Guest guest Posted October 5, 2004 Report Share Posted October 5, 2004 " HSI - Jenny Thompson " <HSIResearch Man's Best Friend Mon, 04 Oct 2004 09:04:01 -0400 Man's Best Friend Health Sciences Institute e-Alert October 04, 2004 Dear Reader, " Why do you only write about women's health issues? " That question was posed in an e-mail I received from an HSI member named Arthur. Although I always thought the great majority of e-Alerts contained health information useful to both men and women, I now understand Arthur's point. It seems that when I come across news about health issues that are gender-specific, they very often tend to address the concerns of women. Why that's the case I can't say. But today's e-Alert is proof that I don't ignore the guys, because this one contains some very useful information for any man who has reached his mid-40s, and for any woman who has a husband, father, brother, etc., who may have noticed that it's become more difficult to make it through the night without a bathroom break. --------------------------- Block that hormone! --------------------------- I have a friend named Tim who calls the herb saw palmetto his " saw pal. " He admits that this is a little corny, but he says that most any man over 50 who has tried using saw palmetto will understand exactly what he means. Tim used to get up two or three times each night to go to the bathroom, but since he started taking his " saw pal " everyday, he rarely has to get up at all. Even without checking with his doctor (which he certainly should do), we can guess that Tim is probably experiencing a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH); a typical form of prostate gland enlargement that affects middle-aged and older men. BPH symptoms include weak urinary flow, frequent urination, painful urination, and urinary retention (difficulty in completely emptying the bladder). Besides being very annoying, these symptoms can raise the risk of kidney stones, as well as infections of the bladder and kidney. No wonder, then, why Tim thinks of saw palmetto as a pal. Scientists believe that a fat-soluble agent in saw palmetto extract prevents testosterone from converting to a hormone that's responsible for enlarging the prostate. However it works, it does seem to work. And there's quite a bit of research and anecdotal evidence to back up that claim. --------------------------- Posting good numbers --------------------------- In a study published in a recent issue of the British Journal of Urology International, researchers from the University of Chicago reviewed the results of nearly 20 trials that tested Permixon, a commercial extract of saw palmetto. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with these general outcomes: * Improved urine flow * Reduction of urinary urgency and pain * Improved emptying of the bladder * Reduction in size of prostate gland after two years * Significant improvement in quality of life In one trial that compared saw palmetto extract to two medications often prescribed to address BPH, saw palmetto produced positive results similar to the drugs, but without the sexual dysfunction that accompanied the drug use. Saw palmetto was also found to be effective in both short-term and long-term use, at dosages of 320 mg per day. Permixon is manufactured in Europe and not yet available in the U.S., but other high-quality saw palmetto extract products are available here. --------------------------- Close to home --------------------------- HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., is a long-time advocate of saw palmetto. When I asked him to give us his take on the herb, he began by sharing some personal experience: " I take saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) daily, and will for the rest of my life. I started getting up at night 2-3 times in my early 40s, and when it got to 3- 4 times each night, I became scared (my dad had benign prostatic hyperplasia requiring a surgical procedure I VERY much wish to avoid). " As for general advice on saw palmetto supplementation, Dr. Spreen offers these five guidelines: 1. It MUST be the " standardized berry extract. " Nothing else counts, as you have no idea what you're getting. 2. The minimum dose for effect is 320 milligrams daily, and it takes from 2-3 months to be really effective for most. So, if urination trouble is acute enough that no urine can be passed, it becomes too late for the easy solution. 3. The extract should be mixed with a second herb (in my opinion) called Pygeum africanum; they tend to augment each other. There are other agents that can also be included as " icing on the cake. " 4. I don't know of any toxicity problem, but the agent is not to be considered the solution for prostate cancer (though I'd take anyway, and I've read it may help). 5. A key point is that prostate enlargement is due to deficiencies of zinc, essential fatty acids, and probably 2 or 3 amino acids. Saw palmetto does not supply those, though it does shrink the gland, so a word to the wise would be to decrease the sugar and refined flour intake (they use up zinc), and supplement with those nutrients. Any man who's experiencing the symptoms of BPH should talk with their doctor or health care professional before starting a daily saw palmetto regimen. For those who do, many of them – like Tim and Dr. Spreen – just may find a new life-long pal. ************************************************************** ....and another thing Last week I sent you a special alert concerning the sudden announcement that the best selling arthritis drug Vioxx was being pulled from the market. As you might suspect, there's more going on here than meets the eye. In 2003, Merck – the maker of Vioxx – began a long-term trial to determine if Vioxx could prevent the development of colon polyps. After 18 months, researchers determined that for subjects using Vioxx, the risk of heart attack or stroke was double that of subjects taking placebo. What's disturbing here is that this risk has been known for several years. In fact, we first warned you about it through the e-Alert in 2002. And obviously we weren't the only ones that knew. According to an FDA spokesperson interviewed on National Public Radio (NPR),the agency thought the risk to individual consumers was " small. " But as one Vioxx critic told NPR, the heart dangers were simply drowned out by Merck's aggressive and " misleading " marketing campaign. And to put the advertising into perspective, consider this: Merck spent more money advertising Vioxx than was spent promoting Pepsi worldwide. So let's review the main points here: These heart risks have been known by both Merck AND the FDA for years, but now – based on this one study – Merck execs decide to pull a drug that makes about $2.5 billion per year. They could have appealed to the FDA to create stricter warnings on packaging, but instead they simply said, " No mas! " Hmmm. Something's fishy here. Drug companies don't give up on a beloved cash cow drug without an attempt to prolong its commercial life. I predict there's much more to this story that hasn't come to light yet. I'll keep an eye out for further reports and we'll see if we ever get to the bottom of this one. Meanwhile, last week's announcement was yet another wake up call for those trusting souls who still believe that the FDA stands over us like a protective parent, diligently fending off all threats to our safety. More than five full years after the FDA approval of Vioxx, we find out the drug is too unsafe to keep on the market. But don't worry, they've promised to keep a closer eye on Celebrex. To Your Good Health, Jenny Thompson Health Sciences Institute ************************************************************** Sources: " The Role of a Lipido-Sterolic Extract of Serenoa Repens in the Management of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Associated with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia " British Journal of Urology International, Vol. 94, No. 3, August 2004, bjui.org " Relieve Common Men's Condition with Saw Palmetto Extract " Maureen Williams, ND, Healthnotes Newswire, 9/16/04, pccnaturalmarkets.com " Merck Pulls Arthritis Drug Vioxx from Market " National Public Radio, 9/30/04, npr.org " Arthritis Patients Scramble for Alternatives Amid Vioxx Recall " WBAL TV, 9/30/04, thewbalchannel.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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