Herbs for men

Diseases like incontinence, prostate cancer and obviously not to be excluded; erectile dysfunction (impotence) are some of diseases that men are concerned about. Now, male health issues are not only regarding male reproductive health, but also diseases that are more prevalent amongst men as heart attack, gout, colon cancer and diabetes.

Thus, there is nothing more important than to repeat this old-age advice; Eat healthily and exercise. On the other hand, allow this introduction of another form of advice; 'Know your herbs'. Now, what are the herbs that will benefit the masculine out there?

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)

One herb that has been getting all the attention from men is saw palmetto (S. repens). Men consider saw palmetto as a 'berry' good herb as it berries possess the main active chemical for boosting the sexual reproductive system. Many research studies on saw palmetto have been carried out and are still being conducted to study its potential as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or simply called benign prostate enlargement. Its extract can help decrease prostate enlargement
(Challem, 2003). If left untreated, BHP will result in prostate cancer, which is a real nightmare for men since it could lead to more complications, especially impotence and urinary incontinence. Only a note to remember, saw palmetto does not prevent you from getting prostate cancer.

Ginseng (American ginseng and Asian ginseng)

The 'Aphrodisiac King herb' for men can safely be said to be ginseng. 'True' ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (P. quinquefolius) are two species of ginseng that are mainly used for general health tonic. Asian ginseng, popularly known among the Chinese as Ren Shen, is a 'warm' herb and adaptogenic, whereby it can boost energy and able to aid the body to combat stress. It is taken as an aphrodisiac as well as is said to help those with infertility problems but are yet to be fully proven in human models.

Tongkat Ali (Long jack; Eurycoma longifolia)

Another herb that has been gaining interests for its aphrodisiac properties is Tongkat Ali (E. longifolia) or Long Jack in English. Widely found in Southeast Asia in indigenous countries like Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, its roots is used an aphrodisiac and helps to boost male sexual drive, notably in Malay folk remedies (Green, 2007). Many animal studies, more intensively done in Malaysia, have been done to study its aphrodisiac claims. For example is the study on male rats done in 2003 which indicated that E. longifolia's extract has aphrodisiac
effects (Ang et. al. 2003). As for now, no proven doses for consumption have been made thus far.

Devil's Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens)

Possessing fruits with wicked claw-like projections, Devil's claw has been the herb for treating arthritis-related joint pains, whereby its extract is called harpagoside comes from the tuber (secondary roots). It is widely used in countries like Canada, US, and Europe.

Ginkgo biloba

For impotence, there is nothing more important (pun intended) than getting to know the disease and prevent it before it hits you. Research has revealed that ginkgo extract can potentially improve libido and maintaining erection. Ginkgo extracts has the ability to increase blood vessel dilations and thus, increases blood flow to the male sexual organ. For those who exhibit sexual dysfunction due to the intake of
anti-depression drugs, ginkgo extracts are found to help improve sexual dysfunction. Yet, there are some mixed results of the extracts significance of improving sexual impairment (Kang et. al. 2002).

Arthrity gouty

Now, this not a plant species. Neither is it a valid name in any given dictionary. This is just to perk up you up while you are reading this. Well, the point here is to refer to the common disease among men, which is gout disease (another form of arthritic disease besides osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis). Gout is a disease which likely to occur in men four times more as compared to women. Due to the accumulation of uric acid on bodily joints, its crystallized form of uric acid will cause nerving pains on the joints, especially in the big toe. There are a few herbs for this.
One of it is Meadow saffron (Autumn crocus), a poisonous plant known for its poisonous alkaloid called colchicine which has anti-inflammatory properties. Yet, colchicine has been found to treat gout-related pains, thereby reducing joint inflammations (Foster and Johnson, 2000). Another herb include Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), that can reduce the accumulation of uric acid.