Supplement Hound – Supplement Reviews for 2017 Sniffing out the Best Supplements on the Market!
If you’re looking for the best pygeum supplements to buy this year, then you’ve come to the right place.
You can also get more info by jumping to our Pygeum Supplements Guide.
Top 10 Pygeum Supplements
| #1 |  |
Swanson Premium Pygeum | More Info |
| #2 |  |
NOW Foods Pygeum and Saw Palmetto | More Info |
| #3 |  |
Solaray Pygeum and Saw Palmetto | More Info |
| #4 |  |
Herbal Secrets Herbal Secrets African Pygeum Extract | More Info |
| #5 |  |
Country Life Saw Palmetto and Pygeum Extract | More Info |
| #6 |  |
Vital Nutrients – Saw Palmetto / Pygeum | More Info |
| #7 |  |
Oregon’s Wild Harvest Saw Palmetto/Pygeum | More Info |
| #8 |  |
Nutrissence Pygeum and Saw Palmetto | More Info |
| #9 |  |
Phytoral Natural Prostate Support for Men | More Info |
| #10 |  |
Naturetition Supplements Pygeum Bark | More Info |
Pygeum Supplements Guide
Pygeum is an herbal dietary supplement prepared from the plant Prunus africana (or, alternately, Pygeum africanum). The woody evergreen tree is native to high elevations in central and southern Africa and the island of Madagascar, and pygeum is extracted from the bark. It bears small, white flowers and red fruits that resemble cherries. The fruit is not used in dietary supplements, and although it is edible, it is rarely eaten by human beings because the taste is unpalatable.
Pygeum has been used as a folk remedy for urinary problems and other health conditions. The traditional method of consumption by indigenous Africans is to grind the bark of the tree into a powder and drink the powder in a tea.
Wild Prunus africana plants have become endangered due to overharvesting for the dietary supplement trade. If possible, consumers who choose to use pygeum supplements should look for extracts that come from farmed, rather than wild, stocks of Prunus africana. Tree farms and plantations have been established to help fight the irresponsible harvesting of bark from the wild trees, which can grow up to 150 feet high.
What is a Pygeum Supplement?
Informal names for the plant from which pygeum supplements are derived include African cherry, African prune, and African plum tree. The tree is actually a member of the rose family. In complementary and alternative medicine, pygeum supplements are used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition in which the prostate becomes enlarged, making it difficult for men to urinate. BPH affects nearly every man over the age of 50 to some extent.
These supplements have also been used to treat prostate cancer, fever, inflammation, kidney disease, malaria, stomach ache, and urinary problems, as well as to stimulate sexual desire. Many of these uses have not been substantiated by clinical trails.
Benefits of Pygeum Supplements
Studies suggest that pygeum supplements have some effect in reducing the symptoms of mild to moderate BPH, including low urine flow, urinary hesitation, waking up at night to urinate, and pain during urination. Taking a pygeum supplement may help increase urine flow.
Researchers think pygeum supplements are effective for this purpose because compounds in the supplement help clear the prostate of cholesterol deposits and help reduce inflammation in the prostate. Clinic trials have shown that men with chronic prostatitis (an inflammation of the prostate that may be caused by an infection) who take pygeum supplements have improvement of their symptoms.
In France, pygeum supplements are the remedy to treat BPH most commonly used by health care providers. Health care providers in the United States typically resort to surgery to treat the symptoms of BPH. Those who would like to try pygeum supplements as an alternative to surgery to treat the symptoms of BPH should talk to their health care provider.
The anti-inflammatory effects of pygeum supplements are thought to be caused by the extract’s action in stimulating prostate secretions and by decreasing hormones in the area of the prostate. Pygeum supplements are thought to act like estrogen in the human body.
Because pygeum supplements can help reduce swelling of the prostate, these supplements may have some effect on decreasing the symptoms of erectile dysfunction. It should be noted, however, that an enlarged prostate is not the only possible contributing factor to erectile dysfunction. Blood vessel obstruction, decreased sex drive, side effects from medications, stress, and psychological conditions can all contribute to erectile dysfunction and may need to be treated along with prostate conditions before erectile dysfunction can be resolved.
Effects on Male Infertility
Pygeum supplements may also have some effect on male infertility, if the cause of male infertility is related to insufficient prostate secretions. The prostate is the organ that secretes the fluid that protects sperm, which are created in the testes. The seminal fluid that is secreted by the prostate is released by the body along with sperm during ejaculation, contributing to male fertility.
Effects on Hair Loss
Enlarged prostate is correlated with hair loss, so some people take pygeum supplements for their purported ability to help stop hair loss. Both are correlated with the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Substances that inhibit the production of DHT can help stop hair loss. Pygeum supplements are believed to inhibit the production of the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase, which in turn limits the amount of DHT in the body. For this reason, pygeum is often found in herbal formulations for hair loss, although there is no scientific evidence that pygeum supplements are an effective treatment for male pattern baldness.
Are There any Side Effects?
Pygeum supplements are generally thought to be safe for most people to take for periods of 12 months or less. Reports of serious adverse effects from using pygeum supplements are extremely rare. Side effects of taking pygeum supplements include abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, and nausea. These side effects are relatively rare, typically mild, and rarely stop the user from taking the dietary supplement.
Not enough research has been done to determine if pygeum supplements interact with any other prescription drugs or herbal dietary supplements. Pygeum supplements are thought to interact with cytochrome p450. The cytochrome p450 enzyme interacts with drugs and potentially toxic substances in the liver, meaning it can potentially interact with prescription drugs. Those who use prescription drugs should talk to a health care professional before beginning to use pyreum supplements.
Because pygeum supplements are thought to act like phyto-estrogens in the body, those who have certain types of hormone-sensitive cancers may want to avoid using pygeum supplements. Those with a history of breast, uterine, or prostate cancers should discuss any use of herbal dietary supplements, including pygeum supplement, with their health care providers before starting a new supplement.
All herbal dietary supplements, including pygeum supplements, carry some risk of allergic reaction. Signs of allergic reaction include breathing problems, chest pain, hives, itchy skin, rash, swollen skin, and tightness in the chest or throat. Anyone who experiences these symptoms after taking pygeum supplements should treat this as a medical emergency and seek urgent medical attention immediately.
Pregnancy and Breast Feeding
Not enough information is known about the effects of pygeum on people who are pregnant or breast feeding to say conclusively that pygeum supplements aresafe for these conditions. Pregnant and nursing women may want to avoid pygeum supplements until more research has been conducted.
How to Take Pygeum Supplements
To treat the symptoms of BPH, the recommended dosage of a standardized pygeum extract is 75-200 mg taken once per day. Pygeum supplements are typically available in liquid extract, capsule, and tablet form. The supplements are available in health food stores and some drug stores.
Another herbal dietary supplement often used for treatment of prostate symptoms is saw palmetto. Because saw palmetto and pygeum supplements are thought to affect the prostate in different ways, it’s possible that using the two supplements will have a greater cumulative effect on prostate health. However, more research is needed in this area.
What to Look for in a Good Pygeum Supplement
The active ingredients in a quality pygeum supplement should include 0.5% n-docosanol and 14% triterpenes. Extracts of pygeum should be liophilic, i.e. able to be absorbed by the fatty tissues of the body. As with all herbal dietary supplements, people who wish to use this supplement should check with their health care providers before starting a pygeum supplement regimen.
Herbal dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the same way that foods and prescription medications are. Some third-party consumer organizations test herbal dietary supplements for safety and consistent amounts of the active ingredients listed on the labels. These organizations are U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), NSW International, and ConsumerLab.com. Consumers should look for the seal of approval of at least one of these organizations on supplements.
