BPH drug and herbal treatmentsI have noticed of late an increase of prostate (BPH) drug advertising. Watch a senior PGA golf event on television and you can't miss the ads! So ... time for some research! There are basically two types of drugs that are used to treat BPH: Alpha blockers and 5 alpha reductase inhibitors. Alpha blockers include Flomax® (tamsulosin), Uroxatral® (alfuzosin), Hytrin® (terazosin) and Cardura® (doxazosin). Alpha blockers, which are also used for high blood pressure, work by relaxing the muscles around the bladder so that urine can pass freely. 5-Alpha reductases inhibitors include Avodart® (dutasteride) and Proscar® (finasteride). These drugs work by stopping the bodies production of DHT, the active form of testosterone. While not a drug, there are also herbal therapies for BPH. The effectiveness of herbal therapies is still a source of debate. From an article on WebMD entitled 'Enlarged Prostate (BPH): A Complex Problem' , Kevin Slawin, MD, a professor of urology at Baylor School of Medicine in Houston boldly states 'Saw palmetto does not work'. He points to a study that found Saw Palmetto no more effective than a placebo. WebMD, in the same article also notes other studies that have found Saw Palmetto to be as effective as Proscar. Researchers point to quality difference in herbal studies that may account for the discrepancies. Quality differences include standardization of dosage, ingredients, purity, and controls of the studies. Also chiming in on the plus side of the effectiveness of Saw Palmetto in treating BPH is the prestigious Mayo Clinic, which gives Saw Palmetto a grade of "A" as to its effectiveness. The grade of "A" (the highest) is 'Strong scientific evidence for this use'. Pygeum is another herbal supplements used to treat BPH. Pygeum received a "B" for its effectiveness from the U.S. National Library of Medicine/National Institutes for Health. The grade of "B" is 'Good scientific evidence for this use'. So what's a guy to do? First, get tested. The symptoms of BPH are very similiar to the symptoms of prostate cancer. Only your doctor can tell for sure. Second, if you are diagnosed with BPH, then what are the potential side effects of each type of drug or herbal therapy? Now, I am not a doctor and this is only friendly advise. I personally would try whichever had the least side effects first. The following links list the potential side effects of each drug from the manufacturers web site.
Also, if you do try an herbal remedy, please try a good one. The $2.99 version from the local discount store is probably useless! |
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