Evidence supporting the use of: Pumpkin Seed Oil
For the body system: Prostate

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Pumpkin seed oil has a history of traditional use for supporting prostate health, particularly in Europe. More recently, there has been scientific interest in its potential effects, especially regarding benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland common in older men. A few small clinical trials and animal studies suggest that pumpkin seed oil may modestly improve symptoms of BPH, likely due to its content of phytosterols, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants. For example, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Urologia Internationalis (2009) found that pumpkin seed oil, alone or combined with saw palmetto, improved International Prostate Symptom Scores in men with BPH. Another study in the Journal of Medicinal Food (2014) reported similar findings. Mechanistically, it is hypothesized that pumpkin seed oil may inhibit 5-alpha-reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is implicated in prostate enlargement. However, the number of high-quality human studies is limited, sample sizes are generally small, and not all studies have found significant effects. Overall, while preliminary evidence points toward a possible benefit, more rigorous and larger-scale clinical trials are needed before strong recommendations can be made. Therefore, the evidence can be considered modest but not robust.

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