Stinging Nettle Leaf Helps Deal with BPH And More

Nettle has been called the masochist’s herb. This is because, in the past the sharp leaves were used in urtication, a self-flagellation, driving the beneficial chemicals in the leaf into the skin painfully! It was a treatment for arthritis and skin disease. Apparently it worked because of the antihistamines and anti-inflammatories in the leaf that were beaten into the body. Aren’t you glad you can gain the benefits of nettle without beating yourself with it?

Stinging nettle is a perennial plant. The stem grows from 2 to 7 feet high and bears serrated, pointed leaves. The small, greenish flowers grow in clusters from July to September.

Nettle contains many helpful ingredients: chlorophyll, vitamin C and vitamin A, bio-available minerals, including calcium, silicon, and potassium chloride, protein, and dietary fiber.

The antihistamines in nettle make it an excellent treatment for hay fever. Nettle is also used to loosen congestion and open the bronchial airways in people with asthma or allergies. In addition it is used to treat inflammatory skin conditions.

Nettle helps people with arthritis by reducing the dosage of drugs and thus their side effects. Nettle also contains large amounts of silicon and boron that ease symptoms of bursitis, arthritis, and tendonitis. Nettle is able to treat urinary tract infections and increase the production of urine. It is a mild laxative, and can increase the efficiency of kidney and liver function. As a bitter herb, nettle purifies the blood and is thus used to treat ulcers, asthma, bronchitis, hemorrhoids, jaundice, nephritis, and spasmodic dysmenorrhea.

Nettle’s use makes quite an impressive list: dysentery, diarrhea, hemorrhages, gravel, febrile affections, chronic diseases of the colon, nephritic complaints, eczematous affections, eczema of the face, neck and ears, and chronic cystitis. Externally it has been effective in treating burns, scalds, bleeding wounds, nettle rash (yes, you can use nettle to treat nettle pain), nosebleed, and urticaria.

Nettle is a standard herbal treatment of symptoms in men with BPH. The prostate becomes enlarged and causes men to develop problems with urination. Nettle helps both in urination during the day and in not as frequent visits during the night. How does this work? Nettle keeps the body from converting testosterone into 5-alpha-reductase, an enzyme that makes the prostate gland begin to grow again after 40. However nettle does not decrease the enlargement of the prostate. In combination with either pygeum bark extract or saw palmetto, nettle has been, in some, as effective as the drug finasteride. Some believe it can even stimulate hair growth.

Nettle is one of nature’s diuretics. It aids the body in eliminating uric acid and bacteria both of which cause urinary tract infections and kidney stones. This diuretic action of nettle may also help relieve premenstrual bloating and lower blood pressure. Should pregnant or nursing women take nettle? This is a debated issue. One side says it might cause the uterus to contract. Others say this is not a problem when taken in moderation. Perhaps the safety of this practice is related to when the nettle is harvested. If it is cut before it flowers, it seems to be safe in this regard.

The dried leaf used as tea, capsules, tablets, and tinctures are available. Dried root products, often combined with saw palmetto, are also available in prostate mixtures. Some enjoy using its strong taste to flavor food. A note about storage: nettle should be stored in a dark, dry, and cool place.

Due to its diuretic action, prolonged use of nettle can cause an electrolyte imbalance. Also, people who take nettle on a regular basis should make sure they get enough potassium in their diet. For more on nettle leaf benefits, visit More Than Alive, a website dedicated to promoting bulk herbs and their benefits to human health.