What about Natural Treatment for Enlarged Prostate?

The National Institute of Health estimates that over half of men aged 60 or more have enlarged prostates. For men over age 70, the percentage is over 90%. However, not everyone is eager to take medications that may have unpleasant side effects. Some men prefer to pursue homeopathic or other forms of natural treatment for enlarged prostate. As with any course of treatment for a medical condition, you should consult your doctor. You should also be aware that an enlarged prostate can indicate the presence of prostate cancer; treatment must start early in order to be most effective.

Changing Your Diet

To naturally promote prostate health, you may want to increase your dietary intake of whole grains; fresh, unrefined, or organic foods; soy protein; beans; seeds; nuts; and cold water fish such as tuna, salmon, halibut, and sardines. You should also avoid junk food, refined sugar, dairy products, hydrogenated oils, and alcohol (especially beer). Adjust your intake of water to include a number of ounces equal to 50% of your body weight (if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water). Dietary supplements that can support natural treatment for enlarged prostate include amino acids such as glycine, alinine, and glutamic acid (200 mg of each daily), beta-sitoserol (to reduce cholesterol, which can also contribute to enlarged prostate), flaxseed oil or meal, flower pollen (used in Europe for over 25 years to naturally treat enlarged prostate), and zinc picolinate.

Herbal Medicines

Though herbal medicines have the advantage of rarely producing side effects, you should be very careful of their purity, potency, and consistency. For this reason, it is best to consult with your doctor or a homeopathic physician to determine that your herbal medicines do not include synthetic fillers or binders. As with other pharmaceuticals, you should not exceed the recommended dosage. Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is thought to inhibit the body's production of dihydrodrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone that promotes prostate growth. The recommended dosage is 320 milligrams of extract each day. Also, pygeum (Pygeum africanum) is thought to be a natural treatment to reduce enlarged prostate symptoms. The recommended dosage is 100 to 200 milligrams of extract twice daily. Extract of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) at a recommended dosage of 120 milligrams daily, may also reduce symptoms.

Non-medicinal Natural Treatment for Enlarged Prostate

Some patients can achieve temporary relief of painful symptoms by taking a warm sitz bath. Alternating warm and cool hydrotherapy has the additional beneficial effect of increasing blood flow to the pelvic region, promoting the removal of toxins from tissues and sometimes reducing swelling.