Tag Archive for: testosterone

Coordinating BPH Herbals and PSA

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Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers, father figures, and so on. Now let’s work on making you all healthier.

If you take one of the BPH medications, you have to work with your physician to determine how you’ll work out your PSA testing. What might not have been clear was that the medications don’t cause prostate cancer, but they can mask a rising PSA level by keeping it artificially low and that could delay detecting prostate cancer. I left you with the question: what about herbals that are used for BPH such as saw palmetto? Do they impact the PSA levels?

Based on a couple of studies, the answer is no. The mechanism by which the herbs help with prostate issues is different from BPH medications. So if you’re one of the many men who use saw palmetto, I wouldn’t be concerned based on current research to date.

However, I would be prudent. There are only a couple of studies that have looked at specific combinations of herbals and the impact on PSA levels. While they showed no impact on PSA levels, that’s not a completely free pass. What I would do is to stop using saw palmetto or any other type of herb or plant sterol a couple of weeks before your next PSA test. There’s no research to know how long it may take to clear the system, but two weeks seems reasonable. Once the blood is drawn, go back to using the product as before. That seems to be the best way to approach herbal treatments for BPH.

BPH can really mess with a man’s life and especially with sleep. If that’s you and you’re taking a medication or an herbal, there’s no reason to stop. Just be smart. Talk with your physician; understand how to deal with the potential issues and live your life. That’s a bottom line we can live with.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

References:
1. Int J Cancer. 2005 Mar 20;114(2):190-4.
2. Prostate. 1996 Oct;29(4):231-40.

BPH Treatment and PSA

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One of the reasons I love what I do is that I learn something new just about every day. In this case, it may help some men sooner rather than later if they have benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The urethra runs right through the prostate gland. As a man ages, the prostate gland has a tendency to enlarge, and when it does, it can interfere with urine flow. The result is the inability to empty the bladder completely, which can cause frequent urination; a man may have to get up multiple times through the night to urinate.

The typical treatment is to use a medication called a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor that includes finasteride and dutasteride. By reducing the production of a specific form of active testosterone, the prostate can stop enlarging and urination improves. The problem with using the medication is that it can reduce the protein specific antigen level, a marker that can indicate a man has prostate cancer. Could it impact the diagnosis, treatment, and even death from prostate cancer? We’ll look at a recently published study that examined those very questions on Thursday.

The monthly Insider conference call is tomorrow night. You can take part by becoming an Insider today at drchet.com; if you’re a Member, you can upgrade to Insider and the charge will be prorated.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: JAMA Intern Med. 2019;179(6):812-819. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.0280.

Does Fenugreek Extract Raise Testosterone Levels?

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“Do nothing and remain a shell of the man you could be!” That’s ad copy used for a popular brand of male virility product called Nugenix on their website. Nugenix is one of a number of products that try to address low testosterone levels in men; it contains fenugreek, among other substances.

Fenugreek has many documented uses: as a dietary supplement for diabetes, to stimulate milk production during breastfeeding, and for other health conditions. It has some positive research that suggests it will help reduce triglycerides and improve carbohydrate metabolism.

But what’s the connection with virility? What does fenugreek do for testosterone levels? Fenugreek extract may help increase testosterone levels slightly in the few human clinical trials that have been done. Based on quality of life assessments, men felt their overall sexual health had improved. The problem is that the products such as Nugenix all contained other ingredients that might have explained some of the effects, and of course there’s also the possibility of a placebo effect, especially in studies that ask for a subjective judgment of the substance’s benefits. And four clinical trials spread out over nine years isn’t exactly overwhelming clinical evidence.

There isn’t enough science to suggest whether products containing fenugreek extract will help raise testosterone levels, but there are two actions proven to increase testosterone: weight loss and exercise. If you want to do things naturally, that’s the way to do it.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

References:

1. Aging Male. 2016 Jun;19(2):134-42.
2. Phytother Res. 2011 Sep;25(9):1294-300.