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Saw Palmetto, Stinging Nettle and BPH.

Syr

Syr

Hot Italian Goldmember
By Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS, July 20, 2005, abstracted from “Long-term efficacy and safety of a combination of sabal and urtica extract for lower urinary tract symptoms-a placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial� in the World Journal of Urology

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is a condition marked by prostate enlargement that can eventually interfere with urination in men and is estimated to affect 80 percent of men over 80 years of age.1 With the aging Baby Boomer population, the incidence of BPH and the urinary problems that accompany it will only increase.

For men who are looking for an alternative to drugs or surgery for BPH, two supplements have shown a lot of promise. The first supplement, saw palmetto, has already consistently shown effectiveness for BPH.(2, 3) The second supplement, stinging nettle, acts in much the same way as saw palmetto, inhibiting the enzyme involved with the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, a principal mechanism in the development of BPH.4

Now, a new study5 has found that taking these two supplements together may provide a 1-2 punch against the urinary problems associated with BPH.

In the study, a fixed combination of 160 mg saw palmetto and 120 mg stinging nettle extract was given to 129 elderly men suffering from urinary tract problems caused by BPH, while 128 received a placebo for 24 weeks. After 24 weeks, all of the patients received the supplement combination. Researchers had the patients fill out the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire (I-PSS) to assess the effect of the treatment.

The researchers found that the supplement group had a “substantially higher� I-PSS total score reduction after 24 weeks compared to placebo, indicating a marked decrease in urinary tract symptoms. After being put on the supplement at 24 weeks, the placebo group then proceeded to show a “marked improvement� in their urinary tract symptoms as well.


For the researchers, the stinging nettle/saw palmetto combination was “clearly superior to the placebo� for treatment of urinary tract symptoms associated with BPH while the tolerability of the supplement was “excellent.�

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Danville, CA. You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at mailto:[email protected] or visiting his website Invalid Link Removed

Reference:
1 McConnell JD. Benign prostatic hyperplasia: diagnosis and treatment. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Guideline Panel. Rockville, Md.: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, 1994; Clinical practice guideline no. 8, AHCPR publication no. 94-0582

2 Wilt TJ, Ishani A, Stark G, MacDonald R, Lau J, Mulrow C. Saw palmetto extracts for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review. JAMA. 1998; 280(18):1604-1609

3 Wilt T, Ishani A, Mac Donald R. Serenoa repens for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Cochrane Library 2004, Issue 2

4 Dull P. Managing BPH. Am Fam Physician 2002;66:77-84,87-8

5 Sivkov A. Long-term efficacy and safety of a combination of sabal and urtica extract for lower urinary tract symptoms-a placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial. World J Urol. 2005 Jul;23(2):139-46. Epub 2005 Jun 1
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OK, now my points.
Saw Palmetto seems to block AR binding and can hinder gains while on AAS. It can also raise estrogen levels to some extent.
Stinging nettle on the contrary binds to SHBG, freeing more test (see ActivaTe writeup, altough we are speaking of the whole extract here).

Idea: drop SP and replacing it with Nettle extract while on cycle. BTW the above dose of SP is pretty low, also the study lack a comparation with SP only and SN only individuals, leaving us only to guess.
 
That's why I use phytosterol complex. I didn't realize that Activate was stinging nettle extract.
 
SJA said:
That's why I use phytosterol complex. I didn't realize that Activate was stinging nettle extract.
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Its a part of it. Phytosterols are good for cholesterol too IIRC. Interesting.
 
I think any concern is overblown.

I have used a saw palmetto and nettle combo product on-cycle twice now and if it hurt gains any, I didn't notice. I also haven't had any estrogen issues.

If there was a option that was proven to work as well without these concerns, I might use it, but there isn't. Saw palmetto is the most tested, best documented, prostate 'protectant' type product on the market.

My next cycle is coming up. I'll be using the same saw palmetto, nettle combo and also my usual milk thistle extract product. Some people don't use this on-cycle either, but I can tell you, I've had good success at keep my enzymes in check - all the while making nice physique improvements/gains, seemingly, unhindered.

I don't claim this to be the be-all, end-all commentary on the subject - not by any means; but at the present time it certainly is my opinion and experience.
 
I've used pretty heavy doses of SP on cycle and still gained 15 pounds..so I agree, the issue is likely a very small one.

I think BBers as a community tend to over-react when they read that something might increase estrogen. It's very rare that you'll see just how much estrogen is raised by. IS it 30%..or is it .3% ? Also, in old men, you have to take into account their highly elevated levels of SHBG and aromatase. Merely addressing these two issues has a plethora of benefits.
 
For the past five years I have used SP first at 320 mgs ED and now at 650 mgs (bulk/cap). I also use heavy 1.3 gm doses of Beta and other Phytosterols. In that time I have done repeated cycles with a variety of supps. I also have gained 60 lbs, and made tremendous strength improvements. so I don't think Saw Palmetto or its key ingredient Beta Sitosterol hampered me in any way.
 
Syr said:
OK, now my points.
Saw Palmetto seems to block AR binding and can hinder gains while on AAS. It can also raise estrogen levels to some extent.
Stinging nettle on the contrary binds to SHBG, freeing more test (see ActivaTe writeup, altough we are speaking of the whole extract here).

Idea: drop SP and replacing it with Nettle extract while on cycle. BTW the above dose of SP is pretty low, also the study lack a comparation with SP only and SN only individuals, leaving us only to guess.
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what do you mean block Ar binding?

does that mean Sp blocks dht ?

does that mean SP is good for people concerned with keeping our hair?
 
smeton_yea said:
what do you mean block Ar binding?

does that mean Sp blocks dht ?

does that mean SP is good for people concerned with keeping our hair?
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The proven effect is only specific to prostate tissue. Someone markets herbal stuff for hair but its not worth the money topical. Orally studies says it does nothing to hair.
 
thanks bro for the info about saw palmetto, i read it in one of your threads.

would you let me know what are good natural stuff to incorporate on cycle?

I read saw palmetto may restrict AR binding, so is there a better alternative? Does beta sitosterol also block AR binding? You mentioned Nettle, but isn't that just for estrogen? And I read somewhere that nettle is also said to be anti-anabolic like saw palmetto, do you know anything about this? From your thread, it seemed like Nettle also blocked testosterone to DHT conversion, but i thought nettle blocked the aromatase enzyme.

Have you heard of DIM? Or Divanil?

Looking forward to hear your thoughts. Thanks again,

SS
 
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