Even with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, maintaining good prostate health is not always easy for maturing men. Enlargement of the prostate gland is a common condition, but fortunately one that has a widely used natural remedy.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or inflammation of the prostate gland, occurs quite often in maturing American men. An estimated 4.4 million men in the United States experience doctor’s visits in which BPH is the primary diagnosis, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

The symptoms of BPH include lower back pain, aches in the prostate region and urinary troubles, including frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.

What can men do to reduce the risk or extent of BPH? Among other natural supplements, they may take saw palmetto extract, according to a Fox News report.

The news provider estimates that 30 previous studies have associated the extract, which comes from the saw palmetto tree, with improved prostate health and function.

After reviewing the market and medical information available on the substance, Consumer Reports concluded that saw palmetto extract effectively helps relieve symptoms of BPH.