Unlocking the Power of Graminex/Cernilton Pollen Extract: A Natural Solution for Prostate Health
Pollen extracts, also known as cernilton, rye grass pollen, flower pollen, or bee pollen, have demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, which can be beneficial in managing conditions like benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostatitis. One standardized pollen extract called Graminex flower pollen extract, derived from rye pollen (Secale cereal), corn pollen (Zea mays), and timothy pollen (Phleum pretense), is available worldwide under various brand names such as Cernitin TM (cernilton). For over 35 years, Cernilton has been used in Europe to manage prostatitis and BPH, and it has shown considerable effectiveness in several double-blind clinical studies for BPH treatment.
The success rate among BPH patients using Cernilton is approximately 70 percent. Responding patients typically experience a reduction in nocturia and diurnal frequency of about 70 percent, as well as significant decreases in residual urine volume. The extract has also exhibited anti-inflammatory properties and the ability to cause bladder contraction while relaxing the urethra. Additionally, cernilton contains a substance that inhibits the growth of prostate cells.
Numerous scientific studies conducted in North America and Europe have examined the effects of various pollen extracts on prostate health. Although it is sometimes challenging to differentiate between different formulas or terms used for pollen extracts in these studies, the crucial point is that they all involve a pollen extract and demonstrate its ability to alleviate symptoms of BPH and/or prostatitis.
One notable difference between bee pollen and other pollen extracts is that bee pollen is collected by bees from different flowering plants and contains nectar and saliva, making it non-standardized. On the other hand, pollen extracts contain pollen from specific plants, ensuring a standardized end product with the same amount of active ingredients in each batch. Many studies on pollen and its impact on BPH and/or prostatitis have employed cernilton/Graminex, which will be explored here, using a daily dose of approximately 500 mg.
Cernilton and Prostatitis An early study involving 90 men with chronic prostatitis evaluated the effects of cernilton. The participants were divided into two groups: those without complicating factors (72 men) and those with complicating factors (18 men). All participants took cernilton three times daily for six months and underwent various tests, such as digital rectal examination, uroflowmetry, and bacterial studies, after three and six months of intervention.
Among the men without complicating factors, 56 (78%) reported a favorable response to cernilton: 26 men (36%) had their symptoms eliminated, and 30 (42%) experienced significant improvement, including increased urine flow rate. In the group of 18 men with complicating factors, only one patient reported a response. Overall, cernilton was well tolerated by 97 percent of patients.
A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study published in European Urology compared cernilton (70 patients) with placebo (60 patients) in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. The men received pollen extract capsules (two capsules every 8 hours) or placebo for 12 weeks. Compared to placebo, the group taking cernilton reported significant improvements in total symptoms, pain, and quality of life, without experiencing any severe side effects. In a subsequent article by some of the same researchers on chronic prostatitis, they reiterated the preclinical studies demonstrating the effects of pollen extract on the smooth muscles of the bladder and urethra, its strong anti-inflammatory effects, and its antiproliferative effects.
In a study published in Urology in January 2006, 60 patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome were assigned to receive either a pollen extract preparation called Prostat/Poltit (similar ingredients to cernilton) or a placebo for six months in a double-blind study. After six months, men who received Prostat/Poltit either had no symptoms or experienced significant symptom improvement. The authors concluded that the pollen extract was superior to placebo in providing symptomatic relief for men with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome.
Life Extension, Triple Strength ProstaPollen, 30 Softgels
Cernilton and BPH A double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the British Journal of Urology involved 53 men with outflow obstruction due to BPH who took either Cernilton or placebo daily for six months. At the end of the treatment period, 69 percent of the men taking the extract reported symptom improvement, compared to only 30 percent of those taking placebo. The improvements included a significant decrease in residual urine and in the antero-posterior diameter of the prostate based on ultrasound. There were no significant changes in flow rate or voided volume between the two groups. The authors concluded that Cernilton has a beneficial effect on BPH and may be suitable for treating patients with mild or moderate symptoms of outflow obstruction.
In a four-month study involving 89 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia, cernilton (51 patients) was compared to Tadenan (Pygeum, 38 patients). More than three-quarters of the men who received cernilton (78%) reported significant symptom improvement, compared to 55 percent of the patients who took Pygeum. The cernilton group also reported a significant improvement in uroflow rate and a decrease in residual urine and prostate volume.
A Japanese study evaluated the use of Cernitin in 79 BPH patients ranging in age from 62 to 89 years. Cernitin was administered three times daily at a dose of 2 tablets, each containing 63 mg, for over 12 weeks. The study showed a significant increase in urine maximum flow rate and average flow rate, along with a decrease in residual urine volume. Although prostatic volume did not change, patients taking Cernitin for over a year experienced a mean decrease in prostatic volume. Improvement in specific symptoms was as follows: urgency or discomfort (76.9% improvement), dysuria (71.4%), nocturia (56.8%), incomplete emptying (66.2%), prolonged voiding (64.1%), delayed voiding (62.2%), intermittency (60.6%), and postvoid dribbling (42.7%). Overall, 85 percent of the participants benefited from Cernitin, with 11% reporting “excellent” results, 39% reporting “good” results, 35% reporting “satisfactory” results, and 15% reporting “poor” results. The authors concluded that Cernitin showed a mild beneficial effect on prostatic volume and urination variables in patients with symptomatic BPH.
According to a review in the Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, four studies involving a total of 444 men with BPH showed that cernilton improved urinary symptoms compared to placebo. The trials lasted from 12 to 24 weeks, and three of them used a double-blind approach. Although cernilton reduced the need for nocturia (getting up several times during the night to urinate), it did not improve urinary flow rates or prostate size compared to placebo. The reviewers concluded that cernilton modestly improves overall urologic symptoms, including nocturia.
How to Use Cernilton/Pollen Extract?
It is advisable to consult a knowledgeable healthcare provider to determine the appropriate dose of pollen extract for individual needs. Individuals with allergies to grass, flowers, or other plants should consult their doctor before using pollen extracts.
Swanson, Graminex Flower Pollen Extract, Maximum Strength, 500 mg, 60 Capsules
Reference:
Graminex/Cernilton Pollen Extract and Prostate Health Written by Dr. Geo Espinosa, N.D., L.Ac, CNS, RH (AHG) Director of the Integrative Urological Center, NYU Langone Medical Center
