chapter sixteen

Herbal Healing for Men

Lest men begin to feel their needs cannot be met by plants because of all the attention given to women’s body systems, men are just as connected to plants and receptive to their actions and guidance as women. Men’s bodies respond just as well to plants as women’s bodies though their needs for the actions of plants differ in significant ways. Men’s needs for the spiritual connection with nature is also strong, vibrant, and centered on a compassionate reawakening that can be explored through the ancient myths and herbal heritage of many cultures.

While both men and women experience similar digestive upset, respiratory and cardiovascular risks described in the previous chapters, men’s reproductive systems differ broadly from women’s. Plant medicines have been used for centuries to address issues specific to men’s reproduction and to nourish and support men’s continued health.

Prostate Problems

Nearly half of all men over age forty-five suffer some sort of prostate problem, whether mild or benign inflammation; benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH); or prostate cancer, a leading cause of death among men. Herbs have a rightful place in prostate therapies for both nutritive and supportive functions. Benign prostatic hypertrophy or prostatic enlargement can restrict fluid flow from the kidneys to the bladder, resulting in infection. Anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial herbs are key in these cases, as are diuretic and demulcent herbs. The following herbs can be used in almost any tier of the 4-tier formula:

• saw palmetto (Serenoa repens): this palm tree native to the southeastern United States was historically used by the Seminole nation for basketry, fans, rope, tools, cordage, and other household materials; the berries were eaten for food. Used for the male genitourinary system especially for urinary incontinence (often a symptom of prostate problems) and for weakened reproductive organs in both sexes. 75 Its use for treating prostate cancer is inconsistent with its eclectic use of remediating urinary dysfunction, but because of the proximity of the prostate gland and the gland’s literal “wrapping” around the urethra, the use of saw palmetto in recent years has focused on treating prostate cancer. The berries are tinctured or dried and encapsulated as a remedy specific to the prostate gland; though clinical trials are mixed in their results 76, saw palmetto shows some improvement in nocturia and other symptoms of BPH. Extracts of the berry appear to be antiandrogenic and both antiestrogenic and estrogenic. 77 Time will tell if this herb truly does impact human hormones or resist the growth of prostate cancer cells. Until these findings are made, it is safe to use saw palmetto to treat urinary symptoms (associated with BPH and otherwise) and as a male reproductive and urinary tonic.
• nettle (Urtica dioica): while nettle leaves feature in herbal heritage for other issues, it is the root we turn to now. The radix of the nettle plant has come to light fairly recently as a key prostate remedy though its mechanism of action is unclear. It appears to have anti-inflammatory properties that make it useful alongside saw palmetto. Its folk history suggests marked improvement in urinary flow and urinary tract strength, especially in the presence of an enlarged prostate gland, without necessarily acting upon the size of the prostate gland directly.
• pygeum (Prunus africana): this relative of the cherry tree has been the subject of clinical and scientific studies; it is anti-inflammatory specific to the genitourinary tract, and it is seen to improve bladder function. 78
• yarrow (Achillea millefolium): both diuretic and antimicrobial, yarrow serves as a tier 4 vehicle herb and can be a tier 3 corollary herb for the urinary system and prostate.
• ginger (Zingiber officinale): warming, antimicrobial, vasodilatory, carminative, and diuretic, ginger can be a key tier 3 or tier 4 in prostate formulas.
• turmeric (Curcuma longa): highly regarded as an anti-inflammatory, especially for the integumentary system, turmeric can be useful in cases of prostate inflammation where cramping, swelling, and inflammation are prominent symptoms.
• mallow (Althea spp.): this mucilaginous root’s cooling (demulcent) and moisturizing properties both internally and externally relieve redness, swelling, heat, and inflammation. Useful post-surgery as well as for general daily support of an inflamed prostate.
• green tea (Camellia sinensis): antioxidant and diuretic. Caution: contains caffeine.

Prostate Formulas

A Formula for Urinary Incontinence Associated with BPH

• 2 parts green tea
• 1 part yarrow
• 1 part pygeum
• 1 part nettle root

A Formula for Urinary Burning Associated with BPH

• 2 parts marshmallow
• 1 part cornsilk
• 1 part saw palmetto
• 1 part yarrow

Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction, or ED, is the physical inability to produce or maintain an erection for sexual purposes. Common underlying causes of ED include stress and anxiety, diabetes (nearly half of all men with diabetes experience ED), hypertension and atherosclerosis, and certain medications for blood pressure or depression that seriously impact erectile function. Additionally, obesity lowers testosterone levels and can lead to lower sex drive and impeded sexual function.

Because of the seriousness of the underlying causes (that may be unknown to the man experiencing ED) it is important to rule out heart disease, diabetes, or atherosclerosis. Both ED and many potential underlying causes can successfully be treated with herbal medicine. Long-term foundational support using tonics is the best approach while short-term remedies can include caffeine-free stimulants and warming vasodilators. Herbal actions useful for ED include:

• anti-inflammatories: saw palmetto, Jamaican dogwood, St. John’s wort, plantain, turmeric, ginger.
• cardiotonics: hawthorn, garlic, motherwort.
• vasodilators: peppermint, ginger, gotu kola. In particular, ginger combined with the stimulants listed below can be taken on an as-needed basis as a hot tea or cordial.
• nervine tonics: oatstraw and oats milky tops, lemon balm, motherwort, passionflower, St. John’s wort.
• adaptogens: eleuthero, panax ginseng, echinacea.
• stimulants: not referring to stimulants such as caffeine or nootropic drugs, but rather herbs that uplift and warm the body, such as wild sarsaparilla, ginger, peppermint, cayenne, all bitters.

Erectile Dysfunction Formulas

A Formula for Erectile Dysfunction

• 2 parts hawthorn
• 1 part peppermint
• 1 part saw palmetto
• 1 part ginger

Another Formula for Erectile Dysfunction

• 2 parts eleuthero
• 1 part wild sarsaparilla
• 1 part Jamaican dogwood
• 1 part garlic

Energy

A brief discussion of yang and yin will be useful here: in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Taoist teachings, the dualities or complementary opposing energies of male and female extend to medicine and to the functions of the human body as well as plants. This fascinating understanding of opposites and energetic forces can be applied to all of life (and death) and is exhibited throughout the day (and night) by the beauty (and brutality) of everything. In mythology, many cultures associate the cool, dark, moonlit night with female energies and the hot, bright sun-filled day with male energies. Of course, all people and all herbs exhibit and experience some of each, and the balance can be appreciated in healthy, robust, compassionate men and women. But for the purposes of healing illnesses with plant medicines, it is useful to recognize some of these qualities in plants and associate them with the remediating actions needed.

It would be easy to get carried away by the complex poetry of the yin-yang philosophy, but its essence (and its application in herbal formulary) is this:

Yang	Yang	Yin	Yin
Energy	Herbal Action	Energy	Herbal Action
male		female
hot	warming	cool	emollient
Yang	Yang	Yin	Yin
dry	astringent	wet	demulcent
fast	vasodilating	slow	vasoconstricting
light		dark	cooling
hard	vulnerary	soft	moisturizing
aggressive	rubefacient	yielding	tonic
stimulating	stimulant	passive	nutritive
	carminative	soothing/relaxing	sedative

For men lacking in stamina, enduring a cold, congested, or weakening illness, passing through a stressful time that leads to depression, confusion, or a desire to do nothing, yang herbs may assist both emotionally and physically. Herbs that promote healthy, sustained, and usually yang energy include:

• yarrow
• ginger
• cayenne pepper
• garlic
• wild sarsaparilla
• ginseng
• peppermint
• black tea
• damiana

These herbs are used on an as-needed basis and are not tonics in Western herbal medicine. Ayurvedic medicine, however, considers bitters and stimulants good tonics for recuperating, to be used for the duration of convalescence in conjunction with yin herbs and foods for cooling, soothing, and nourishing.

Stress

As mentioned previously, stress can be addressed using nervine tonics and adaptogens. In my experience, I’ve found that men tend to benefit from ginseng more than women, for whom this adaptogenic herb can be too stimulating and have a “caffeine-like” effect, sometimes causing gastric irritation. Men also benefit from the calming, steadying effects of herbs such as spearmint, oats, and lemon balm, as well as the more “yang” effects of herbs such as yarrow, peppermint, and wild sarsaparilla. See chapter six for more details about nervous system and tonic herbs. Also see Glossary D for discussions about tier 1 tonic herbs.

Stress Formulas

A Formula for Men’s Chronic Stress

• 2 parts oats milky tops
• 1 part schisandra
• 1 part ginger
• 1 part lemon balm

A Formula for Men’s Stress with Debility and Emotional Fatigue

• 2 parts catnip
• 1 part eleuthero or ginseng
• 1 part yarrow
• 1 part peppermint

Hair Loss and Balding

Male pattern and female pattern balding is known as androgenic alopecia, and is a very common presentation in certain genetic populations where receding and thinning hair develops with age. Male pattern balding can begin as early as age twelve, with most susceptible men experiencing its effects by age fifty. Though there are no direct herbal remedies known to address male or female pattern baldness, certain plants help indirectly; folk plant wisdom points to a few plants that may diminish the effects of this apparently genetic condition. Plants that are nourishing and nutritive, those that are cerebral stimulators and vasodilators, and those that are antimicrobial may help alleviate the worst of male pattern baldness.

• nourishing: nettle leaf is among the top micronutrient herbs, and its regular ingestion can help with general health and hair growth.
• cerebral tonics: ginkgo, gotu kola, and lemon balm all stimulate the flow of blood to the brain, which may or may not directly affect the growth of hair.
• vasodilators: warming ginger, cayenne, and yarrow are considered “male” tonic herbs for various body systems, and their inclusion in a formula may be useful for opening the arteries and veins for better blood flow and higher oxygen content in the bloodstream. Also consider hawthorn.
• antimicrobial: because microbial pathogens have been implicated in certain cases of hair loss, rinsing the scalp with a topical wash of antimicrobial rosemary may relieve the scalp of damaging and clogging oils and residues that impede the growth of hair.

Herbal healing for men involves attention to cycles and natural rhythms, interest in mental and emotional health, and formulas that support the physical needs of the adolescent, adult, and aging man. With proper exercise and attention to diet, men’s health is successfully supported using botanical remedies.

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75 Hoffmann (1996).

76 Thompson Healthcare Inc. (2007).

77 Ibid.

78 Ibid.