Bladder Control
With Water-Soluble Pumpkin Seed
The Canadian Urinary Bladder Survey shows that about 43% of men and 57% of women are affected by lower urinary tract symptoms, such as nocturia (frequent nighttime urination), overactive bladder (OAB), and urination urgency.
Weakening of the bladder and the sphincter muscle that controls the release of urine is typically an issue for people over the age of 40, and becomes increasingly common in older age. Men and women are afflicted with bladder irritation for different reasons. For women, weakening of the pelvic floor muscles and bladder sphincter can make it more difficult to control urine flow. Men may be affected by the enlargement of their prostate gland, which compresses the urethral canal.
Pumpkin seed has been traditionally used in herbal medicine throughout Europe as a remedy for urinary problems associated with an enlarged prostate gland and irritable bladder. It is approved by the German Commission E as a therapeutic agent for these conditions. The underlying mechanisms behind pumpkin seeds’ benefits are not entirely clear. From a nutritional standpoint, pumpkin seeds contain amino acid precursors for nitric oxide, which is needed to relax the urination muscles and decrease pressure in a full bladder.
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, women diagnosed with OAB were supplemented with a combination of 875 mg of pumpkin seed extract and 125 mg of soy germ extract per day for 12 weeks. Significant improvements in OAB symptoms were identified, in addition to improvements in daily urination frequency, urgency, incontinence, and nighttime urination, compared to baseline measurements. Compared to the placebo group, supplementation was most significant for measures of daily urination frequency and urgency, and frequency of nighttime urination.
A clinical trial was conducted on women ages 35–84 who reported symptoms of stress incontinence, such as urination during physical movements, coughing, or sneezing. Women were supplemented with a total daily dose of 875 mg of pumpkin seed extract and 164 mg of soy germ extract. After six weeks, the total rate of improvement was 87.5%, with 27.1% of participants identified as “markedly improved.” By the end of the trial, women were experiencing 68% fewer episodes of stress incontinence per day than before supplementation.
