Looking at the effects of pumpkin seed extract on men with benign prostatic hyperplasia

In this study, researchers from Austria, Germany and Switzerland investigated the effects of a proprietary oil-free hydroethanolic pumpkin seed extract on the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Their findings were published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

• The majority of men are affected by symptomatic BPH from a certain age.
• Extracts from medicinal plants are frequently used in the early management of BPH symptoms.
• To evaluate the potential of pumpkin seeds, the researchers conducted a single-arm, mono-center pilot study involving 60 men with a total International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 14.8. The study lasted from January 2017 until October 2017.
• The researchers asked the participants to ingest oil-free hydroethanolic pumpkin seed extracts once daily before going to bed for three months. They assessed change in IPSS within the treatment period.
• The participants recorded the frequency of nocturia in a bladder diary while their postvoid residual urine volume was determined through ultrasound.
• The researchers reported that total IPSS significantly decreased (30.1 percent average) within the 12-week intervention period.
• After the eighth and 12th week of supplementation, symptom alleviation was significant and had a high impact on the participants’ quality of life.
• The researchers also reported that nocturia significantly decreased over time, as confirmed by IPSS questionnaires and the bladder diaries.
• Meanwhile, postvoid residual urine volume also decreased significantly at the end of the treatment period.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that the oil-free hydroethanolic pumpkin seed extract can effectively alleviate the symptoms of BPH without the need for medical treatment.

Read the full study at this link.

Journal Reference:

Leibbrand M, Siefer S, Schon C, Perrinjaquet-Moccetti T, Kompek A, Csernich A, Bucar F, Kreuter MH. EFFECTS OF AN OIL-FREE HYDROETHANOLIC PUMPKIN SEED EXTRACT ON SYMPTOM FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY IN MEN WITH BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA: A PILOT STUDY IN HUMANS. Journal of Medicinal Food. 07 June 2019;22(6):551–559. DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2018.0106