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Prostasan has 3 published clinical studies showing efficacy.
Enlarged Prostate
Most men will eventually develop Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), swelling of the prostate gland. In most cases it is not a life threatening condition. It is not prostate cancer. For most men it is an annoying intrusion into daily life. The good news is that Saw Palmetto herb extract has been shown in clinical studies to be effective. Sometimes as effective as prescription medication.
Let me be very clear about this, before going on: natural herbs support normal structure and function in the body. The natural molecules and compounds found in plants are not the same as chemical man-made compounds found in drugs. Natural plants provide the nutritional elements that the body uses to modulate, balance and support healthy functions. In this case it is the specific fatty acids in Saw Palmetto that have this effect. Do not confuse nutrients with drugs. Nutrients are not drugs and drugs are not nutrients. Targeted nutrition based on clinical science is how we build health.
Following provided by Dr. Fortin:
Prostate is a gland the size of a nut at the base of the bladder that surrounds the urethra. The role of the prostate is to produce a fluid that nourish and help transport sperm. With age and under specific conditions, the prostate can increase in size: Benin Prostate Hypertrophy (BPH). This increase in size is caused by a multiplication of the prostate cells and an increase in inflammation. At age 50, half of men suffer from BPH and at age 80, 80-100% show sign of it.
BPH can reduce quality of life quite substantially. BPH is characterized by an increase in size of the prostate that pushes the bladder up, creating a pocket where residual urine accumulates, becomes more irritating and increases the urge to urinate. This also causes a constriction of the urethra slowing the evacuation of urine. Symptoms of BPH are:
reduce urinary flow,- pain or discomfort during urination,
- straining,
- hesitancy,
- dribbling,
- incomplete emptying of the bladder,
- increase urge to urinate,
- increase need to urinate at night (nocturia)
- pain in the lower back.
Since the bladder never empties completely, there is a more frequent incidence of urinary tract infections. The extent and severity of the symptoms is not proportionate to the degree of the enlargement. Progression of BPH is usually slow with only 14% of men with moderate to severe symptoms deteriorating during a 5 year follow-up. Surgery, acute urinary retention and renal insufficiency or failure is uncommon.
3 main causes for BPH
- increase in DHT (dehydrotestosterone) because of an increase in activity of the 5 alpha-reductase
- lack of essential fatty acids that increase inflammatory prostaglandins (LOX/COX)
- increase of estrogen which affect the estrogen: testosterone ratio
In this interview Dr. Josée Fortin discusses the challenges that most men will face with swelling prostate. She discusses the reasons that men develop BPH and some of the lifestyles factors that can influence the state of prostate health. She also discusses Prostasan. Prostasan is a clinically studied form of Saw Palmetto extract. When searching for a prostate formula look for one where the clinical studies were done on that specific product. You want to know that you are buying the clinical form. Prostasan has 3 published clinical studies showing efficacy.
- Prostasan supports healthy prostate function* and urinary flow*
- Prostasan supports healthy sexual function*
- Prostasan is produced with 100% organically certified Saw Palmetto berries
- Holistically standardized to the whole plant
- Potency preserved by an air-drying process
Prostasan from A.Vogel is a product made from saw palmetto, a plant well known for its positive effect on the hypertrophy of the prostate and urinary tract infections in men. Usually there is a significant reduction in size within a period of 1 to 3 months. It also normalizes the production of dehydrotestosterone (DHT). Saw palmetto has been shown to reduce the activity of the 5-α-reductase, an enzyme that is shown to increase DHT levels.
In Germany and Switzerland, saw palmetto is extensively used as first line treatment, as an alternative to watchful waiting and drug treatment in mild to moderate cases of BPH. Research proves that Prostasan is as efficient as some conventional medication (ex. finasteride), without the side-effects. Research done with Prostasan from A.Vogel show that symptoms improves by 30-42% depending on the severity of the symptoms. It is the only Saw Palmetto product on the market that has been shown to improve libido and erectile function (contrary to conventional medication that cause libido and erectile problems).
Prostasan is the product that has the highest concentration of organic saw palmetto. It contains 2280-3840 mg of the fruits in a ratio of 10:1, which explains why most men only need to take one capsule a day of this supplement. Organic saw palmetto is also very rare but it is very important since Prostasan capsules are composed of 85% of fatty acids and that most chemicals (pesticides and insecticides that imitate estrogen in the body) concentrate in fats and are very detrimental to the prostate health.
If you experience BPH then try Prostasan, one per day, for 3 months. This is how you will know if it works for you. At the same time you can look to modify you lifestyle to accommodate your goals. Dr. Fortin recommends the following to help prostate health:
- keep the lower abdomen area warm
- reduce consumption of coffee, alcohol and tobacco
- increase intake of fibers, fruits and vegetables to reduce risks of constipation (put pressure on the prostate)
- reduce intake of saturated fats to improve circulation
- eat raw pumpkin seeds every day, they contain zinc and essential fatty acids that are important for prostate health
- drink at least 8 big glasses of water every day to flush out irritants
- empty the bladder as much as possible
- do exercise as frequently as possible (minimum 45 minutes 3 times a week)
- drink Stinging Nettle tea to help alleviate the urge to go and bring it back to a more normal rate faster
About Josée Fortin, ND
Dr. Josée Fortin is a Naturopath and Biochemist with a degree in Biochemistry from University of Ottawa and is a member of the Association des Naturopathes Agréés du Québec (ANAQ). She has over 21 years of experience in the field of naturopathy and gives talks on a range of holistic health topics in natural product stores.
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