Smbtechconsultants

News

A Dietitian’s Picks of the 7 Best Prostate Health Supplements

by

Best overall prostate health supplement

Life Extension PalmettoGuard

  • Price: $$
  • Dosage: 2 softgels per day
  • Active ingredients: saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, stinging and dwarf nettle extracts, boron, rosemary extract
  • Best for: BPH and general prostate health

Life Extension PalmettoGuard is our pick for the best overall prostate health supplement because it consists of just five active ingredients to support prostate health: saw palmetto, nettle root extract, beta-sitosterol, boron, and rosemary extract.

Nettle (Urtica dioica) root is commonly used in herbal medicine to help reduce pain and inflammation. Limited studies in humans have also suggested that it may reduce urinary symptoms associated with BPH (6, 8).

One study in 60 men with BPH found that taking 450 mg per day of Urtica dioica root extract for 12 weeks significantly improved reported BPH symptoms compared with a placebo (8).

Life Extension PalmettoGuard also contains saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol, which may be more effective than consuming saw palmetto on its own (9).

One study in 66 men with BPH found saw palmetto supplements to be more effective at lowering levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) — a protein that can signal an issue with prostate health — and improving urinary symptoms when combined with beta-sitosterol (9).

Life Extension is a supplement company known for producing high quality supplements in an NSF-registered CGMP facility.

Each supplement contains a certificate of analysis (COA) that allows you to confirm the quality and accuracy of the product you’re buying.

For best results, it’s recommended to take 2 capsules per day, one in the morning and the other in the evening.

Best subscription prostate health supplement

Persona Prostate Support

  • Price: $$
  • Dosage: 3 capsules per day
  • Active ingredients: beta-sitosterol, cranberry fruit solids, lycopene
  • Best for: general prostate health

Persona Nutrition is a subscription-based service that provides personalized supplement recommendations based on the results of an online quiz.

The company also provides access to healthcare professionals to answer any questions you might have about a supplement’s ingredient list.

Persona Prostate Support contains three patented ingredients: Pacran, a cranberry powder; Lyrored Lycopene, a tomato-derived supplement that supports men’s health; and Phytopin, a source of plant sterols that may help treat prostate issues (10).

This supplement is free of all major allergens, gluten, and GMOs. However, there is a risk for cross contamination because Persona supplements are packaged in a facility that processes gluten and major allergens.

Therefore, this supplement isn’t suitable for people with severe food allergies or gluten-related disorders.

Best budget-friendly prostate health supplement

Havasu Nutrition Saw Palmetto

  • Price: $
  • Dosage: 1 capsule per day
  • Active ingredients: saw palmetto blend
  • Best for: BPH

In addition to being one of the most affordable options, Havasu Nutrition’s supplement is the best option if you’re looking for a product containing just saw palmetto — one of the more common herbs used to treat prostate issues.

Animal, test-tube, and limited human studies have shown that saw palmetto improves symptoms of BPH and reduces inflammation, though most of the research is older. It may also help prevent cancer cell growth in the prostate (4, 11, 12, 13).

Saw palmetto also contains a plant sterol called beta-sitosterol, which has likewise been linked to benefits for prostate health (5).

However, keep in mind that some individuals may not be able to tolerate saw palmetto. Headache, nausea, dizziness, constipation, and allergic reaction are the most commonly reported side effects (14).

Additionally, although these results seem promising, more research in humans is needed to find out more about the long-term effectiveness and optimal dose of saw palmetto (11).

Havasu Nutrition Saw Palmetto supplements are manufactured in a CGMP-certified facility and third-party tested in an ISO-certified lab.

Each capsule contains an extra-strength 500-mg dose of saw palmetto. The recommended regimen is 1 capsule per day, or as advised by a healthcare professional.

Best beta-sitosterol prostate health supplement

NOW Beta-Sitosterol Plant Sterols

  • Price: $$
  • Dosage: 4 softgels per day
  • Active ingredients: beta-sitosterol, campesterol, sigmasterol, natural fish oil concentrate
  • Best for: urinary health and heart health

NOW Supplements is family-owned and operated. Its products are manufactured in a CGMP-registered facility and certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an independent testing company that ensures quality and safety.

These softgels contain beta-sitosterol, a plant compound that’s part of a group of substances known as phytosterols.

While phytosterols have been shown to help lower cholesterol levels, beta-sitosterol, in particular, has also been studied for its potential role in prostate health due to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (5).

Limited test-tube, animal, and human studies have found that beta-sitosterol may reduce urinary symptoms associated with BPH and help protect against cancer cell growth (5, 9, 15).

In addition to 400 mg of beta-sitosterol, each 2-capsule serving contains 120 mg of fish oil, which has likewise been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties (16, 17).

However, research on fish oil’s benefits for prostate health specifically is currently inconclusive (17).

Best softgel prostate health supplement

NOW Supplements Pygeum and Saw Palmetto

  • Price: $$
  • Dosage: 4 capsules per day
  • Active ingredients: saw palmetto extract, pygeum extract, pumpkin seed oil
  • Best for: general prostate health, chronic prostatitis, and BPH

Like NOW’s beta-sitosterol supplement, NOW Pygeum and Saw Palmetto is manufactured in a CGMP-registered facility and certified by UL.

In addition to 160 mg of saw palmetto per 2-capsule serving, this supplement provides 50 mg of pygeum and 1.5 grams of pumpkin seed oil.

Pygeum is an herbal extract from the bark of the African cherry tree (Prunus africana). Limited test-tube and human studies have shown that it may treat prostatitis and protect against the growth of cancerous cells (18, 19).

One study in 115 people with BPH found that taking a pygeum supplement significantly improved quality of life scores and lower urinary tract symptoms after 6 months (20).

Because of its high concentration of anti-inflammatory plant compounds, pumpkin seed oil has also been studied for its potential role in reducing symptoms associated with chronic prostatitis and BPH (21, 22, 23).

In one older study involving 47 people with BPH, taking 320 mg of pumpkin seed oil or a mix of pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto each day was found to significantly improve symptoms of BPH within 6 months (23).

For best results, it’s recommended to take 2 capsules with food two times per day, or as advised by a healthcare professional.

Best vegan prostate health supplement

Pure Encapsulations ProstaFlo

  • Price: $$
  • Dosage: 3-5 capsules per day
  • Active ingredients: rye extract (flower pollen)
  • Best for: chronic prostatitis

Pure Encapsulations ProstaFlo supplement stands out because its only active ingredient is ryegrass pollen extract.

One review of 10 studies found that pollen extracts significantly improved symptoms — including pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, and painful urination and ejaculation — in people with chronic prostatitis (7).

Despite containing a pollen extract, ProstaFlo is hypoallergenic because the allergenic outer husk of the rye pollen is removed during processing.

Each capsule contains 320 mg of ryegrass pollen extract. The capsules are vegan-friendly and free of major allergens and artificial colors and sweeteners.

Pure Encapsulations products are made in an NSF-registered facility and certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization. The company’s ingredients are also third-party tested by independent laboratories, including Advanced Laboratories, Eurofins, and Silliker.

Best probiotic prostate health supplement

Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics Prostate+

  • Price: $$$
  • Dosage: 2 capsules per day
  • Active ingredients: vitamin D, probiotic blend, organic whole cranberry, organic prebiotic fiber blend
  • Best for: general prostate and gut health

Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Probiotics Prostate+ is a high quality product that’s gluten-free, non-GMO verified, and third-party tested by NSF. It’s also unique in that it targets both your gut and prostate health.

Each 2-capsule serving contains 164 mg of a shelf-stable probiotic blend. Probiotics are beneficial gut bacteria that have been linked to several health benefits, including supporting the immune system and boosting digestive health (24).

While more research is needed, bacterial imbalances in the gut are thought to be another potential risk factor for prostate inflammation and prostate cancer (25).

This supplement also contains organic cranberry powder, which may help improve prostate health.

In one 6-month study of 42 men with elevated PSA levels, half the participants took 1,500 mg of cranberry extract daily, and the other half received no treatment (26).

At the end of the study, those who had taken the cranberry extract showed significant improvements in urinary symptoms and lowered PSA levels (26).

For best results, it’s recommended to take 2 capsules per day, with or without food.