Naturopathic Treatment for Prostatitis
Prostatitis can be difficult to treat. Acute, chronic, or nonbacterial prostatitis are inflammatory and/or infectious conditions that can be treated naturally with lifestyle changes, nutritional support, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
The key to this approach is the elimination of inflammatory agents from the diet while supplementing with anti-inflammatory nutrients, foods, and herbs. Naturopathic methods may be applied with antibiotics and may even improve their effectiveness.
Nutrition & Prostatitis
- Eat whole, fresh, unrefined, and unprocessed foods. Include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, soy, beans, seeds, nuts, olive oil, and cold-water fish (salmon, tuna, sardines, halibut, and mackerel). Eating organic food helps reduce exposure to pesticides, herbicides, and hormones.
- Avoid sugar, dairy products, refined foods, fried foods, junk foods, and caffeine.
- Eliminate food sensitivities. Use an elimination and challenge diet to determine food sensitivities.
- Drink 50% of your body weight in ounces of water daily (e.g., if you weigh 150 lbs, drink 75 oz of water daily).
Supplements & Prostatitis
Supplements are intended to provide nutritional support. Because a supplement or a recommended dose may not be appropriate for all persons, a physician (e.g., a licensed naturopathic physician or holistic MD or DO) should be consulted before using any product.
Recommended doses follow:
- Bromelain (proteolytic enzymes)—Take 400 mg 3 times daily away from meals. Proteolytic enzymes have anti-inflammatory properties and can potentize the effectiveness of antibiotics.
- Vitamin C—Take 500-1000 mg 3 times daily.
- Vitamin E—Take 400 IUs daily.
- Flaxseed meal—Grind 2-4 tablespoons daily. Flaxseed meal is a better choice due to its fiber, lignan, and vitamin content, but flaxseed oil (1 tbsp daily) can be substituted.
- Probiotics—If antibiotics are taken, supplement with probiotics, such as acidophilus, to replenish the beneficial gut flora.
- Quercetin—Has anti-inflammatory properties.
- Selenium—Is an antioxidant. May be more effective when taken with vitamin E.
- Zinc—Take 30 mg daily. Zinc is vital to the health of the prostate, which concentrates and secretes zinc. Zinc also prevents infections.
