Saw Palmetto Reduces Sexual Dysfunction in BPH Patients

LONDONTreatment with a saw palmetto preparation (as Prostasan^® from A.Vogel Bioforce) led to an improvement not only of urinary symptoms but also of sexual dysfunctions in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (Phytother Res. 2012 Apr 23).

BPH, the most frequent reason for urinary problems in elderly men, is also the main reason to cause sexual dysfunctions in this patient group. Led by Dr. Eugen Riedi, M.D., a urologist in Chur, Switzerland, the research team showed that after a treatment duration of eight weeks, the urinary symptoms improved by more than 50 percent and sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory problems or lack of sexual drive by about 40 percent.

Existing standard pharmaceutical therapies for BPH symptoms such as alpha-blocking agents or 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are known to cause further sexual dysfunction. Thus, men seek therapies that improve BPH symptoms and occurring sexual problems as well.

This is one of the first therapies ever to show an improvement of BPH symptoms and of sexual dysfunctions at the same time. Furthermore, the treatment was very well tolerated, cost effective and patients compliance was excellent," Dr. Riedi said.

Commenting on the trial, Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC), an herb research and education organization said, This preliminary research is highly interesting as it is the first clinical study suggesting that patients with BPH and corresponding sexual problems may benefit from both conditions by using saw palmetto. The positive urinary results are consistent with many previous clinical trials on saw palmetto preparations. The sexual results are promising and should be confirmed by future, larger studies using a controlled design."

Last year, Bioforce AG commented on a JAMA study that questioned saw palmetto's ability to reduce urinary problems for men with enlarge prostate glands.

Study details

A total of of 82 patients with at least moderate BPH symptoms (both obstructive and irritative) and sexual problems (such as erectile dysfunctions or lack of libido) for at least two months were recruited from two urological and four general practices in Switzerland to participate in this trial.

For eight weeks patients took one capsule daily containing 320 mg of the saw palmetto berry extract (as Prostasan®). At the beginning and end of the treatment, BPH symptoms were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score, (IPSS) and sexual dysfunction was evaluated with the brief Sexual Function Inventory (bSFI) and the Urolife BPH Quality of Life-9 questionnaire.

In the end, the IPSS was reduced highly significantly by 51 percent and the bSFI which measures sexual drive, erectile function, ejaculatory function, problem assessment and satisfaction, improved by a total average of 40 percent. An improvement of 36 percent was observed with the Urolife Score, which assesses sexual drive, erections and sexual satisfactions.