Is there anything I can take to help with an enlarged prostate?
The prostate is a small gland about the size and shape of a walnut. At birth,
the prostate gland is tiny. When testosterone levels rise during puberty, the
prostate grows rapidly, doubling in size by age 20. Growth slows down for the
next two decades and the prostate does not usually cause problems for many
years. When a man reaches his 40s the prostate goes through a second
growth spurt. Half of all men have an enlarged prostate by the time they reach
age 60, and by age 85, 90 percent of the male population is affected. Unlike
the growth during puberty, when the gland expands uniformly, the
enlargement that occurs in the second half of life is concentrated in the portion
of the gland adjacent to the urethra. As the gland gets bigger, it interferes with
the outflow of urine from the bladder. As a result, the bladder has to work
harder to empty the urine, and eventually becomes thicker and prone to
excessive contractions. Over time, this extra effort causes the bladder muscle
to weaken, and urine cannot be expelled fully. The combination of these
problems leads to the discomfort and complications associated with an
enlarged prostate. There have been numerous clinical studies that have have
shown that 160 mg of saw palmetto fruit (containing 80-90% fatty acids) twice
a day or 320mg once a day can significantly improve urinary symptoms such
as frequent urination, painful urination, hesitancy, urgency, and perineal
heaviness. It is important to note that it takes approximately 1-2 months of
daily treatment with saw palmetto before significant improvement of the
symptoms occurs.
