An urgent urinary matter
Sadly, many men of a certain age will experience symptoms such as urinary frequency, urgency, getting up at the night for the toilet and urinary incontinence. These symptoms are often attributed to an enlarged prostate. However, research shows that almost 50% of cases may be due to bladder issues including an overactive bladder.
Let’s have a look at benign prostatic hypertrophy first (BPH). As many of my lovely male patients know there are fortunately some most effective herbs which assist with medically diagnosed BPH. Saw palmetto and nettle root in particular have been shown in many randomized, blinded, multi-centred studies to reduce urinary frequency, nocturnal urination, decrease urinary flow, hesitation and incomplete emptying.
One particular study, involving 257 elderly men with BPH, found those receiving a combination of saw palmetto and nettle revealed significant reduction in prostate symptom scores after 24 weeks compared to placebo.
These two magnificent herbs are often found in combination with zinc which is highly concentrated in the prostate gland.
However, if the symptoms of BPH are not in fact due to an enlarged prostate, they are most likely due to an overactive bladder. Herbs which specifically address this condition (and can also be taken by women and children with urinary frequency, urgency, nocturia and incontinence), include horsetail (Equisetum arvense)… no nothing to do with horses!… lindera (Lindera strychniflia) and crateva (Crateva magna).
In a Phase 2 randomised, double blinded, placebo-controlled study, 150 adults 41% males and 59% female were given the above-mentioned herbs in a capsule form for eight weeks. Overall symptoms improved in 84–90% of male participants. Significant reduction were seen in symptoms of medically diagnosed overactive bladder, including urinary frequency, urgency and night-time urinating. Significant benefits were seen at weeks 2 and 4. In the overall group there were significant improvements in quality of life and fewer pads or padded underwear required.
These herbs collectively maintain collagen health and support connective tissue production, improve muscle tone and healthy muscle function and contraction and enhance healthy nerve conduction resulting in reduced urinary urgency and incontinence.