Biovea Pygeum (for men) 100mg 60 softgels

Pygeum: many benefits for men’s prostate health

• Reducing Edema of the Prostate
• Lowers Cholesterol
• Helps Regulate the Immune System
• Regulates insulin activity
• Improves the Natural Flow of Prostatic Secretions

What is Pygeum?

Pygeum africanum is the bark of an evergreen tree native to certain regions of Africa. Generally the bark is not harvested until the tree is full grown. The bark contains three groups of active constituents: phytosterols (such as beta-sitosterol), pentacyclic triterpenoids (including ursolic and oleaic acids) and ferulic esters of long-chain fatty alcohols (including ferulic esters of docosanol and tetracosanol).

The tree's bark contains oil with many active ingredients; waxes, fatty acids, and other less familiar compounds. Pygeum's principal biological activity is traced to a "phytosterol" compound known as beta-sitosterol. Phyto (plant) sterols are structurally similar to, but much less efficiently absorbed from the diet than, cholesterol. The biological strength of phytosterols, however, is similar to that of hormones; therefore, a very small amount seems sufficient to initiate a response.

Why Should you take Pygeum?

Pygeum has been shown to have many benefits for a man's health and his prostate. Pygeum is Primarily used to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH, a condition which affects men as early as their 40s, but increasingly with age: 30% of fifty year olds; 50% of sixty year olds; and nearly 80% of men 70 and older. BPH implies two prostate changes: increased size and increase tissue density. These changes cause symptoms of frequent urge to urinate small volumes, reduced prostatic secretions, reduced bladder emptying. Incomplete bladder emptying increases risk of bladder infections, edema and inflammation. Blood sugar levels and immune function have also been found to improve.

It has been found to be of use in the related condition of chronic prostatitis, with and without prostate related sexual dysfunction, and infertility due to reduced prostatic secretions. Due to actions as an immune system "up regulator" and anti-inflammatory, pygeum is also being studied for use with other treatments for hepatitis C and HIV.

Pygeum's phytosterols are anti-inflammatory. Pygeum also reduces edema (the swelling caused by an excess of fluids), reduces levels of the hormone prolactin, lowers and inhibits cholesterol activity within the prostate. Prolactin, whose levels are increased by drinking beer, stimulates testosterone uptake by the prostate, reportedly increasing levels of a metabolite responsible for prostatic cell increases, dihydrotestosterone (di-hydro-testosterone), (DHT). Cholesterol is reported to increase the influence of DHT. 

Europeans learned of this plant's usefulness in treating what was then known as "old man's disease". It continues to be a widely popular in Europe as a remedy for BPH, especially in France where the use of African pygeum for BPH is reported to be about 80%.

Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency? Are there any side effects?

Generally it is used to maintain prostate health in men over 50. There are no deficiency symptoms. 
There are no known drug interactions but on some rare occasions, nausea can occur while taking Pygeum.