Did you know the prostate gland undergoes two primary growth stages? The first growth stage occurs early in puberty, and the second stage begins around age 25 and continues through most of adulthood. By the age of 50 and above, many men experience an enlarged prostate gland. While a normal prostate is about the size of a walnut, by the time a man reaches his 60s, it may enlarge to the size of a lemon or a ping-pong ball.
Unfortunately, an enlarged prostate can place pressure against the urethra, causing the bladder wall to thicken and reducing the bladder’s ability to empty completely. This often causes urinary discomfort, including decreased urinary flow and volume, as well as increased urination frequency, leading to poor sleep patterns. Although benign prostate enlargement, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a non-cancerous condition, it can adversely affect a man’s overall quality of life.
Although surgical procedures and prescription medicines are available to help relax or shrink the prostate, over-the-counter nutritional supplements are widely preferred to relieve the urinary discomfort associated with this condition. This article highlights the top supplements for prostate support and discusses how an advanced supplement formulation can optimize the bioavailability and absorption of the beneficial nutrients in these supplements.* Use the links below to jump ahead to different topics on the page.
Nutrition and Prostate Health
Recent findings indicate that dietary factors can influence metabolic disorders indirectly, both positively and negatively, with significant implications for BPH and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)1. Starch and fat-rich diets are likely to adversely affect prostate health. For example, men who consume more red meat are at an increased risk of BPH. In contrast, a plant-based diet emphasizing whole fruits, whole grains, cruciferous vegetables, olive oil, nuts, and fish, preferred over red meat, can support a healthy prostate.
Several botanicals, phytochemicals, and vitamins have traditionally been used to address prostate enlargement. Extensive research has been conducted on the role of dietary supplements, such as zinc, saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, and lycopene, in relieving BPH symptoms.* There is an evolving perspective that specific phytochemicals hold immense therapeutic potential to benefit BPH symptoms.*
Antioxidants and Prostate Health
The development of prostate enlargement and BPH are due to several factors, including hormone imbalances, elevated levels of inflammatory mediators, and oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the decreased efficiency of antioxidant defense mechanisms to counter the free radicals.This imbalance is believed to contribute to prostate tissue damage, which can trigger cellular proliferation, leading to hyperplastic growth characteristic of BPH.
Although several studies have examined the relationship between prostate health and dietary antioxidants, the specific effects of key antioxidants such vitamins C and E, carotenoids, polyphenols, and trace minerals like selenium remain inconclusive. Further research is needed to clarify the role of these antioxidants in supporting prostate health and mitigating oxidative stress-related damage.
Phytotherapies for BPH Symptoms
Emerging research indicates that phytotherapy can counter BPH symptoms. Complementary and alternative approaches, including phytotherapies, are gaining popularity for addressing mild to moderate BPH symptoms2. The following plant extracts have been traditionally used for prostate health and are now widely available in commercially formulated prostate-supportive supplements for those seeking non-pharmaceutical options.
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Phytotherapies for BPH Symptoms |
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Notably, saw palmetto, pygeum, and pumpkin seed extracts are used alone or in combination with other nutrients to counter BPH symptoms.* Let’s look at how these three botanical extracts can benefit an enlarged prostate.*
Saw Palmetto Extract Benefits
Saw palmetto, or Serenoa repens, is a small, shrublike palm. The extract of its ripe berries contains carbohydrates, lipid components (major fatty acids, including laurate, myristate, palmitate, stearate, oleate, and linoleate), and phytosterols (campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol). Saw palmetto is widely used in nutritional supplements to address the urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate or BPH.*
The following table highlights how saw palmetto supplements for prostate support work.*
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Saw Palmetto As A Supplement for Prostate Support* |
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Pygeum Supplement Benefits
Pygeum is the generic name for extracts, teas, and supplements made from the bark of the Pygeum africanum or Prunus africana tree. Pygeum contains various bioactive compounds, including atranorin, atraric acid, beta-sitosterol and its esters, and ferulic acid and its esters. Pygeum africanum extracts, in combination with other phyto-ingredients, are used to counter BPH symptoms.*
The following table highlights how pygeum supplements for prostate support help and promote healthy aging.*
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Pygeum As A Supplement for Prostate Support* |
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| a. Limits cellular proliferation: Pygeum inhibits different growth factors, including epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-I), which can limit cellular proliferation in the prostate and the resulting enlargement.*5 | |
| b. Maintains normal inflammatory response: Pygeum inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins in the prostate, decreasing the production of leukotrienes and other 5-lipoxygenase metabolites.*6 | |
| c. Limits androgenic activity: Increased androgen receptor (AR) activity is known to accelerate prostate growth. Atraric acid in pygeum helps inactivate androgen receptors, which may limit the progression of BPH.* |
Pumpkin Seeds for Prostate Health*
Oil extracted from summer pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo) consists of high amounts of free fatty acids, serving as a natural source of vitamins, trace elements, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as omegas 3, 6, and 9. The phytosterol content of pumpkin seed oil will interfere with the production of DHT, which in turn may limit prostate growth and enlargement7.* Intake of pumpkin seed extracts has been found to improve the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and maximum urinary flow rate, indicating its efficacy in benefiting BPH symptoms.*
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Supplements for Prostate Support
The following are frequently asked questions (FAQs) about supplements for prostate support.
Are supplements for prostate support safe?
Saw palmetto, pygeum, and pumpkin seed extracts are safe supplements for prostate support when used as directed. Their safety profile is well-established, with no long-term adverse effects reported. However, it is always recommended to consult with your healthcare provider before including a prostate support supplement in your diet.
Can you take a supplement for prostate support with prescription medications?
Some prostate support supplement ingredients (such as saw palmetto) might interfere with iron absorption and various blood-thinning drugs. Therefore, it is recommended to consult your healthcare provider to understand the potential contraindications of taking a prostate support supplement with prescription medications.
How do I choose the best supplements for prostate support?
The efficacy of commercially available prostate support supplements can differ based on their fatty acid and phytosterol content. Added ingredients in supplement formulations can also influence the total fatty acid and phytosterol content. Advanced supplements for prostate support are characterized by the optimal bioavailability and absorption of the active ingredients in blended preparations of botanical extracts.*
ProstaSorb® is an innovative prostate support supplement developed by Tesseract Medical Research that contains three clinically tested extracts: Serenoa repens (saw palmetto), Pygeum africanum, and Cucurbita pepo (summer pumpkin). The unrivaled nutrient delivery nanotechnology developed by Tesseract Medical Research enhances the bioavailability and absorption of ProstaSorb’s active ingredients. The proprietary technology enables optimal absorption, which means a lower amount of active nutrients is needed to achieve the desired results. The micro-dosing of ProstaSorb’s active nutrients in a single capsule to achieve maximum efficacy makes the formulation one of the top supplements for prostate support.*
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing absorption and bioavailability, and micro-dosing multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Shop products on our website and learn more about how they support prostate health and healthy aging.*
Citations
1Espinosa G. Nutrition and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Current Opinion in Urology vol. 23,1 (2013): 38-41. doi:10.1097/MOU.0b013e32835abd05
2Schleich, Sonja et al. “Extracts from Pygeum africanum and other ethnobotanical species with antiandrogenic activity.” Planta medica vol. 72,9 (2006): 807-13. doi:10.1055/s-2006-946638
3Pais P. Potency of a novel saw palmetto ethanol extract, SPET-085, for inhibition of 5alpha-reductase II. Advances in Therapy vol. 27,8 (2010):555-563. doi:10.1007/s12325-010-0041-6
4Scholtysek C, et al. Characterizing components of the Saw Palmetto Berry Extract (SPBE) . . . . Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications vol. 379,3 (2009):795-798. doi:10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.11.114
5Yablonsky, F et al. “Antiproliferative effect of Pygeum africanum extract on rat prostatic fibroblasts.” The Journal of urology vol. 157,6 (1997): 2381-7.
6Villar A, Silva-Fuentes F, Mulà A, Zangara A. Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Pygeum africanum Bark Extract: An In Vitro Study of Cytokine Release by Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2024; 25(15):8298.
7Kang, Xin-Cong et al. “Phytosterols in hull-less pumpkin seed oil, rich in ∆7-phytosterols, ameliorate benign prostatic hyperplasia by lowing 5α-reductase and regulating balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis in rats.” Food & nutrition research vol. 65 10.29219/fnr.v65.7537. 2 Dec. 2021, doi:10.29219/fnr.v65.7537
