ABSTRACT
Men's health encompasses multiple conditions involved with physical, mental, and psychological wellness. This chapter focuses on benign prostatic hyperplasia and erectile dysfunction, two of the most common conditions for which botanical products have been used. For benign prostatic hyperplasia, saw palmetto, pygeum, stinging nettle, rye grass pollen, beta-sitosterol, pumpkin seed, and lycopene are commonly used botanicals either as monotherapy or in combination products. The evidence supporting these botanicals ranges considerably, but all are safe products. For erectile dysfunction, the available published literature has been focused primarily on yohimbe, pycnogenol, and Panax ginseng. Based on the available data, safety concerns may exist with yohimbe in men with underlying cardiovascular disease. Pycnogenol combined with L-arginine provides benefit in management of erectile dysfunction, although at least several weeks will be needed in order to observe a response.
