Can Supplements Improve My Prostate Health?
Sep 19, 2024
The prostate, a small gland located just beneath your bladder, plays a central role in the male reproductive system. Maintaining good prostate health is a significant concern for many men, particularly as they age.
About 8% of men aged 31-40 experience prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH). The number of men affected by BPH steadily rises every decade — by the age of 80, about 80% of men have BPH. Prostate cancer is also common in men, affecting about 12.5% of men during their lifetime.
BPH can cause considerable discomfort, including urinary problems like frequent, painful, sporadic, or slow urination. With prostate cancer, urinary symptoms may be more severe, and the condition could potentially be fatal without early diagnosis and treatment.
What does all of this mean? That it’s crucial to protect your prostate health.
At David B. Samadi, MD, in Central Midtown Manhattan, New York City, our board-certified urologist, Dr. Samadi, specializes in helping our patients improve their prostate health — and supplements can be a highly effective way to do just that.
Supplements for prostate health often contain a variety of natural ingredients that may help support prostate and urinary health. Some of the most common ingredients in prostate health supplements include:
Saw palmetto is an herbal remedy derived from the fruit of the Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) tree. It’s one of the most popular — and helpful — prostate supplements.
A recent study found that taking a supplement containing a combination of saw palmetto, a mineral called selenium, and an antioxidant called lycopene proved equally as effective for BPH-related symptoms as taking the prescription drug Cialis® (tadalafil).
Vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial for men who are dealing with an enlarged prostate, particularly if they have a vitamin D deficiency. Some studies demonstrate that men who take vitamin D to correct a deficiency are able to suppress further prostate growth, while also obtaining relief from urinary symptoms.
A recent study on grape seed supplementation showed exciting results: Men who took grape seed for 10 years experienced a better than 60% reduction in prostate cancer risk.
A one-year trial showed that men with BPH who took pumpkin seed extract in capsules achieved a dramatic reduction in their prostate symptoms, as measured by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) system, a standardized method of evaluating BPH symptoms.
Experts are also exploring many other vitamins, minerals, and herbal ingredients as possible prostate health boosters, including beta-sitosterol, pygeum, and zinc, to name a few.
Dr. Samadi evaluates your prostate health using the prostate-specific antigen test, a physical exam, ultrasound imaging, and, when necessary, prostate biopsy. Combining this information with your symptoms and unique needs leads to a highly personalized treatment plan.
Dr. Samadi recommends customized supplementation, tailoring your dosage and frequency, and helps you start your treatment plan so you can achieve the best prostate health possible.
If you need more advanced prostate treatment, Dr. Samadi is a highly renowned prostate surgeon with amazing results: 89% of prostate cancer patients are cancer-free after surgery.
If you’re ready to start improving your prostate health, Dr. Samadi is here to guide you. We’re at the Midtown Manhattan office in New York City every weekday, and Dr. Samadi sees patients at St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center in East Hills, New York (Long Island) once a week. Call our office or book your consultation online today.