How We Picked The ‘best Buy’ Drugs For Bph
Our evaluation of medicines used to treat urinary problems due to BPH is based primarily on a systematic review conducted by researchers at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Oregon Health & Science University Evidence-based Practice Center.
Researchers screened studies conducted from 1966 through July 2006 and focused on 62 that were well-conducted, and closely examined the effectiveness and/or safety of the drugs. A consultant to Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs is also a member of the Oregon-based research team, which has no financial interest in any pharmaceutical company or product.
The full review of drugs for BPH is available at
In addition, we adapted material from Consumer Reports Health, an online subscription Web site presenting treatment options and Ratings .
Consumers Union and Consumer Reports is solely responsible for selecting the Best Buy Drugs. Our methodology is described in more detail in the Methods section at www.CRBestBuyDrugs.org.
Popular Drugs Used For Treating Enlarged Prostates Associated With High
- By Charlie Schmidt, Editor, Harvard Medical School Annual Report on Prostate Diseases
If a man has an enlarged prostate, theres a good chance hell be treated with a type of drug called a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor . These drugs shrink the gland to improve urinary flow, and the approved forms used for treating enlarged prostates come in two varieties: Proscar and Avodart .
However, a side effect of 5-ARI inhibitor treatment is that it suppresses blood levels of prostate-specific antigen by about 50%. Doctors measure PSA during prostate cancer screening, and if a man on 5-ARI therapy winds up with results that are artificially low, then he might be falsely reassured that he doesnt need any additional prostate cancer testing.
A new study with just over 80,000 prostate cancer patients highlights this risk. Men in the study who developed prostate cancer while taking a 5-ARI inhibitor had significant delays in diagnosis compared to nonusers. And because those cancers were discovered at more advanced stages, the mens outcomes were also comparatively worse. The study was led by Dr. Brent S. Rose, assistant professor in the department of radiation medicine and applied sciences at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine.
Herbs For An Enlarged Prostate
A male reproductive gland surrounding the urethra, the prostate is responsible for producing semen. Enlargement of the prostate gland occurs in many men as they get older.
Although it can lead to some complications involving the bladder, an enlarged prostate won’t increase the risk of prostate cancer.
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How To Use Finasteride Oral
Read the Patient Information Leaflet provided by your pharmacist before you start taking finasteride and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions regarding the information, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
Take this medication by mouth, with or without food, usually once a day, or as directed by your doctor.
If the tablet is crushed or broken, it should not be handled by a woman who is pregnant or by a woman who may become pregnant .
Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. Remember to use it at the same time each day. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor.
It may take 6-12 months to notice a benefit.
Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.
How Effective Are Alpha Blockers
Studies have shown that alpha blockers can relieve the symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate gland:
- The symptoms improved in about 50 out of 100 men who took a fake medication ,
- compared to about 70 out of 100 men who took alpha blockers.
In other words, the alpha blockers relieved the symptoms in about 20 out of 100 men.
There is usually a noticeable improvement after several days, and the full effect is reached within a month. But alpha blockers generally don’t make the symptoms go away completely. If a man doesn’t notice an improvement within eight weeks of starting to use a medication, that medication probably won’t ever work in him.
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Best Prostate Supplements Top Mens Prostate Support Pills
- Friday, March 5, 2021 1:30am
Did you know that prostate enlargement is a condition that impacts 50% of men between the ages of 51 and 60, and a much higher rate for men over the age of 80? This is a condition that comes with discomfort, and in some cases, pain that is relatively excruciating. Since the prostate is essential in not only a mans fertility, but also the bladder and urinary tract functions, possible solutions for this issue were hunted down. After some extensive research, the following guide was compiled to share everything there is to know about prostate supplements, starting with our top 10 picks, which are entirely based on those gathered by the Review Player team:
How Effective Is Combining Drugs
Alpha blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors are sometimes combined to try to relieve the symptoms as quickly as possible and at the same time prevent the prostate from growing further. This combination is considered for men who have severe symptoms and a very enlarged prostate gland. Their prostate gland is more likely to grow even larger.
Combining these drugs can lower the risk of the symptoms getting worse or complications arising. But these advantages only became apparent after one to two years of treatment, and only in men with very large prostate glands.
The disadvantage: Ejaculation problems and erection problems are more likely in people who use this combination than in people who only use alpha blockers.
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International Prostate Symptom Score
You’ll be asked to complete a questionnaire to assess your symptoms. Each question has five possible answers that carry a score, and your overall score is used to assess the severity of your symptoms.
The checklist includes the following questions.
Over the past month:
- How often have you had the sensation of not completely emptying your bladder after urinating?
- How often have you had to urinate again less than two hours after finishing urinating?
- How often have you found that you stopped and started again when urinating?
- How often have you found it difficult to postpone urination?
- How often have you had a weak stream of urine?
- How often have you had to push or strain to begin urinating during the course of one night?
- How often have you had to get up during the night to urinate?
After your GP has assessed the severity your symptoms, they’ll aim to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms using certain tests.
Best Prostate Treatment Over
Jun 2, 2021 | Prostate Treatment
We have selected the most effective and natural products forprostate treatment available without prescription in 2021. Below, find out what symptoms you should not ignore in prostate treatment, and how to identify and where to buy quality natural medicine for prostate treatment.
Choosing the best prostate treatment without consulting your doctor or pharmacist it is not always easy and you may often find yourself spending a lot of money on different therapies that in the end may not have been effective enough.
In the pharmacies and online stores you can find variety of natural medications for prostate treatment. Thats why we decided to write this article to give you more information so you can easily choose the most quality, safe and effective prostate treatment.
Content:
THE MOST COMMONSYMPTOMS THAT MAY REQUIRE PROSTATE TREATMENT
BEST OPTIONS FOR PROSTATE TREATMENT
There are several requirements that good natural medicine for prostate treatment should comply with:
Medicines for prostate treatment, i.e.. prostatitis will be really effective if used in complex therapy and strictly for the intended purpose. In case of a proven, safe and quality natural supplements for prostate, then you can start therapy on your own.
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What Are The Side Effects
Because alpha blockers reduce your blood pressure, they can lead to problems like dizziness too. They may also cause ejaculation problems, reducing the amount of semen released. It is possible to estimate how common these side effects are based on the results of studies:
- Ejaculation problems: In about 1 out of 100 men overall, and about 20 out of 100 men who are using silodosin.
- Dizziness: In about 4 out of 100 men.
- Feeling sluggish and tired: About 2 out of 100 men.
- Low blood pressure: About 2 out of 100 men.
- Stuffy and/or runny nose: About 1 out of 100 men.
But these side effects don’t necessarily last a long time and aren’t always considered to be a big problem. Only 1 out of 100 men in the studies stopped their treatment because of side effects.
To try to avoid side effects when taking doxazosin and terazosin, it is important to start with a low dose, and then gradually increase it.
If men who are taking alpha blockers for their prostate problems are thinking of using erection pills too, they should talk about it with their doctor first because the drugs may interact, causing problems like a drop in blood pressure.
How Safe Are Prostate Supplements Made With Saw Palmetto And/or Beta
- Which saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol supplements passed or failed ConsumerLab.comâs testing and review
- What saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol can and cannot do for your health
- Which other ingredients in prostate formulas may or may not be helpful
- The dosages of saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol used in treating prostate enlargement
- Potential side-effects of saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol
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Table 3 Lifestyle Changes That May Relieve Mild Symptoms Of Prostate Enlargement
| These measures can be helpful: |
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Urinate when you first feel the urge dont wait. Do not rush urination. Take your time and relax before, during, and after to give your bladder extra time to empty if the stream is slow or intermittent. Practice double-voiding: Urinate as much as possible, relax for a moment, and then go again. Urinate before car trips, meetings, or movies. Spread fluid intake throughout the day and reduce it before bedtime, especially coffee, tea, or caffeinated beverages. Do not avoid fluid intake to reduce the need to urinate. That can cause dehydration. Drink alcohol and caffeine in moderation. Avoid antihistamines and decongestants when possible. If you take a diuretic , ask your doctor if you can take a lower dose or a different drug. If you have diabetes, controlling blood sugar can reduce frequent urination. |
| Theres no clear evidence these work: |
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Exercise. Kegel exercises. Herbal supplements such as saw palmetto, Pygeum africanum, rye-pollen grass, and beta-sitosterol. |
If youre taking diuretic drugs, you should ask your doctor whether the dose can be reduced or if you can take a different medication, since doing either could potentially improve your symptoms. Men with diabetes should work with their doctor to make sure their blood sugar levels are kept in control because if they arent, it can lead to increased urination.
Other treatments
Surgery and other procedures
How To Choose The Best Prostate Supplements
The best supplements for prostate are manufactured in an FDA-approved facility by renowned supplement companies. These supplements should be by the latest research on prostate health to ensure efficiency.
When searching for a prostate supplement, make sure to check manufacturer reliability, product safety, and ingredients list.
And speaking of ingredients, the more info provided, the better the chances you are dealing with a responsible manufacturer as clients deserve to know what exactly is in the bottle of supplements they are purchasing.
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Proven Ingredients In Best Prostate Supplements Learn The Science
The research on prostate supplements and natural ingredients used in the treatment of BPH is insufficient to know for sure if these products work.
Most research was done on Saw Palmetto, Green Tea, Zinc, and Calcium and the study findings are frequently inconclusive. However, these ingredients were found to help some men find relief from their symptoms, and more research is needed to understand how these products help men treat BPH.
Saw Palmetto An herbal extract thats been consistently found useful in clinical trials investigating its effect on prostate function.
One such study was published in 2000 in the Journal of Urology by researchers at the University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine.
In this study, 44 men with an enlarged prostate received either a saw palmetto supplement or a placebo pill. Saw Palmetto can help shrink your prostate and improve urinary symptoms.
Beta-Sitosterol It has powerful prostate-shrinking effects. A clinical trial conducted by researchers in Germany followed a group of men randomly selected to receive either a beta-sitosterol supplement or a placebo for six months.
After six months of follow-up, the researchers reviewed the results and determined that the beta-sitosterol supplement was effective at reducing symptoms compared to a placebo. The researchers then followed a subset of these subjects for another twelve months.
What Should I Do If I Forget A Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you interrupt your treatment for several days or longer, call your doctor before restarting the medication, especially if you take more than one capsule of tamsulosin a day.
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Supplements Vs Other Treatment
As we have mentioned here several times, BPH is becoming increasingly common.
Typical treatment would generally include the use of a1-adrenergic receptor antagonists and 5a-reductase inhibitors. Studies show these drugs are helpful for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
However, the side effects associated with their use are leading patients and practitioners alike to turn elsewhere for solutions. Surgery is relatively common in the management of prostate health as well.
This is invasive, costly, and risky as well, and therefore, it should not be a routine treatment method.
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How Your Doctor Can Help
If you have one or more of these symptoms, its important to talk with your doctor about a treatment plan. Treatments for BPH include medication, minimally invasive therapies, and surgery. You can also try lifestyle changes to control symptoms. And sometimes the symptoms get better even without treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic. The best news? Although they can produce similar symptoms, enlarged prostate has no connection to prostate cancer.
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What Is The Urolift Procedure
The UroLift procedure takes less than an hour and is performed in a urologist’s office under local anesthesia.
At the start of the procedure, the urologist inserts a special device into the patient’s urethra. When the device reaches the prostate, it releases multiple small implants. Each implant is made of a nickel-titanium capsular tab and a stainless steel urethral tab that are held together by a polyester suture.
These implants “lift” or push away prostate tissue that is blocking the urethra. As a result, the urethra is widened, allowing urine to pass easily out of the body.
A unique advantage of the UroLift procedure is that, unlike medications and other surgeries used to treat BPH, it does not cause sexual side effects such as erectile or ejaculatory problems.
A disadvantage of the UroLift procedure is that while the implants are intended to be permanent, some patients develop recurrent symptoms, requiring a repeat procedure or another type of prostate surgery.
Besides a UroLift procedure, other minimally invasive procedures used to treat the symptoms of BPH include:
- Water vapor thermal therapy : Uses energy stored in steam to remove prostate tissue
- Transurethral microwave thermotherapy: Uses heat to destroy prostate tissue
New Vitality Super Beta Prostate
Super Beta Prostate uses a two-pronged approach to shrinking your prostate and improving urinary function. The first is making sure you dont have any deficiencies in trace minerals like molybdenum, copper, or manganese.
The second is using a high dosage of phytosterols, including their active ingredient, beta sitosterol, a proven supplement for prostate health.
It doesnt have the wide range of herbal extracts youll find in VitaBalance Prostate Plus , but for many men, trace minerals and beta sitosterol are enough to improve their prostate function and health.
Thanks to its high-quality ingredients and strong reviews, its a smart choice.
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Phytotherapies: Risk And Benefits
The best research studies demonstrate that these BPH home remedies do not work. Lower safety and testing standards mean that you do not know exactly what you are taking. These treatments carry risks without any potential benefits. In addition, they may result in patients prolonging urgent treatment that could result in long-term health complications.
How To Reduce Prostate Size
This article was medically reviewed by . Dr. Litza is a board certified Family Medicine Physician in Wisconsin. She is a practicing Physician and taught as a Clinical Professor for 13 years, after receiving her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 65,131 times.
The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system that can enlarge with age, putting uncomfortable pressure on the urethra. This can cause urinary difficulties, urinary tract infections , and even bladder stones. By making lifestyle changes and using medication, most men can reduce their urinary troubles. A few men, though, may need to consider minimally invasive or traditional surgery options to feel their best.
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