Root and leaf of the stinging nettle.
Why it’s used: Traditionally used to support prostate health and healthy hair.
Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) needs little introduction to anyone who has walked through a British hedgerow in shorts. Beneath its fierce reputation is one of the most useful wild plants in Europe. The young leaves have long been cooked into soups and teas, the fibres were once woven into cloth, and both the leaf and the root have a place in herbal tradition.
The two parts are used for different things. Nettle root, the dried underground root and rhizome, is traditionally used to support prostate health, and European herbal regulators recognise nettle root preparations as traditional herbal products for urinary symptoms linked to an enlarged prostate, once a doctor has ruled out anything more serious. Nettle leaf is traditionally used to support healthy hair. On labels you will see nettle root extract, nettle leaf or Urtica dioica, often in men's blends with pumpkin seed and saw palmetto, or in hair formulas.
Nettle root has been studied in eight randomised, placebo-controlled trials for urinary symptoms in men, but European regulators judged the evidence not strong enough to go beyond traditional use. Nettle root was first used for urinary complaints in the 1950s, while the use of nettle leaf for hair rests mainly on folk tradition.
3 findings behind this ingredient. Hover a card for the detail and the source.
Six-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 620 men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Symptom scores improved in 81% on nettle versus 16% on placebo, and peak urine flow rose more on nettle.
Randomised placebo-controlled trial in 60 men with BPH taking 450 mg nettle root extract a day for 12 weeks. IPSS improved with a moderate effect, alongside lower hs-CRP and oxidative stress markers; no side effects were seen.
Double-blind, multicentre trial in 257 men with BPH taking 160 mg sabal and 120 mg nettle root extract twice daily for 24 weeks. IPSS fell by 6 points versus 4 on placebo; effects cannot be attributed to nettle alone.
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No. Nettle root is traditionally used to support prostate health, while nettle leaf is traditionally used to support healthy hair and is also eaten as a food. They contain different compounds, so check which part a product uses.
Nettle root is traditionally used to support prostate health, and European regulators accept this traditional use for urinary symptoms linked to an enlarged prostate. See your GP first, as urinary symptoms can have other causes that need checking.
Side effects are uncommon but can include nausea, heartburn, bloating, diarrhoea and allergic skin reactions such as itching or rash. Stop taking it and speak to a pharmacist if you notice anything unusual.
Information only, not medical advice. If you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, speak to your GP or pharmacist first.
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