Prostatitis: the most effective dietary supplements

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the prostate that can be acute or chronic. It is often associated with urinary tract infections and presents with perineal pain, painful urination and sometimes sexual dysfunction. This condition primarily affects adult men.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms of prostatitis include pain in the lower abdomen, the perineum, or radiating to the thighs, as well as urinary problems such as pollakiuria (frequent urination) or a feeling of heaviness in the pelvic region. Pain during ejaculation or during the first morning urination is also common. In chronic prostatitis, symptoms can be misleading and may persist for a long time. Diagnosis is based on a clinical examination, a urine analysis and sometimes a microbiological test to detect a possible bacterial infection. However, in 80% of prostatitis cases, no bacterial origin is identified.

Treatments

Pharmacological treatments for chronic pelvic pain syndrome/chronic prostatitis include a variety of medications aimed at relieving pain, reducing inflammation and improving patients' quality of life. Among the most studied options, the alpha-blockers, such as doxazosin, have been shown to be effective in alleviating symptoms by relaxing the smooth muscles of the prostate and bladder. A combination of doxazosin, ibuprofen (an anti-inflammatory) and thiocolchicoside has also shown a notable improvement in pain and quality of life scores compared with placebo. In contrast, other classes of drugs, such as the antibiotics or 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, provide mixed results and seem less effective for patients without evidence of an underlying bacterial infection. For nonbacterial or chronic prostatitis, complementary and natural approaches are often effective. The local application of essential oil blends, formulated from oils such as mastic (Pistacia lentiscus) and cryptone eucalyptus, reduces inflammation and infections while providing rapid relief. Plant extracts, such as Serenoa repens (saw palmetto), nettle root or Pygeum africanum, act by reducing prostate volume and urinary symptoms. These plants inhibit the enzymes responsible for prostatic hypertrophy and regulate hormonal imbalances. Other solutions include broccoli sulforaphane, known for its detoxifying and anti-inflammatory effects. Traditional medicines, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offer complementary approaches to treat the symptoms of chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome. According to a Cochrane systematic review, herbal treatments could reduce prostatitis symptoms by an average of 3.13 points on the NIH-CPSI scale (National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index) compared with usual care or placebo. Among the herbs used, active ingredients often promote reduced inflammation, improved pelvic microcirculation and rebalanced internal energy, fundamental concepts in TCM. Examples include plantain seed, known for its diuretic and anti-inflammatory properties, peach kernel, used to activate stagnant blood circulation, and Chinese Angelica, used to nourish the blood, regulate internal energy and relieve pain.