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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffHerbal treatments for BPH are available at pharmacies, at grocery stores, over the Internet and in magazines. Common herbal treatments that show some evidence of helping reduce enlarged prostate symptoms include:
- Saw palmetto, made from the ripened berries of the saw palmetto shrub
- Beta-sitosterol, extracted from rye grass pollen and other plants
- Pygeum, made from the bark of an African plum tree
Be aware that the FDA does not regulate herbs. This means their safety and effectiveness has not been proved. Dosages, purities and ingredients available on the market vary, so it's not known which dosage is most effective and safe. The American Urological Association doesn't recommend using these remedies, and doctors have differing opinions about their use. Despite these drawbacks, growing evidence indicates that some alternative treatments may help relieve urinary symptoms caused by BPH. Herbal medications are commonly used in Europe to treat BPH.
Herbal products may increase your risk of bleeding and cause adverse drug interactions. Saw palmetto may suppress your baseline PSA level, which can interfere with the effectiveness of the PSA test for prostate cancer. If you take any herbal remedies, be sure to tell your doctor.
