Product Review: VigRX Prostate Supplement By Natural Health Source
What are prostate supplements intended to do?
Prostate supplements try to tackle the problem of the symptoms and complications that come with prostate enlargement.
How many of these symptoms describe YOU?
- more frequent urges to urinate (and especially at night.... very annoying)
- difficulty or pain during urination
- difficulty starting urination
- weak urine stream or a stream that stops and starts
- dribbling at the end of urination
- inability to completely empty the bladder
- and (sometimes) resulting loss of "performance" sexually
Prostate supplements are made up of all kinds of different combinations of plant sterols, herbs, vitamins and minerals, occasionally along with other varying ingredients like certain amino acids in different amounts and combinations.
Typical ingredients will often include Beta Sitosterol, Stinging Nettle root, Pumpkin seed extract, Pygeum bark and other fruits and herbs. You will also see that some of them contain certain amino acids like L-Alinine, L-Glycine, L-Glutamic Acid and others.
As a little side note here, you might want to read this article I wrote about the way prostate supplements are marketed to see, for instance, why some brands seem to consistently get nothing but glowing reviews.
What is in VigRX?
VigRX does have beta sitosterol and the other plant sterol compounds in it.
But it's not just the beta sitosterol that work for you in this formula. This stuff also has is this amazingly long and full list of different herbal ingredients.
But I selected some from the list because I'm more familiar with them in other products, so it seemed worth zeroing in on them as a focus. I know these are showing up in a lot of studies, including some controlled, double-blind studies that point to their actual effectiveness - BOTH for controlling symptoms AND reducing prostate size and growth.
That seems a little more to me than JUST symptom relief as with Prostagenix. With VigRX (compared to many other supplements out there) you are alleviating ROOT CAUSES and not just masking symptoms.
Anyway, let's look at these particular ingredients (as they definitely have some street cred with the NIH):
- stinging nettle,
- saw palmetto,
- pumpkin seed extract
- pygeum extract.
Stinging Nettle
In an article on the NIH website called "A comprehensive review on the stinging nettle effect and efficacy profiles," it has this to say about stinging nettle.
Nettle root is recommended for complaints associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). We therefore conducted a comprehensive review of the literature to summarise the pharmacological and clinical effects of this plant material. It seems likely that sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), aromatase, epidermal growth factor and prostate steroid membrane receptors are involved in the anti-prostatic effect...
Translation: Nettle Root seems to work with sex hormones in the body and prostate cell membrane receptors to create the effectiveness of reducing the enlargement. (By the way, I'm getting good results with an estrogen reducer called Testodren - it helps the body convert bad estrogen to testosterone and so it helps lower estrogen and increase testosterone. But if you wish, you can read my research about that here.)
Extract and a polysaccharide fraction were shown to exert anti-inflammatory activity. A proprietary... nettle root extract... inhibited cell proliferation.
Translation: Nettle root extract inhibited the increase in the number of cells growing in the prostate.
The clinical evidence of effectiveness for nettle root in the treatment of BPH is based on many open studies. A small number of randomized controlled studies indicate that a proprietary methanolic extract is effective in improving BPH complaints.... The risk for adverse events during nettle root treatment is very low, as is its toxicity.
Translation: Nettle Root studies are many. Randomized, controlled studies indicate it is effective in improving BPH complaints.
In a study by Mount Sanai Hospital, they say, "Stinging nettle root is used widely in Europe to treat BPH. Studies in people suggest that stinging nettle, in combination with other herbs (especially saw palmetto), may be effective at relieving symptoms such as reduced urinary flow, incomplete emptying of the bladder, post urination dripping, and the constant urge to urinate."
Summary on stinging nettle: effective at reducing symptoms AND reducing size of prostate and number of cells. That sounds like a better deal than JUST masking symptoms. Stopping (and maybe reversing?) overgrowth seems more like dealing with ROOT CAUSE rather than just easing symptoms.
This brings us to....
Saw Palmetto
The NIH has an interesting article looking at a controlled, blind study (the best testing method, it seems) about Saw Palmetto.
Results: Subjects treated with β-sitosterol enriched saw palmetto oil showed significant decrease in IPSS, AMS and ADAM scores along with reduced postvoiding residual volume (p < 0.001), PSA (p < 0.01) and 5α-reductase from baseline to end of 12-week treatment as compared to placebo. There was also a significant increment in the maximum and average urine flow rate (p < 0.001), and serum free testosterone level of subjects treated with enriched saw palmetto oil as compared to placebo.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates the efficacy of β-sitosterol enriched saw palmetto oil superior to conventional oil thus extending the scope of effective BPH and androgen deficiency treatment with improved quality of life through the intake of functional ingredients.
Translation: The study had three groups of people in it. One part got a placebo; a second part got the Saw Palmetto by itself; the third part got the Saw Palmetto together with beta sitosterol. There was a marked difference in benefit, mostly in the group that got the combination of beta sitosterol AND the Saw Palmetto.
So notice, now, that the PX7 Primal flow has both the beta sitosterol AND the Saw Palmetto. To me, that is a BIG PLUS, and maybe the reason it works for me so well.
Pumpkin Seed Extract
in a PubMed.Gov article (NIH) they discussed pumpkin seed extract for treating symptoms of PBH (prostate enlargement). In this study, they used a pumpkin seed extract to test its effectiveness on treating symptoms of enlarged prostate.
They had a total of 60 men, average age of 62 with very high levels of symptoms. They received one dose daily of pumpkin seed extract, for 3 months.
Change in IPSS [standard grading for symptoms] within treatment period was assessed. Frequency of nocturia was recorded by bladder diary, and postvoid residual urine volume was determined through ultrasound. Between baseline and after 12 weeks of supplementation, a significant symptom reduction of an average 30.1%.... Symptom alleviation had a high impact on quality of life... and was significant after 8 and 12 weeks of intervention... Nocturia significantly decreased over time, as confirmed by IPSS questionnaire and bladder diary. Postvoid residual urine volume was significantly reduced at the end of intervention...
These results indicate that the oil-free hydroethanolic pumpkin seed extract seems to be a very well tolerable, appropriate plant extract to support health benefits in a collective suffering from BPH related symptoms without the need of medical treatment.
Translation: The men kept diary records and they tested the bladder contents with ultrasound. Results?
- An average of 30% reduction occurred:
- decreased nighttime urination;
- a great reduction of urine left in the bladder after urination
Bottom line is it seems to have a great impact on reducing symptoms.
One thing to note about NIH reports is that they always show a "conflict of interest" statement about those running the study. Just something to be aware of.
Some of guys doing the study work for companies that make pharmaceuticals or natural products. One is an independent urologist, and a fourth one is employed by the University of Graz. They all declare that they have no conflict of interest.
But I like that the NIH lists this stuff with the study. Always good to be transparent.
Pygeum Bark
You can find a lot on the NIH website. If you can intrepret the "glockspeak" it has some good information. And I wanted to touch on something I found about this Pygeum Bark that is in the PX7 Primal Flow.
From a paper on the NIH website (trimmed for clarity):
Trials were searched in computerized general and specialized databases, by checking bibliographies, and by contacting relevant manufacturers and researchers....
Trials were eligible if they (1) were randomized (2) included men with BPH (3) compared preparations of Pygeum africanum (alone or in combination) with placebo or other BPH medications (4) included clinical outcomes such as urologic symptom scales, symptoms, or urodynamic measurements. Eligibility was assessed by at least two independent observers.
A total of 18 randomized controlled trials involving 1562 men met inclusion criteria and were analyzed... 17 were double-blinded... The [average] study duration was 64 days...
Compared to men receiving placebo, Pygeum africanum provided a moderately large improvement in the combined outcome of urologic symptoms and flow measures... Men using Pygeum africanum were more than twice as likely to report an improvement in overall symptoms... Nocturia was reduced by 19%, residual urine volume by 24% and peak urine flow was increased by 23%. Adverse effects due to Pygeum Africanum were mild and comparable to placebo.
Reviewer's conclusions: A standardized preparation of Pygeum africanum may be a useful treatment option for men with lower urinary symptoms consistent with benign prostatic hyperplasia....
So what about the price? What is the REAL cost of PX7 Primal Flow vs VigRX?
- PX7 Primal Flow: One month supply $69 per bottle; Three month supply $59 per bottle; Six month supply $49 per bottle
- VitalFlow: One month supply $69 per bottle; Three month supply $59 per bottle; Six month supply $49 per bottle
- And the CLEAR WINNER: VigRX: One month supply $59.95 per bottle; Three month supply $51.65 per bottle; Six month supply $48.33 per bottle
Every bottle of VigRX contains as much of all the good stuff as one and a half bottles of the others.
CLEAR WINNER. VigRX.
Thanks.
Roo