Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals Prost-Rx

Prost-Rx is a prostate supplement from Hi-Tech Pharmaceutical Inc. The manufacturer describes Prost-Rx as an anti-aging supplement for men and also a supplement for supporting sex hormone levels in aging men.

Prost-Rx contains 15 active ingredients including herbs, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. This supplement contains proven and popular herbs for improving prostate health such as saw palmetto, pygeum, and stinging nettle.

With such a wide range of natural remedies, it is no wonder that Prost-Rx comes highly recommended and many reviewers rate it as highly effective.

Prost-Rx is formulated as capsules and a bottle of the supplement contains 90 capsules. The recommended dosage is 1 capsule taken 3 times daily.

Some of the active ingredients of Prost-Rx can affect hormonal levels significantly. Therefore, pregnant and nursing women may not take Prost-Rx unless recommended for them by their physicians.

Most of the side effects reported with Prost-Rx are mild gastrointestinal complaints. The supplement is safe and well-tolerated by most users.

The Active Ingredients of Prost-Rx

Saw Palmetto Extract

Saw palmetto extract is taken from the berries of Serenoa repens, a small palm tree. The bioactive phytochemicals in this plant extract are fatty acids and phytosterols.

The phytochemicals in saw palmetto extract can improve prostate health by different means. However, the two most important means are by:

• lowering the levels of androgen hormones and
• preventing these hormones from binding to androgen receptors.

The fatty acids in saw palmetto can lower cholesterol levels in the body, and since cholesterol is one of the precursors of androgen hormones, these fatty acids also lower the levels of androgens.

In addition, saw palmetto blocks the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

DHT is the major androgen responsible for prostate enlargement. By blocking its synthesis, saw palmetto protects the prostate from androgen stimulation. Another means by which saw palmetto reduces the effect of DHT on the prostate is by preventing DHT from binding to androgen receptors.

Lastly, saw palmetto can also relieve urinary difficulties associated with prostate enlargement. It does this by contracting the smooth muscles of the urethral sphincter.

Pygeum Extract

Pygeum extract is taken from the bark of Pygeum africanum, an African evergreen tree.

Like saw palmetto, pygeum extract contains phytosterols and the most important fraction of the sterol content of both plant extracts is beta-sitosterol.

Besides phytosterols, the other major bioactive compounds in pygeum include tannins, triterpenes, and esters of ferulic acid.

The phytosterols and esters of ferulic acid can relieve prostate enlargement by lowering the amount of testosterone and DHT reaching the prostate. In addition, the phytosterols and triterpenes in pygeum reduce prostate inflammation by inhibiting pro-inflammatory prostaglandins.

Pygeum is also traditionally used to treat the complications of prostate problems such as erectile dysfunction and inflammation of the urinary tract.

Nettle Leaf Extract

Nettle extract is taken from the leaves of stinging nettle.

It contains phytosterols and fatty acids and, therefore, shares most of the same medicinal properties as saw palmetto. Nettle leaf extract also contains other bioactive compounds such as lignans, lectins, and flavonoids.

The first two mechanisms are due to the fatty acid and sterol content of nettle leaf extract. They are the same mechanisms explained above for saw palmetto.

To block the transportation of testosterone to the prostate, nettle extract prevents the hormone from binding to a transport protein known as SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin). SHBG is responsible for transporting sex hormones to different organs in the body.

The inhibition of estrogen is also important because estrogen protects DHT from enzymatic breakdown. By blocking the effects of estrogen on the prostate, nettle extract reduces the activity of DHT.

Stinging nettle also lowers estrogen activity by inhibiting the conversion of testosterone to estrogen and the transportation of estrogen to the prostate (through the inhibition of SHBG).

Phytosterols

In addition to the phytosterols found in saw palmetto, pygeum, and nettle extract, Prost-Rx contains even more phytosterols. Beta-sitosterol makes up most of the added phytosterols in the supplement.

The phytosterols in Prost-Rx can improve prostate health by inhibiting androgens, especially DHT, in different ways as described above. They can also prevent inflammation of the prostate by their anti-inflammatory activities.

Quercetin

Quercetin is a bioflavonoid found in different fruits, vegetables, and grains. It is also a potent antioxidant.

The antioxidant property of quercetin is useful in the maintenance of prostate health. As an antioxidant, quercetin helps mop up free radicals and reactive oxygen species in the prostate. This antioxidant protection can help prevent damage to the prostate and it is especially useful for relieving inflammation and enlargement of the prostate.

When quercetin is metabolized in the body, it is further broken down into antioxidant metabolites such as kaempferol and tamarixetin.

Quercetin also possesses anti-inflammatory properties. Specifically, quercetin inhibits proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-8 (IL-8). The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of quercetin are useful in the treatment of chronic prostatitis (prostate inflammation).

Lastly, quercetin also has antibacterial and antifungal properties. These are two medicinal properties needed to combat urinary tract infections.

All of these medicinal benefits of quercetin can help relieve the major symptoms of prostate problems such as pelvic pain, urinary difficulties, and sexual dysfunction.

Lycopene

Lycopene is another powerful, natural antioxidant. This carotenoid is responsible for the colors of fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes and red peppers.

The antioxidant property of lycopene can protect the prostate from oxidative damage that may result in inflammation or prostate enlargement. In addition, lycopene has anti-carcinogenic properties. To reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lycopene inhibits growth factors in the prostate and increases the production of regulatory proteins.

Growth factors fuel the proliferation of prostate cancer cells while regulatory proteins control the growth of prostate cells. Prostate cancer results when the production of these regulatory proteins fall while growth factors trigger excessive proliferation of prostate cells.

Belizean Man Vine Extract, Muira Puama Extract, and Epimedium Extract

Belizean man vine is a vine found in the rainforests of Belize. It has been used for centuries in Belizean traditional medicine to improve libido in men.

Muira puama is a flowering plant native to the Amazon. All parts of the plant may be used as medicinal remedies but the root and bark are the typically used.

Although muira contains fatty acids and sterols, it is included in Prost-Rx to improve sex drive. In one study, muira was able to increase sex drive in 62% of the participants and improve erection in 51% of the men involved in the study.

Epimedium refers to a family of flowering plants spread across Asia and Europe. It is traditionally used as an aphrodisiac and the phytochemical responsible for this medicinal use is known as icariin.

The aphrodisiac properties of epimedium have been confirmed by multiple studies and its mechanism of action has been shown to be similar to that of sildenafil (Viagra).

Zinc, Vitamins and Amino Acids

Zinc is important to prostate health. The prostate preferentially stores zinc and there is 500 – 1000 more zinc in the organ than in the blood.

Studies have shown that zinc reduces the risk of prostate cancer although how zinc protects the prostate is currently unknown. However, zinc has been proven to improve sperm production. Therefore, it may also contribute to the supplement’s ability to improve sexual performance.

The vitamins found in Prost-Rx are vitamins B6 and E. These vitamins are included in the formulation to support prostate health.

The role of vitamin E in prostate health is well studied, and most of the studies done on the subject conclude that vitamin E supplementation can significantly reduce the risk of prostate cancer. While the antioxidant effects of vitamin E can protect the prostate against oxidative damage, these studies also established that vitamin E can suppress androgens in the prostate and reduce the levels of PSA (prostate-specific antigen).

The amino acids included in Prost-Rx are L-alanine, L-glycine, and L-glutamic acid. They are all included to improve general health.

Is Prost-Rx Effective?

Prost-Rx is an effective prostate supplement. The vast majority of past users and reviewers agree that the supplement can indeed improve prostate health just as well as it can relieve urinary difficulties and improve sexual performance.

In addition, each of the major active ingredients of Prost-Rx has been clinically proven to help the prostate and/or improve sexual functions in men. Even the amino acids and vitamins in Prost-Rx can contribute to these benefits even though they are included to complement the major active ingredients.

By selecting ingredients with different (and overlapping) mechanisms of action, the formulation of Prost-Rx provides a comprehensive cover against all prostate problems.

It also addresses most causes of prostate problems. This ensures that Prost-Rx is effective for most men with prostate problems.

The high proportion of phytosterols (especially beta-sitosterol) in Prost-Rx is particularly notable.

Even though three of the herbs included already contained sterols, Prost-Rx contains even more sterols in the form of 90% phytosterol extract.

Phytosterols are one of the most popular ingredients of prostate supplements. They are particularly effective in the treatment of prostate inflammation and enlargement.

Prost-Rx comes highly recommended for men over the age of 40 who are experiencing prostate problems especially the sexual and urinary symptoms associated with prostate enlargement.