Q. Dear Terry, “I started waking up a few times per night to go to the bathroom. My doctor said my prostate is getting a little bit bigger, but that’s normal for my age (52 years old). Is there anything I can do to decrease the number of times I’m waking up?” – Geoff K., Sioux City, IA

A. Dear Geoff, Waking up in the middle of the night to urinate, often referred to as nocturia, can be very distressing for men and their loved ones. When the prostate enlarges with conditions like benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), it can put extra pressure on the urethra and cause the bladder to contract – giving the sensation that you need to urinate.

For bladder support, you may want to consider Angelica archangelica. Also called “Angel’s Herb”, this beautiful plant grows all over Iceland. When it comes to bladder support, this is the single, most efficacious botanical I have ever encountered. A special standardization of this herb may help anyone with nocturia, whether from BPH or other causes.

Not only does Angelica help to strengthen the bladder muscles, but it also helps increase bladder capacity. That means fewer trips to the bathroom and less urinary leakage.

I would take 100 mg of this herb twice per day for the first two or three days, and then you can try once per day after that. If you experience more incontinence issues in the evening, I would take it before bed and vice versa if your issues are generally in the morning and throughout the day.

When choosing a formula, I recommend finding one that features an aqueous (water) extract of Angelica and is clinically studied.

For additional prostate health, you could consider curcumin blended with turmeric essential oil, pomegranate extract with both seed and pulp oil, grape seed extract that is tannin-free, silybin from milk thistle, and vitamin D3. I would take 1,500 IU of vitamin D3 and 710 mg of curcumin, pomegranate seed oil, and French grape seed extract, and silybin combined daily.

Healthy Regards!

Terry . . . Naturally