Certain dietary supplements may be helpful in treating loss of bladder control, or urinary incontinence, in men. According to the Family Doctor website, millions of American men suffer from urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence is most common in men over the age of 50. Before taking dietary supplements to help to treat your urinary incontinence, talk with your doctor about possible side effects, proper dosage and potential drug interactions.
Gotu Kola
Gotu kola, also known as Centella asiatica, is an herbal supplement that may be helpful in treating your urinary incontinence. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, gotu kola, a member of the parsley family, has been used medicinally for thousands of years in China, India and Indonesia to help heal wounds, treat skin conditions and improve mental clarity. Gotu kola is a perennial plant that has a spicy taste and possesses cooling tendencies. The whole plant is used for medicinal purposes. Dr. Sharol Tilgner, a naturopathic physician and author of the book "Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth," states that gotu kola is an anti-inflammatory and antiseptic that is helpful for incontinence. Gotu kola stimulates the natural growth of supportive bladder tissue, which can improve your bladder control. Pregnant women, cautions Tilgner, should avoid taking herbal supplements containing gotu kola.
Witch Hazel
Tilgner states that witch hazel is an astringent, anti-inflammatory and styptic that helps to improve the tone of your pelvic organs, including your bladder. Witch hazel has been used to help to treat numerous health problems, including urinary incontinence, passive hemorrhages, wounds, local inflammations, venous laxity and hemorrhoids. Witch hazel, also known as Hamamelis virginiana, is a deciduous shrub that has an astringent taste, possesses cooling and drying tendencies and can grow to a maximum height of about 25 feet. Practitioners of botanical medicine use the bark of the shrub to help treat health problems, including urinary incontinence in men. Tilgner cautions that taking herbal supplements containing witch hazel may cause stomach irritation in sensitive individuals. In rare cases, witch hazel may also cause liver damage.
Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto is a small palm tree that grows in the southeastern United States, especially along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. Saw palmetto, also known as Serenoa repens, belongs to the palm family, has a sweet and soapy taste and possesses drying tendencies. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the whole ripe fruit of the tree is used medicinally to treat many health conditions, including bladder disorders, chronic pelvic pain, decreased libido, enlarged prostate gland, hormone imbalances and prostate cancer. Tilgner states that saw palmetto has been used to help to treat decreased tone of your pelvic organs -- including your bladder -- incontinence, interstitial cystitis and chronic bladder infections. If you are pregnant, warns Tilgner, you should avoid taking herbal supplements that contain saw palmetto.
References
- Family Doctor: Urinary Incontinence
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Gotu Kola
- "Herbal Medicine From the Heart of the Earth"; Sharol Tilgner, N.D.; 1999
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Saw Palmetto



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