User's Guide to Saw Palmetto & Men's Health
By Michael Janson, M.D. and Jack Challem
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About this ebook
Michael Janson, M.D.
Dr. Janson's health and nutrition articles appear in many health magazines and professional journals, and he is quoted in many health books and columns. Dr. Janson is the author of the following books:The Vitamin Revolution in Health Care (Arcadia Press, 1996), Dr. Janson’s New Vitamin Revolution (Penguin-Putnam-Avery, 2000), User's Guide to Heart-Healthy Supplements (Basic Health Publications, 2004), User's Guide to Saw Palmetto and Men's Health (Basic Health Publications, 2002), Chelation Therapy and Your Health (Keats Publishing, 1998), All About Saw Palmetto and the Prostate (Avery Publishing, 1999), and the audiocassette album, Lifestyle Medicine (Arcadia Press, 1997). He has written articles on chelation therapy, dietary supplements such as minerals, vitamins, herbs, and amino acids, vegetarian diets and other topics. He has been a consultant for Rodale Press, and he has been quoted in TIME, Newsweek, and many health magazines and online health sites. He is also the publisher of a monthly newsletter, Dr. Michael Janson's Healthy Living.
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User's Guide to Saw Palmetto & Men's Health - Michael Janson, M.D.
INTRODUCTION
S
ome dramatic changes have been taking place in Western medicine in the past few years, and you have the opportunity to benefit from some of these changes. Costs of healthcare have been skyrocketing, and the government and insurance companies have tried to implement some form of control on the costs by managing the way doctors treat patients. At the same time, there has been an explosive growth in demand for treatments that are less invasive than surgery and less risky than prescription medications.
Why the changes? Consider that prescription medications are the fourth or fifth leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 100,000 people dying every year from their side effects, even when taken correctly. Heart bypass surgery is the ninth leading cause of death. Safe alternatives to drugs and surgery are available for almost every condition that plagues our society, but most doctors are only just beginning to learn about them. While still resistant to change, the medical profession is starting to recognize the benefits of natural treatments to complement or even replace some conventional medical care.
When I finished medical school in 1970, I knew very little about nutrition. Although I did learn the basic biochemistry of the individual nutrients, I did not have any training in how that related to good nutrition and dietary habits, or how the nutrients could be used as dietary supplements for treatment of different medical conditions. I also had no information about herbs and botanicals, which had been the mainstay of medicine in this country before this century, and still contribute greatly to medical therapy in many countries.
The German government, recognizing the popularity and importance of herbs in medicine, established a commission (commission E) to look into botanical medicine and establish some standards by which doctors could understand how to use herbs as part of their medical practices. In Germany and other countries, a large number of general practitioners use these herbs routinely, but they have still not been accepted in the United States. A small percentage of doctors here have been using these treatments—including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential oils, accessory nutrients, and botanicals—for many years with great success.
Often, these doctors have been the objects of ridicule among their peers. They have also been the objects of disciplinary action by their medical boards, which regulate the practice of medicine in every state. Public demand, fortunately, has been forcing a change in this policy, and creating a more congenial atmosphere for innovative physicians. Many states have now passed legislation protecting doctors from these medical board actions, and making sure that patients have access to alternatives to drugs and surgery. A movement is underway to change federal regulations to accomplish this on a nationwide scale, and everyone will benefit from these changes (except perhaps some drug companies).
In addition to beneficial foods, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids, herbs and botanicals are important contributors to this resurgence in natural healthcare. One of the most valuable dietary supplements has been the botanical product derived from the berries of the saw palmetto tree. In addition to European doctors, physicians in the United States are recommending saw palmetto for the treatment of prostate disorders. This is based on its long history of use in folk medicine for the treatment of urinary tract disorders, and on the recent research supporting its value. The German commission, and even the United States Food and Drug Administration, have evaluated some of this information. The results of their investigations and their conclusions may surprise you.
The combination of research and clinical experience with saw palmetto gives you the opportunity to use this simple, safe, effective, and cost-effective dietary supplement to manage your prostate problems, and possibly avoid medication and surgery. However, saw palmetto is only a part of a complete program for prostate health, and prostate health is just one part of the overall picture of men’s health. Functioning fully in every way, and maintaining that function for as long as possible as you age, is the end result of taking good care of yourself.
CHAPTER 1
THE PROSTATE GLAND IN MEN’S HEALTH
A
lmost everyone has heard about the prostate gland, but you may not know what it is or how it is important in health. As men age, it is almost certain that they will become intimately familiar with the details of their prostate gland, and possibly have to deal with it as a health issue. The more you know about your prostate, the easier it will be to understand how to help yourself or help your doctor understand the treatments you prefer.
Prostate Anatomy and Function
Urethra
A canal that takes the urine from the bladder, past the prostate, and out through the penis. Semen is also discharged through it.
The prostate gland is a small organ found only in men that sits below and behind the bladder and above and in front of the rectum. It consists of a collection of ducts, fibrous tissue, glandular tissue, and muscle tissue, and it surrounds the urethra, which takes the urine from the bladder through the penis and out. The normal prostate is about the size of a walnut, weighs about two-thirds of an ounce (20 g), and produces prostatic fluids that combine with sperm from the testicles and other secretions to form semen. These fluids help sperm survive and improve their ability to travel (motility).
Prostate
A small organ in men that sits below and behind the bladder and produces prostatic fluids that help form semen.
The prostate also has some muscle fibers surrounding the urethra that help with urination. When they contract, they push urine out to aid in emptying the bladder. They also play a role during orgasm by pushing some of the prostate fluid and some of the sperm from the testicles into the urethra and out through the penis. Although it is very small, the strategic