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Beta-Sitosterol Research
Beta-sitosterol is the miraculous common denominator found in saw palmetto, pygeum africanum, pumpkinseed oil and stinging nettles. The concentration of beta sitosterol in these herbs, however is very small . . . at best . . . a mere 3,000th of the amount found in Prostate Miracle®Advanced Formula.
Beta-sitosterol is also found in common foods we eat every day but in even smaller amounts than the above mentioned herbs.
The chemical structure of beta-sitosterol is similar to that of cholesterol . . . the main difference being the presence of an extra ethyl group. Beta-sitosterol is completely safe and without any side effects.
For over twenty years, the role beta-sitosterol may play in supporting prostate health has been studied extensively. Numerous international scientific journals incuding "European Patent", "European Journal of Drug Metab", "International Journal of Immunopharmacol", "Anticancer Research", "The Lancet", "European Urology", "Minerva Urologia", "British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology", "Medizinische Klinik", "Fortsher Med". and many others, have all published their findings.
International Prostate Symptom Score
In order for scientists around the world to evaluate the efficacy of a particular therapy, certain testing standards have been established.
One of the most common standards is the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The score is stated as a number that can range from 0 to 35, depending on the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms. The International Prostate Symptom Score also includes a scoring of quality of life as it relates to urinary symptoms.
A measurement to assess the strength of the urinary stream is called the maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax). The maximum urinary flow is commonly decreased with benign prostate disease such as BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia).
The third test is the amount of residual urine that remains in the bladder after voiding, or post-void residual urine (PVR). This is most easily assessed with pre- and post-void ultrasounds of the bladder.
PSA and DRE
Two tests critical to detecting men at higher risk of prostate cancer and other prostate diseases are the the prostate-specific antigen test (PSA test) and digital rectal exam (DRE).
The PSA test is a blood test which measures the blood level of PSA, a protein that is produced by the prostate gland. The results are usually reported as nanograms of PSA per milliliter (ng/mL) of blood. A high PSA can indicate a greater chance of developing prostate cancer. However, a high PSA does not necessarily mean cancer is present; many men with BPH may also have elevated PSA levels.
There is no specific normal or abnormal level of PSA in the blood. In the past, most doctors considered PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL and lower as normal. However, because the PSA test may give false-positive or false-negative results, today many doctors consider the change in PSA score to be more important than the score itself.
Some advisory groups now recommend against the use of the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer because the benefits, if any, are small and the harms can be substantial.
The DRE is a physical examination of the prostate, where the doctor, puts on a latex glove, asks you to bend over and inserts his finger up your rectum till he reaches the prostate. The doctor then evaluates the prostate by it's size and texture. In this way, the doctor can assess if the prostate is enlarged and/or if there is any abnormal growth on the surface.
Beta Sitosterol supports Prostate Health
When it comes to supporting prostate health, there isn't any natural supplement that has been studied more extensively than beta sitoterol.The important role beta sitosterol plays in promoting prostate health is why it has been a key ingredient in Prostate Miracle® since 2003.
Not All Beta Sitosterol is created equally
Beta Sitosterol is found in nearly every vegetable we eat, as well in many herbs such as saw palmetto, stinging nettles, pumpkin seeds etc. However, the concentration in these sources is very low. For over 20 years, extracted beta sitosterol has been used, as a much more potent concentrated source than any of the above mentioned herbs. These days, a wide range of beta sitosterol quality, purity and potency are available.
There is a great deal of confusion, regarding the terms: phytosterols, phytosterol complex, beta sitosterol and beta sitosterol complex. Much of this confusion is propagated by some of new prostate formula companies, who misuse these terms in order to misrepresent their formulas as being "stronger".
In order to intelligently compare "apples to apples", it is important to clarify these terms. To set the record straight . . . Phytosterols (also known as plant sterols) are a group of steroid alcohols, which occur naturally in plants. Included in this group are the sterols: Beta Sitosterol, Campesterol, Stigmasterol, Brasicasterol; as well as the stanols: Campestanol and Stigmastanol. Of all the components in this phytosterol mix, Beta sitosterol is the most important one for supporting prostate health.
It is important to understand that beta sitosterol does not exist as an isolated raw material. Technically speaking the extracted form is always a phytosterol mix (aka a phytosterol complex), of which beta sitosterol is just one component. Sometimes this phytosterol mix is referred to as a beta sitosterol complex, but to describe it as beta sitosterol, is technically inaccurate and somewhat confusing, yet so commonly done in the natural health industry, that even we (with this explanation) use the terms interchangeably on our website.
The amount of beta sitosterol contained in any phytosterol complex, will depend on both the natural balance of the source material as well as the purity of the phytosterols, which is based on the quality and precision of the extraction process.
In previous years, beta sitosterol was often extracted from sugar cane, but today it is most commonly extracted from soy, with a phytosterol purity of up to 95% and typically containing 40-55% beta sitosterol.
The majority of beta sitosterol available in the USA today, is now being imported from China. ALL Chinese made beta sitosterol is extracted from soy. Many of the newer prostate formulas out there, use the cheaper Chinese made beta sitosterol. Ever since the early 1980s, when China first began competing in the raw materials sector of the U.S. nutrition industry, their quality control has come into question. Beta sitosterol and other raw materials exported from China are often contaminated with unacceptable levels of heavy metals or with the residues of herbicides or pesticides.
Chinese beta sitosterol clearly falls far below the standard we will accept for use in Prostate Miracle®.
(NON GMO) Pine extracted Beta Sitosterol
It turns out that the best source for a high quality beta sitosterol extract is pine. Recent technological advances have led to effective methods for extracting a very pure phytosterol complex from pine, which has a very high concentration of beta sitosterol. It is an expensive process and is not done in the USA, but rather in Europe (where the use of GMO's are banned). Having to import it, makes it an even more expensive raw material. It is however, FAR superior to the Chinese and even the USA produced soy extracts, because not only is it more pure and more potent, but also GMO free as well!
Even amongst the pine extracted phytosterols, there are different qualities available. Prostate Miracle® uses the highest quality phytosterol complex available.
