The Effect Of Traditional Chinese Medicine On Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
| The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
| First Posted : February 4, 2019Last Update Posted : April 13, 2020 |
| Drug: VGH-BPH1Drug: Placebo | Phase 1Phase 2 |
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an enlargement of the prostate gland due to progressive hyperplasia of the stromal and glandular cells.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine in treating patients with BPH, by using the experimental BPH-1 powder, including Ji Sheng Shen Qi Wan and Sangpiaoxiao powder as the main prescription, and adding Wuyao, Yizhiren, Danshen, Yinyanghuo, Fupenzi, Huangbo and Zhimu as auxiliary ingredients, to form a 5gm per pack. This study is designed as a double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled cross-over trial to provide experimental evidence and feasibility of traditional Chinese medicine VGH-BPH1 in the treatment of BPH, and to analyze the syndrome pattern of Chinese medicinal prescriptions for subgroups of BPH.
Description Of The Studies
The sample sizes of the 31 studies ranged from 40 to 160, comprising a total of 2493 subjects. The prostate volumes of the patients varied from 22.8 to 52.4 ml. Twenty-seven studies were carried out in China and published in Chinese language journals from 1997 to 2011, while the remaining four studies were published in English-medium journals and conducted in Japan, Peru and India. Sixteen of the 31 studies used WM or phytomedicine as the basis for comparison, and two studies used placebo control. The adjuvant use of CHM with WM or PHY was compared with WM or PHY alone in nine studies . Four studies adopted a three- or four-arm study design .
Of the 11 moderate-to-high quality studies selected for detailed analysis, CHM was compared with placebo alone in two studies , with tamsulosin alone in three studies , with finasteride alone in one study , and with both tamsulosin and finasteride in one study . CHM was also compared with Saw Palmetto in one study . Study 9 compared CHM plus tamsulosin with tamsulosin alone. Studies 2 and 5 had three and four comparison groups, respectively.
Strengths And Limitations Of This Study
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Databases will be searched and trials will be screened without restriction to languages. Trials published in languages other than Chinese and English will be translated by qualified translators if they can be potentially included after reading their English titles and abstracts.
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The trial screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment of this review will be conducted by two reviewers independently.
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Highly individualised treatment has always been characteristic of acupuncture therapy, including variation of treatment frequency, stimulation methods and courses of treatment. This may make it difficult to perform data synthesis because of clinical heterogeneity.
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Enlarged Prostate: Managing The Symptoms With Traditional Chinese Medicine
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia or enlarged prostate develops over a very long time, and therefore, is generally seen in elderly patients. As the age group increases so does the prevalence of BPH, up to 90% in men in their 70s, 80s and above. As a result of the prevalence and long-term development of the disorder, no solid causes have been identified and treatment has little focus on prevention.
Generally clinical symptoms that indicate BPH are related to the urinary system and its obstruction. Common symptoms include frequent, urgent, prolonged and dribbling urination, incontinence, difficulty urinating and urine retention.
Many of these situations involve inconvenient complications such as:
- Blood in the urine
- Reduced kidney function, and
- The development of cancer may also occur due to the prolonged nature of the disorder.
Chinese Medicine recognises that in different stages of life, different organ systems are under more pressure and, therefore, are often the site of pathology. The Kidneys and urinary system relate to later life as they begin to degenerate due to age. When treating BPH we have an emphasis on Kidney function and strengthening the Bladder with Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, as well as strengthening the digestive function so it can absorb fewer toxins and keep the muscles of the bladder in good condition. Treatment may take some time but results are generally observable quite soon after commencement.
Sustain Health’s Profile
How Will Acupuncture Treat An Enlarged Prostate
I use a combination of acupuncture, herbal medicine, dietary therapy and nutritional supplements to decrease urinary urgency and night urination, stop discomfort and decrease hesitancy. This is done by using the pattern diagnosis mentioned above to treat the symptoms I see before me. There is no one-size-fits-all treatment. Its about treating You the Individual, and the whole you, too. Every treatment is fully customized for your specific constellation of symptoms. And relief awaits.
To make an appointment with me for treatment, please contact me here.
To make an appointment with me for treatment, please go to the Appointments page. If you have further questions, feel free to ask me through the Contact page.
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Chinese Medicine For Prostate Problems And Mens Health
In Traditional Chinese Medicine , most prostate issues are associated with a root cause of Kidney and Urinary Bladder deficiency.
As you age, your Kidney energy reserves naturally start to decline. This triggers the shift in sex hormones and leads to an enlarged prostate. Other symptoms of low Kidney energy include fatigue, low sex drive, dribbling urination, urinating at night, low back pain, knee pain, and lower body swelling.
Damp heat build-up in the abdomen and reproductive area can also be an underlying cause of prostate issues. Pathogenic fluids and inflammation attack the genitourinary organs, which leads to prostate swelling. Symptoms like burning urination, painful urination, bloating, and irritability are common with this imbalance.
Chinese medicine uses both acupuncture and Chinese herbs to address prostate problems naturally. Many of these herbal formulas work to reduce inflammation of the prostate, boost Kidney energy, and restore healthy vitality.
Studies also show that certain compounds in Chinese prostate herbs reduce levels of PSA and may slow or stop the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Experimental Studies Of Dbkw
A recent review and some experimental studies of DBKW pointed out that DBKW may have multiple actions that could have effects on more than one pathway of prostate disorders at the same time.25, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39 A number of animal studies investigated the mechanisms of actions of DBKW on rats or mice in the treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis. Researchers believed that DBKW has shown anti-inflammatory, anti-fiber proliferation and bactericidal effects on the prostate gland, evidenced by relieving inflammatory cell infiltration, preventing the damage of epithelial cells during infection period, stimulating the recovery of prostate glandular tissue, restricting interstitial hyperplasia of prostate tissue,33 and decreasing the density of white blood cell while increasing the density of small particle of lecithin.37 DBKW also stimulated the immune system that reduced the positive expression of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1,36 Interleukin -1,32 IL-834 and tumor necrosis factor- mRNA.35 In addition, DBKW may have antagonistic effects on benign prostatic hyperplasia via decreasing the serum level of testosterone propionate and estradiol in the body,38 reducing the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 as well as increasing the expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein at the genetic level.39
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Limitations Of This Study
A few limitations were inevitable in this study. Although this text-mining approach via ZHYD database searching has been considered as a systematical research method for classic literature, its thoroughness and comprehensiveness are subject to the availability of classic books included in the ZHYD.22 The recent review of modern literature on DBKW highlighted that the quality of its included RCTs is poor and more high quality clinical and experimental studies are recommended to verify its effects for the management of prostate disorders.25 In addition, a doubtful point has been noticed that the dosage recorded in the original text was too low for an adult after being converted to SI units, comparing to the dosage mentioned in the review.25 Thus, the treatment dosage in clinical practice should be further explored in future studies. Even though minor adverse effects were reported in modern clinical studies mentioned above, the safety and toxicity of DBKW should be further investigated.
Prostate Health And Traditional Chinese Medicine
The American Cancer Society classifies prostate cancer as the most common form of cancer among U.S. men. According to recent projections, of the 232,090 new cases to be diagnosed, about 30,350 men will die from prostate cancer.If you are a man over the age of 40 and prostate cancer runs in your family, it is extremely advisable to monitor your Prostate Specific Antigen levels. A PSA blood test measures the level of a protein released by prostate cells. Recent experts state that if a PSA level is 2.5 or higher, it reveals the possibility of prostate growth , but it does not always mean that cancer is present. Since PSA levels may fluctuate with infection and lab errors, usually more than one test over a period of time is done to confirm your PSA level. Digital Rectal Exam and ultrasound are other ways to evaluate the prostate. However, only biopsies can truly determine whether the growth in the prostate is benign or malignant.
Traditional Chinese Medicine approach to Prostate Care
Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations
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Chinese Medicine For Prostate Cancer
With ageing, the prostate gland gets enlarged and cancer of the prostate may develop. Prostate cancer is the leading cause of male cancer deaths. The incidence and mortality rise exponentially after the age of 50years with a mean age of 72years.
The specific aetiology is not known but many risk factors have been identified with ageing being the strongest of them. Others include: family history of prostate cancer, race , high fat diets, exposure to cadmium, etc.
The disease is asymptomatic in the early stages and commonly diagnosed only when its already advanced. Thus, patient may present with lower urinary tract symptoms , hematuria , urinary incontinence, and symptoms of metastasis to other organs such as back pain, lower limbs paralysis , cough and bloody sputum, headache, seizure ,etc.
Treatment of prostate cancer is determined by the stage of the disease with early stages having a better prognosis. Options of treatment are surgery, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy. However with advanced disease the outcome is not encouraging.
The new research had been showing the Chinese traditional herbal medicine, called Equiguard, is effective in preventing or treating both androgen- dependent and androgen-independent prostate carcinoma. It has been discovered to significantly reduced cancer cell growth, and induced their death, restrain expression of the androgen receptor, and lowered prostate specific antigen in vitro.
Acupuncture To Improve Prostate Health
According to a clinical trial published in PLOS ONE, electroacupuncture improved International Prostate Symptom Scores on patients. The trial measured improvements in symptoms such as frequent urination, strain and other bladder related complications. The trial found that acupuncture treatment improved these symptoms in patients suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia, or enlarged prostate. There have been multiple studies that have proven acupuncture helpful. Another Chinese study published in 2008 also found that electroacupuncture had a 96.4 percent rate of effectiveness for treatment.
Symptoms of an enlarged prostate affect about 40 percent of men in their 50s and 90 percent in their 80s, this common problem can be frustrating and painful to experience.Whether you are looking to reduce your risk of prostate disease or treat an existing condition, acupuncture may be able to help.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among men in the United States with around 290,000 new cases diagnosed each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you are at risk or currently dealing with prostate cancer or prostatitis, you are not alone. It is important to know if prostate cancer runs in your family and if you are at risk, especially if you are a man over 40.
Consider acupuncture as an alternative, safe treatment to reduce symptoms associated with prostate problems and restore your body to better health.
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Bph: A Common Part Of Aging
It is common for the prostate gland to become enlarged as a man ages. Doctors call the condition benign prostatic hyperplasia , or benign prostatic hypertrophy.
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Normal urine flow. |
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Urine flow with BPH. |
As a man matures, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. At around age 25, the gland begins to grow again. This second growth phase often results, years later, in BPH.
Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man’s life, the enlargement doesn’t usually cause problems until late in life. BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH.
As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself. Urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH.
Actions And Indications Of Dbkw
All the 41 classic texts claimed the same indication of this formula: difficult urination during pregnancy with normal diet and appetite. Nine of them in three dynasties including Eastern Han dynasty , Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty specified that this formula could also be used for male patients with difficult urination and normal appetite . Four texts in three dynasties including Southern Song dynasty , Yuan dynasty and Ming dynasty did not mention whether DBKW could treat male urinary disorders although they included Talcum in their prescriptions. Only four texts detailed the possible target diseases of this formula. Specifically, Compendium of Medical Practice published in 1565 indicated that the target disease was Zhuan Bao, which is equivalent to urinary retention during pregnancy. Collections of Reproductive and Pediatric Disorders written in 1573 and Essential Gynecology written in 1724 claimed that this formula could treat Zi Lin which is similar to urinary tract infections during pregnancy. Encyclopedia of Gynecological Disorders , documented between 15491613, also recorded that this formula could be a treatment for Zhuan Bao as well as Zi Lin.
Although there was no general description for the actions of this formula in CM classic literature, the actions of individual herbs were recorded in 12 books in the Qing dynasty and they are summarized in Supplement 3.
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Etiologies And Pathogeneses Of Dbkw
Twelve books published in the Qing dynasty described the etiologies and pathogeneses of this formula. There are two etiologies and ten pathogeneses mentioned in these books. Fig. 3 shows the primary syndromes treated by DBKW, including Qi stagnation and Blood deficiency due to pregnancy, followed by Qi deficiency due to pregnancy and external wind-cold invasion during pregnancy. With the development of the condition, it aggravates gradually and then may lead to diverse pathogeneses pathways, involving heat stagnation in Lower-Jiao, fetus heat and abdominal distention in pregnancy, and abnormal Bladder Qi-hua. Difficult urination finally occurs when insufficiency of the body fluids or stagnation in water passage is developed.
Etiologies and pathogeneses of Danggui Beimu Kushen Wan. Jin Gui Yu Han Jing Er Zhu Zhang Shi Yi Tong Tai Chan Xin Fa Jin Gui Yao Lue Xin Dian Jin Gui Yao lue Qian Zhu Jin Gui Fang Ge Kuo Nu Ke Yao Zhi Cheng Fang Qie Yong Chang Sha Yao Jie Jin Gui Xuan Jie Jin Gui Yao Lue Guang Zhu Gao Zhu Jin Gui Yao Lue. The corresponding English book name referred to Supplement 1.
Acupuncture And Herbs For Prostate And Urinary Concerns
Chinese Medicine describes aging as a loss of fire. Imagine what was once a raging bonfire in your teens and twenties is settling into a pile of slow-burning embers in your 50s and beyond. The term Kidney yang qi is used to describe this essential fire that waxes and wanes within the body over time. As men age and the Kidney Yang qi becomes depleted, the most prevalent symptoms men begin experiencing are genito-urinary, ranging from Erectile Dysfunction to Benign Prostatic Hyperpasia .
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is the enlargement of the prostate gland and more than half of all men over 60 and nearly all men over 80 will have some symptoms of BPH. The main symptoms of BPH include frequent or urgent need to urinate, difficulty starting urination, weak urine stream or a stream that stops and starts, increased frequency of urination at night , dribbling at the end of urination, and inability to completely empty the bladder.
Many studies have shown that acupuncture can significantly improve symptoms of BPH. There are many acupuncture points that are specifically targeted for urinary symptoms and can not only help BPH but also a variety of other common symptoms such as incontinence in women and overactive bladder in both children and adults.
In addition to acupuncture, the Chinese Herbal pharmacy has many formulas that can help treat the symptoms of BPH, Erectile Dysfunction and other urinary disorders. Our most used formulas are:
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