decades. The studies demonstrate that it works, and thousands of men will testify that it does indeed.

See This Other Article of Interest From
Smart Publications Health & Wellness Update

References

1. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC), a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); part of the National Institutes of Health under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

2. Choo MS, Bellamy F, Constantinou CE. Functional evaluation of Tadenan on micturition and experimental prostate growth induced with exogenous dihydrotestosterone. Urology. 2000 Feb;55(2):292-8.
Abstract

3. Levin RM, Das AK. A scientific basis for the therapeutic effects of Pygeum africanum and Serenoa repens. Urol Res. 2000 Jun;28(3):201-9.
Abstract

4. Murray MT. The Healing Power of Herbs. Rocklin, CA California: Prima Publishing, 1995, 286-93.

5. Hass MA, Nowak DM, Leonova E, Levin RM, Longhurst PA. Identification of components of Prunus africana extract that inhibit lipid peroxidation. Phytomedicine. 1999 Nov;6(5):379-88.
Abstract

6. Breza J, Dzurny O, Borowka A, et al. Efficacy and acceptability of tadenan (Pygeum africanum extract) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): a multicentre trial in central Europe. Curr Med Res Opin. 1998;14(3):127-39.
Abstract

7. Gerber GS. Phytotherapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Curr Urol Rep. 2002 Aug;3(4):285-91.
Abstract

Dreikorn K. The role of phytotherapy in treating lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic hyperplasia. World J Urol. 2002 Apr;19(6):426-35.
Abstract

8. Wilt T, Ishani A, Mac Donald R, et al. Pygeum africanum for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(1):CD001044.
Abstract

9. Carani C, Salvioli V, Scuteri A, Borelli A, Baldini A, Granata AR, Marrama P. Urological and sexual evaluation of treatment of benign prostatic disease using Pygeum africanum at high doses. [Article in Italian] Arch Ital Urol Nefrol Androl. 1991 Sep;63(3):341-5.
Abstract

10. Chatelain C, Autet W, Brackman F. Comparison of once and twice daily dosage forms of Pygeum africanum extract in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a randomized, double-blind study, with long-term open label extension. Urology. 1999 Sep;54(3):473-8.
Abstract