Prostate supplements: how to evaluate them
A useful supplement decision starts with a simple distinction: evidence for an ingredient is not automatically evidence for a finished product.
Regulatory baseline: FDA does not approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. Supplements also cannot legally be marketed as products that diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
Four questions to ask
- What exactly is on the Supplement Facts label?
- Are amounts disclosed, or hidden in proprietary blends?
- What does high-quality evidence say about the individual ingredients?
- Has the finished formula itself been tested in reliable clinical research?
Ingredient evidence can be mixed
Saw palmetto is heavily promoted for urinary symptoms associated with BPH, yet NCCIH's current summary says research indicates it probably is not helpful when used alone for that purpose. NCCIH describes evidence for pygeum as limited.
Product research
Considering a specific offer? Read the Prosta Peak review, our ingredient analysis, and safety questions.