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This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
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Australian Prescriber Vol. 23 No. 4 2000
An alternative stream: Serenoa repens for benign prostatic hypertrophy?
As men get older their prostate glands get bigger. A big gland can restrict the flow of urine from the bladder. Symptoms of this problem include having a weak stream of urine and having to get up several times a night to pass urine.
Often an operation is needed to remove the gland, but sometimes the symptoms can be controlled by medicines. There is also the option of Serenoa repens.
Serenoa repensis an extract from the berries of a plant. The extract has been used in Europe to treat symptoms caused by a large prostate gland. It is as effective as one of the medicines, but it may not make a big difference to the symptoms.
Nobody is sure exactly how Serenoa repens works. Although it does not have many side effects its long-term safety is unknown. Men who are thinking about taking the extract should see their doctor first. This is to check that their symptoms are not due to prostate cancer.
