Practically all men over forty experience a gradual enlargement of their prostate (which is like a little rubber washer surrounding the urethra where it leaves the bladder). This restricts the flow and leads to unpleasant symptoms such as not only a weak urinary flow but a feeling of incomplete urination, having to urinate more frequently, most particularly overnight when it seems to be at its worst.

It is, in fact, a wretched condition. Its fancy name is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The thing to be aware of with BHP is that it is not a disease; it is simply something that happens to blokes as they get older – like hair growing out of the nose and ears. It is not prostate cancer and does not lead to prostate cancer. However since prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men any change in the function of the prostate gets men down to the doctor very quickly to have it checked out. And that is good! The digital check of the prostate will pick up cancer at an early stage, which makes an enormous difference to the survival rate.

However if it is just mild BHP (which is much more likely) we are told that the treatment, if you live in America, is likely to be “watchful waiting” i.e. do nothing.

If this is so it is not only astounding, it is outrageous. There are three herbs, namely Saw Palmetto, Pygeum and Nettle combinations of which, or sometimes Saw Palmetto on its own, would be standard treatment in Europe for mild BHP, and there is ample evidence of their efficacy in reducing the symptoms. Why wait for the symptoms to worsen when you can do something about them and avoid them getting worse?

Other ingredients of these products are Bearberry and Pumpkin seed that have also been shown to be beneficial to the urinary tract and prostate and our old favourite Green Tea with Quercitin and its excellent antioxidant properties.

The other problem that can arise with the prostate is prostatitis. This is, generally, a bacterial infection of the prostate (although you can get non-bacterial prostatitis). Like any infection it can be treated with antibiotics but they are often not very effective. Again it is a problem that affects older men and the symptoms are more unpleasant than BHP, with a lot of discomfort around the urinary/genital area. The above herbs may help to alleviate some of the symptoms particularly Green Tea with contains Quercitin which has had considerable success combating prostatitis.

Other herbs for prostate disorders, with a long record of alleviating male dysfunction issues, are represented in the products and are Horny Goat Weed, Gotu Kola and Gokshura. They are also well worth reading up about.