ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Medica 2018 August;109(4):280-4

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4806.18.05572-6

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Benign prostatic hypertrophy: Pycnogenol® supplementation improves prostate symptoms and residual bladder volume

Andrea LEDDA ^{1, 2}, Gianni BELCARO ^{1, 2} ✉, Beatrice FERAGALLI ^{1, 2}, Umberto CORNELLI ^{1, 2}, Mark DUGALL ^{1, 2}, Marcello CORSI ^{1, 2}, Maria R. CESARONE ^{1, 2}

¹ IRVINE3 Labs, Chieti-Pescara University, Chieti, Italy; ² International Agency for Pharma Standard Supplements (IAPPS), Chieti, Italy

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Pycnogenol® supplementation in terms of safety and tolerability in the setting of preclinical or borderline, initial symptoms of benign prostatic hyperthrophy (BPH), in otherwise healthy subjects, using Pycnogenol® over a period of 60 days.
METHODS: Seventy-five healthy men with symptoms and signs of initial BPH were included. The subjects were divided into three groups: 1) control group using only the standard management (SM); 2) a group using SM plus Pycnogenol® 150 mg/day; 3) a group using standard pharmacological management.
RESULTS: BPH symptoms like emptying, frequency, intermittency, urgency, weak flow, straining, nocturia, were all significantly improved with Pycnogenol® (P<0.05) and the difference with both control groups was statistically significant (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Pycnogenol® may be an important option for self-management of BPH in otherwise healthy men.

KEY WORDS: Prostatic hyperthrophy - Dietary supplements - Prostate - Pycnogenol® - Nocturia