PSA Gold

Can PSA Gold Improve My Prostate Health?

Many men have problems with their prostate as they age. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that produces semen.

Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are the edible seeds of a pumpkin. Whether you enjoy them raw or in the form of pumpkin seed oil, they are packed with nutrition and may support prostate health. Because of this, pumpkin seeds are a popular folk remedy for men’s health issues.

What the research says

According to a 2014 study, both pumpkin seed oil may improve benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms. Researchers concluded that pumpkin seed oil is safe and effective alternative treatments for BPH.

Zinc is critical to normal prostate function. In fact, a normal prostate has the highest levels of zinc in the body. Results of a 2011 study showed that malignant prostate tissue and prostate tissue from men with BPH had significantly less zinc than normal prostate tissue. The study also found an increase in urinary zinc excretion.

Pumpkin seeds are rich in zinc. One cup provides almost half the recommended daily allowance (RDA). More studies are needed to link the zinc in pumpkin seeds to prostate health. But it’s thought that eating a handful of seeds several times a week may help keep your zinc levels optimal.

Other Health Benefits

Pumpkin seed oil is known to provide phytosterols. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Because phytosterols are structurally similar to the body’s cholesterol, when they are consumed they compete with cholesterol for absorption in the digestive system.

As a result, cholesterol absorption is blocked, and blood cholesterol levels reduced.” For this reason, some people consume pumpkin seed oil to lower cholesterol and boost heart health.

Other pumpkin seed oil benefits are widely reported on the internet and by supplement makers. Some of these benefits are backed by clinical studies, although some of the studies were performed on rats, not humans, and other studies are limited in scope. So there is not an extensive body of research into the health benefits of the oil.

Pumpkin Seed Oil for Hair Loss

A study published in Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that when men took 400 milligrams of pumpkin seed oil per day (in capsule form) for 24 weeks, they saw an increase in hair growth. Those who took pumpkin seed oil saw a 40 percent increase in hair count, whereas men who took a placebo saw a 10 percent increase in hair count. The study was funded by a private company but study authors reported no conflict of interest.

Relief of Menopausal Symptoms

A pilot study conducted on 35 menopausal women found that those who took pumpkin seed oil (rather than wheat germ oil) experienced increases in HDL cholesterol, a decrease in diastolic blood pressure, and fewer menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, headaches, and joint pain.

Study authors suggested that more research is needed to confirm their results.

Overactive Bladder Relief

A study published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine Found that when study participants consumed pumpkin seed oil as an extract for 12 weeks, they found relief from overactive bladder symptoms.

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