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 disorders. This condition mainly affects adult men.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

The symptoms of prostatitis include lower abdominal or perineal pain, or pain radiating to the thighs, as well as urinary disorders such as pollakiuria (frequent urination) or a feeling of heaviness in the pelvic region. Pain during ejaculation or the first morning urination is also common. In the case of chronic prostatitis, symptoms can be misleading and may persist over a long period. Diagnosis is based on a clinical examination, urine analysis, and sometimes a microbiological test to detect a possible bacterial infection. However, in 80% of prostatitis cases, no bacterial cause 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 the quality of life of patients. Among the most studied options, alpha-blockers, such as doxazosin, have proven 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 significant improvement in pain and quality of life scores compared to placebo. Conversely, other classes of drugs, such as antibiotics or 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, offer mixed results and appear less effective for patients without evidence of underlying bacterial infection. For non-bacterial or chronic prostatitis, complementary and natural approaches are often effective. The local application of essential oil blends, formulated from oils such as mastic pistachio and cryptolepis eucalyptus, reduces inflammations 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 effect. Traditional medicines, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), offer complementary approaches to treat chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome symptoms. According to a Cochrane systematic review, herbal treatments might reduce prostatitis symptoms on average by 3.13 points on the NIH-CPSI scale (National Institute of Health Prostatitis Symptom Scale) compared to usual care or placebo. Among the herbs used, active ingredients are often found to reduce inflammation, improve pelvic microcirculation, and rebalance 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, or Dong Quai, employed to nourish the blood, regulate internal energy, and relieve pain.