Awaiting clinical review. This page is built from sourced entries but has not yet been signed off by a pharmacist or clinician.
Natural remedies for men’s health
Direct answer
Nothing here is rated better than Limited (2), so no herb has convincing evidence for men’s health problems. Nettle root has one large positive trial for urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate, ginseng gives a small, borderline-useful gain in erectile dysfunction, and ashwagandha has only limited data for male fertility. Erectile dysfunction and new urinary symptoms are worth a doctor’s visit before you self-treat, because either can point to another condition.
Compare the options
Click a column heading to sort.
| Rated for | Typical form & use | Main caution | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashwagandha Withania somnifera (root) | Limited | Male fertility | Root extract, 250–600 mg a day | Avoid with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer | 4+ weeks |
| Ginseng Panax ginseng (root) | Limited | Erectile dysfunction | Korean red ginseng, 1.8–3 g daily | May lower blood sugar and disturb sleep | 4+ weeks |
| Nettle Urtica dioica (root and leaf) | Limited | Prostate urinary symptoms (root) | Root extract, about 300–720 mg a day | See a doctor for urinary symptoms before self-treating | 4+ weeks |
- Rated for
- Male fertility
- Form
- Root extract, 250–600 mg a day
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Erectile dysfunction
- Form
- Korean red ginseng, 1.8–3 g daily
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
- Rated for
- Prostate urinary symptoms (root)
- Form
- Root extract, about 300–720 mg a day
- Onset
- 4+ weeks
Quick picks
Nettle root is rated Limited (2) for prostate urinary symptoms. One 620-man trial found improved symptoms in 81% versus 16% on placebo, but a systematic review found no convincing evidence for nettle alone. Get the symptoms assessed first.
Traditional favouriteGinsengA 2021 Cochrane review rated ginseng Limited (2) for erectile dysfunction: a 3.5-point gain on a 30-point scale, below the 4-point level the reviewers treated as meaningful, with low-certainty evidence. It was never compared with standard drugs such as sildenafil.
Talk to a doctor first if…
Who should avoid
Ashwagandha is not advised in pregnancy, with thyroid or autoimmune conditions, or with existing liver disease, and it may raise testosterone, so it is a poor fit for hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Ginseng is not advised with diabetes medicines or warfarin without asking a clinician, and can disturb sleep. Nettle root is not recommended under 18, and urinary symptoms with fever, blood in the urine or retention need a doctor first.
Known interactions
Ginseng may reduce the effect of warfarin (one trial saw a lower INR with American ginseng, another found none with Panax ginseng), and it may lower blood sugar. Ashwagandha may add to thyroid medication, sedatives and immunosuppressants. The nettle root entry lists no known interactions.
Before you reach for an ingredient
For erectile dysfunction and prostate urinary symptoms, the NHS lifestyle steps come first, and both problems are worth a GP appointment.
- For erectile dysfunction, the NHS suggests losing weight if you are overweight, stopping smoking, eating a healthy diet, exercising daily, easing stress and anxiety, and keeping to 14 units of alcohol a week or less. It says to see a GP or sexual health clinic if erection problems keep happening, as it might be a sign of a treatable health condition.1
- Erectile dysfunction can be an early sign of heart disease. A 2019 meta-analysis of 25 studies (154,794 men) found men with ED had a 43% higher risk of cardiovascular disease and a 59% higher risk of coronary heart disease than men without it. These were mostly observational studies, so ED is a warning sign, not a proven cause.2
- For urinary symptoms, the NHS advises seeing a GP if you have difficulty peeing or need to pee more often, because they can sometimes be caused by conditions such as prostate cancer. It says to get urgent help if there is blood in your pee, pain when peeing, or you cannot pee. Self-help includes cutting down on alcohol and caffeine, drinking less before bed, and keeping to a healthy weight.3
Questions people ask
Does ginseng work for erectile dysfunction?
Only slightly. A 2021 Cochrane review of 9 trials found a 3.5-point gain on the 30-point IIEF score, below the 4-point threshold the reviewers treated as clinically meaningful, and rated the certainty low. It has not been compared with standard drugs such as sildenafil.
Should I see a doctor about erectile dysfunction?
Yes, if it keeps happening. The NHS says it may be a sign of a treatable health condition, and a 2019 meta-analysis found ED was linked to a higher risk of heart and circulation disease. A GP can check your blood pressure and other causes.
Can nettle root treat an enlarged prostate?
The evidence is limited. One 6-month trial of 620 men reported symptom improvement in 81% on nettle root against 16% on placebo, but it was a single-centre trial and a systematic review found no convincing evidence for nettle alone. The NHS says urinary symptoms should be checked by a GP because they can have more serious causes.
Does ashwagandha improve male fertility?
Possibly, but the evidence is limited. A systematic review found higher sperm concentration and motility in men with low counts after about 90 days, though it included only one randomised trial. NCCIH calls the fertility evidence limited.
Sources
- Health service guidance NHS. Erectile dysfunction (impotence). nhs.uk (page last reviewed 28 July 2023).
- Meta-analysis Zhao B, Hong Z, Wei Y, Yu D, Xu J, Zhang W. Erectile Dysfunction Predicts Cardiovascular Events as an Independent Risk Factor: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Sex Med. 2019.
- Health service guidance NHS. Enlarged prostate. nhs.uk.
Draft, awaiting clinical review