Cranberries and pumpkin seeds are used to test for enlarged prostate.
More than 50% of men in their 50s and at least 70% of men over 60 have benign prostatic hyperplasia (also called enlarged prostate). This can cause symptoms that stress the lower urinary tract, such as having to wake up frequently during the night to urinate. Although current treatments are clinically effective, their effectiveness is compromised by side effects and low compliance rates. Symptoms include sexual dysfunction, advanced prostate cancer, and depression. No wonder compliance is low. Additionally, if drug therapy is ineffective, surgical treatment such as transurethral resection of the prostate may be considered. There has to be a better way.
Population studies suggest that eating low amounts of animal protein and high amounts of fruits and vegetables may have a protective effect, but this goes beyond simply eating less animal protein. Eggs and chicken seem to be the worst, along with refined grains, but no association was found with red meat or dairy products. Population studies aside, have any foods been tested? In fact, there have been more than 30 randomized controlled trials of the herb saw palmetto. And it turned out to be… completely useless.
Cranberries were apparently used by Native Americans to treat urinary disorders. Did they work? You won’t know until you test them. Study participants who consumed about 1 teaspoon (approximately 3 g) of whole, powdered cranberries a day, rather than sugary or oily “craisin,” experienced significant improvements in BPH symptoms, quality of life, and all urinary parameters.
We know that 1 teaspoon works, but what about 1/3 teaspoon or 1/6 teaspoon? They also helped, as you can see below and at 2:05 in my video “Natural Diet for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.” (Results using 1 teaspoon of powdered cranberries in the previous study are represented by the green line below.)
Now, this study (with graphs) was funded by a supplement company and used a supplement, and that supplement is just cranberry powder. So it might be a good idea to buy it in bulk for a much cheaper price and add it to things like smoothies.
What about tastier options, like drinking purple grape juice? There are no benefits.
We previously talked about the use of flaxseed, which can have therapeutic effects comparable to commonly used drugs, but with only positive side effects. So what about other seeds? Pumpkin seeds have apparently been used in folk medicine as a treatment for prostate disease for centuries, and as you can see below and at 2:48 in my video, they can cut BPH prostate cell growth in half in a petri dish.
Scientists have injected pumpkin seed extract into rabbits, but what about humans?
Pumpkin seed oil appears to help with prostate problems. When pitted head-on against the drug prazosin, it appeared to be just as effective as the pill. The same thing happened when I faced off against the drug terazosin. However, what was not included in this study was the placebo group. It would have been nice to see how effective the pumpkin seed oil supplement was versus a placebo. Even better, eat the pumpkin seeds whole. There is actually a study like this! More than 1,000 men were randomly assigned to take either pumpkin seed extract, a placebo, or about 1 tablespoon (about 7.5 g) of plain pumpkin seeds a day.
The study was funded by the pharmaceutical company that manufactured the supplement, but the supplement failed. It was no better than a placebo. However, the pumpkin seeds themselves were effective. The supplement seemed to reduce symptoms, but was no better than a placebo. But only the ordinary old species were like that. So it wasn’t just a compound extracted from petroleum. In fact, we’ve since discovered that even oil-free extracts seem to work. In conclusion, the researchers concluded that pumpkin seeds may be recommended for patients with mild to moderate symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This conclusion, echoed by the European equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is that pumpkin seeds can be used to relieve lower urinary tract symptoms associated with enlarged prostates after more serious symptoms have been ruled out by doctors.
doctor’s note
The flaxseed video I mentioned is flaxseed vs. prostate cancer.
What about cranberries and prostate cancer? See Cranberries vs. Cancer.
Can cranberry juice treat bladder infections? Watch the video to find out.
