Supplements for Men's Sexual Health

Men have their own unique problems—ask any woman. In this instance, however, we’re talking about sex-specific health issues, namely challenges to prostate and sexual health, or libido. Fortunately, a variety of dietary supplements specifically address conditions such as enlargement of the prostate gland, referred to as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and erectile dysfunction (ED).

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

BPH is common among men over 50. While the condition is not malignant, it can lead to obstruction of the urethra, interfering with urine flow. This, in turn, can increase frequency of urination, the need to urinate during the night, pain, and urinary tract infections.

What causes enlargement of the prostate in BPH? A metabolite of testosterone called dihydrostestosterone (DHT) is thought to be a contributing factor. Conventional treatment for BPH might include antibiotics, drugs that inhibit the conversion of testosterone into DHT, sitz baths (immersing hips and buttocks in hot water), and, in some cases, surgery. Alternative treatments may involve the use of herbal remedies including saw palmetto extract, pygeum, and pumpkin seed oil.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a small palm tree native to the southeast coast of the U.S. and to Texas, traditionally used by Native Americans as both food and medicine. It appears to help inhibit the conversion of testosterone to DHT and to reduce the urological disorders associated with the problem. These benefits and the good tolerability of saw palmetto are well documented for those suffering mild to moderate BPH. In fact, the bulk of the results obtained in double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials and in large clinical studies demonstrates that saw palmetto extract is both effective and safe for relieving urological disorders associated with BPH.

Research comparing saw palmetto to the prescription drug Proscar, also known as finasteride, is particularly interesting. (Like saw palmetto, Proscar inhibits the conversion of testosterone to DHT.) During the course of a six-month double-blind randomized equivalence study, 1,098 men with moderate BPH experienced significant decrease in symptoms with the use of saw palmetto, improvement in quality of life, and increase in urinary flow rate. Furthermore, saw palmetto fared better than Proscar in a sexual function questionnaire and gave rise to fewer complaints of decreased libido and impotence.

Much of the research conducted on saw palmetto involved an intake of 160 mg twice daily or 320 mg once daily of a specific extract standardized for 85 to 95 percent fatty acids. This type of extract can only be found in soft gels.

Pygeum (Pygeum africanum) possesses anti-inflammatory properties that are particularly effective for treating the prostate. This herb works, at least in part, by inhibiting the formation of well-known factors that incite inflammation. In an evaluation of 18 randomized and controlled trials involving 1,562 men with BPH, the evidence suggests that pygeum extract significantly improves urinary symptoms and flow measures. In a similar review of published research on pygeum, reviewers found that it provides moderately large benefits in the combined outcome of urinary symptoms and flow measures compared to a placebo.The dose of pygeum extract usually used is 50 mg twice daily, or 100 mg once daily.

Pumpkin seeds are a common treatment for BPH. In a large clinical trial involving 2,245 men, pumpkin seed extract decreased BPH symptoms by 47 percent and improved quality of life by 46 percent. In combination with saw palmetto, pumpkin seed oil successfully reduces BPH symptoms, as demonstrated in a double-blind study. Similarly, in a large clinical trial with 1,305 men suffering from BPH, pumpkin seed and saw palmetto reduced daytime urination frequency in 68 percent of patients, and nighttime urination frequency in 82 percen