Can an herb called horny goat weed help men’s health?

The different anatomies of men and women often require different medical treatments. For instance, as men age, the prostate typically enlarges, which can lead to serious bladder and kidney problems.

Other aging changes that occur in the male reproductive system include decreases in sperm production and testosterone levels, changes in the tissues that form the testes or the tubes and ducts, and erectile dysfunction.

The natural remedies highlighted here have been selected among many for their long history of treating male health-related problems or those that commonly affect the urinary tract, both in men and women.

Horny goat weed (Epimedium brevicornum)

A plant with a long history of use in Chinese medicine, horny goat weed is a popular remedy for men’s health issues, and has been used medicinally for more than 2,000 years. It was first described in ancient classical medicinal texts of China, where it still grows wild today.

The colorful name is said to have come from folk observations that goats that grazed on the herb became unusually sexually active. Practitioners of Chinese medicine typically use horny goat weed in combination with other herbs to treat male sexual dysfunction, prostate problems, urinary tract issues, and other issues associated with aging.

The leaves of horny goat weed, a species of Epimedium, are used in medical applications. The leaves contain a variety of flavonoids, polysaccharides, sterols, and an alkaloid called magnaflorine. But the plant’s exact mechanism is unknown, although research is ongoing. One lab study found that a compound in horny goat weed improves libido and erectile dysfunction by blocking an enzyme that restricts blood flow.

Horny goat weed is sold in drugstores and health food stores in a variety of forms. It is often blended with other herbal remedies (most often maca root), so check the label for ingredients.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens)

Saw palmetto grows abundantly in the southeastern U.S.

Photograph by Joel Sartore, Nat Geo Image Collection

Native to the southeastern United States, saw palmetto is a low-growing palm with distinctive fan-shaped leaves. Found in the southeastern United States, the plant’s dark purple fruits—about the size and shape of olives—were an indispensable dietary staple among Native American tribes for perhaps as long as 12,000 years before Europeans set foot in this part of the world.

In modern herbal medicine, saw palmetto is primarily used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlargement of the prostate gland. It is used by two million men in the United States alone. Some herbal practitioners also recommend saw palmetto for chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) in men, inflammation of the urethra, bladder disorders, and gallbladder problems.

When European settlers arrived in the U.S., they observed the Native tribes using saw palmetto and so added it to their diet and fed the fruits to their livestock. By the late 1800s, the plant had found its way into conventional medicine in the United States. Many early 20th-century physicians recommended saw palmetto for a variety of health problems, including urinary tract infections, enlarged prostate, and low libido. Although interest in herbs of all kinds had faded in the United States by the 1950s, European use steadily increased.

It may take a few months of using saw palmetto to experience the full benefits of the herb.

Precautions: Saw palmetto can cause mild stomach upset, constipation, diarrhea, headache, high blood pressure, and itching. In rare cases, saw palmetto can cause impotence or decreased sex drive. Due to its possible hormonal effects, saw palmetto is not recommended for those on hormone therapy, or who are pregnant.

Juniper (Juniperus communis)

Juniper can relieve swelling and inflammation inside and out.

Photograph by Keith Ladzinski, Nat Geo Image Collection

Juniper is used to treat urinary tract infections and to stimulate urine production by the kidneys (but not to treat kidney infection). Juniper is also recommended, externally and internally, for relieving swelling, the pain of rheumatoid arthritis and other joint pain, muscle pain, and tendinitis. Topically, the herb’s essential oil has been used in treating respiratory infections, congestion, and coughs, as well as for stubborn skin conditions, including psoriasis.

Much of the world’s supply of juniper berries is harvested in eastern Europe. Extracts, oils, and capsules are widely available commercially. Juniper is often taken in combination with other herbs for urinary health.

Precautions: Check with a health care provider before using juniper berries. Concerns have been reported with the ingestion of juniper extracts in high doses or for longer than four weeks. It’s unsafe to use juniper if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Juniper oils or extracts should not be used by anyone with diabetes, kidney disease, or gastrointestinal conditions.

Uva ursi (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Uva ursi can be used to treat urinary tract infections that are resistant to antibiotics.

Photograph by Wirestock, Getty Images

Uva ursi leaves have known astringent and antibacterial properties, making them effective in reducing inflammation and fighting infection. Uva ursi is used primarily to treat urinary tract inflammation, including chronic cases that have become resistant to conventional antibiotics. In Germany, the leaf is available as a standardized medicinal tea. Externally, preparations of uva ursi are used to bathe cuts and scrapes, to treat cold sores, and to ease back pain.

Uva ursi grows among coastal dunes and on inhospitable mountaintops above 7,000 feet; it can survive temperatures as low as minus 50°F (-45.6°C). The vast majority of the world’s supply of uva ursi comes from the wild-harvesting that takes place in the mountains and valleys of eastern Europe. The dried leaves and tinctures are sold in most health food stores.

Make your own clean shave

Photograph by Jun, Getty Images

Homemade shaving solutions can offer a clean, close shave without skin irritation and dryness. For those who prefer the traditional feel of lathering up, try using all-natural castile soap in liquid or bar form. It produces a rich, creamy lather naturally. Follow with a skin-softening natural aftershave lotion.

To create a skin-soothing oil for shaving: Add 1 or 2 drops chamomile essential oil to 1/2 cup plant oil. For an oil with zing, add a few drops eucalyptus essential oil to the same amount of plant oil.

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