When it comes to men’s health, there are many important aspects to consider: prostate health, libido, fertility, and heart and nervous system health, as examples. For all of these concerns, at every age, herbs and supplements for men can help to naturally support the body.*
One of the most important ways to nourish your health and well-being is to support your endocrine system, which produces hormones that control much of your body’s functions. Hormones are the body's messengers, carrying vital information to organs and tissues.
In the hierarchy of the endocrine system, the reproductive hormones are on bottom, as they are not essential to sustaining life (although your libido is connected to overall wellness). The thyroid and the adrenals are on top, as they control life-sustaining functions such as metabolism and the innate stress response.
Though a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress-management practices are all key for feeling your best, the right supplements can also help gently and naturally support your body’s rhythms and functions.*
Here, we discuss five of the best herbs to support men’s health through all seasons of life.* Keep scrolling to read about the wonders of each herb and to discover how to easily work them into your daily routine with supplements.
5 Herbs and Supplements for Men’s Health*
There are many herbs and mushrooms that can support general well-being for both men and women.* Here, we focus on Ashwagandha, Hawthorn, Maca, Nettle, and Saw Palmetto.
We believe these are five of the most important herbs for men because they nourish the endocrine, nervous, cardiovascular, and immune systems; support healthy libido and fertility; and promote healthy prostate gland function.*
Ashwagandha
When your body is stressed, your immune and nervous systems can be affected, leaving you depleted. Adaptogenic herbs help nourish nervous and immune system health by supporting a positive mood, healthy energy levels, and overall immune function.*
Ashwagandha is one of the most popular Ayurvedic herbs used today. This herb is both a tonic, meaning it supports the body's overall well-being, and an adaptogen, meaning it supports the body's natural resistance to stress.*
Ashwagandha Supplements for Men
Ashwagandha (like most of the other herbs we mention in this article) is not a common culinary herb you’d find at the grocery store or on the dinner table. But with an herbal supplement, you can easily bring this plant into your day-to-day life and reap its benefits.*
Ashwagandha Capsules
As we mentioned above, your immune and nervous systems can both take a hit when you are stressed, leaving you feeling worn down and depleted. Gaia Herbs Ashwagandha Root is designed for stress support, helping the body cope with stress in a healthy way.*
Each one-capsule serving delivers 2.5 mg withanolides (the herb’s active beneficial compounds) from 2,700 mg of dry herb, providing your body with a potent dose of Ashwagandha and no unnecessary additives.*
This is a great supplement for busy professionals and anyone dealing with ongoing stress.* Simply take one capsule twice a day.
Ashwagandha Powder
We also include Ashwagandha in Gaia Herbs Everyday AdaptogenTM Mushrooms & Herbs powder. In addition, this USDA Certified Organic powder supplement contains Cordyceps, Rhodiola, and a variety of other mushrooms and energizing herbs.*
This supplement is perfect for physically active individuals. Adding Everyday Adaptogen to your daily routine is a simple way to help fight occasional fatigue and maintain peak performance.*
All you need is one teaspoon of powder per day, which can easily be mixed in water, dairy or non-dairy milk, or added to a smoothie.
Hawthorn
Hawthorn is so closely connected to the heart that the tree has long been a symbol of love.
The herb has been used as a heart tonic since first-century Rome.* Hawthorn (Crataegus spp.) extracts have been well-researched for their ability to support many different aspects of heart function and cardiovascular health.*
The trees bear delicate white flowers with a deep, musky smell, and the berries, leaves, and flowers are all used to support heart function.* In addition, this herb has traditionally been used to support the emotional aspects of the heart, including grief.*
Hawthorn Supplements for Men
There are a couple of different ways to take Hawthorn in its pure form: a liquid extract or capsule.
Hawthorn Liquid Extract
Gaia Herbs Hawthorn Supreme liquid extract is formulated with organic Hawthorn berry, leaf, and flower to support a healthy and happy heart.*
If you’ve never used a liquid extract before, it is both convenient and easily digestible.* Simply mix 40-60 drops of Hawthorn Supreme in a small amount of water and take it three to four times daily between meals.
Hawthorn Capsules
If you prefer to take a capsule, there’s a Hawthorn supplement for you, too. Gaia Herbs Hawthorn Supreme capsules contain a synergistic blend of Hawthorn berry, leaf, and flower in easy-to-take Liquid Phyto-CapsⓇ. Each capsule delivers 750 mg of dry herb equivalent.
Take one capsule two times a day between meals.
Rest assured that both of these herbal supplements provide you with the Hawthorn you want and nothing you don't—no fillers or unwanted ingredients. They are vegan and free of corn, dairy, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, soy, sugar, tree nuts, and yeast.
Maca
Maca hails from the Andes mountains of Peru, an extreme environment in which this herb uniquely thrives.
Maca root (Lepidium meyenii) has been used as a performance enhancer since the days of the Inca warriors.* It supports a healthy libido and promotes healthy energy and stamina.*
This root helps give you the energy you need without the caffeine crash.* Additionally, it’s considered a superfood, as it packs a nutritious punch of essential amino acids, fatty acids, iron, and calcium.1
Recently, studies have shown that Maca can naturally support male fertility by helping to maintain normal reproductive hormone levels.* There is also evidence that Maca can boost sperm count as well as movement.2
While more research and clinical studies will need to be done before any definitive conclusions can be drawn about the effect of this herb on increased sperm function, we are excited by these promising early results.*
Thanks to its nutty, delicious taste, Maca can be readily incorporated into the diet and is commonly added to smoothies, oatmeal, and juice. But it can also be taken as a supplement.
Maca Supplements for Men
Like many other herbs, Maca comes in powder and capsule form. Both are excellent ways to work it into your wellness regimen.
Maca Powder
Maca powder makes a delicious and healthy addition to smoothies and other recipes.
If you’re looking for only Maca, opt for Gaia Herbs Maca Powder, which is made with nothing more than organic Maca root that is ethically harvested by our trusted partners high in the Peruvian Andes.
Our organic Maca goes through a process known as gelatinization, which uses heat and water to make it easier to digest.*
Make a smoothie with Maca Boost® Cacao Ginger to also add the flavor and health benefits of Cacao, Ginger, and Rhodiola.* To get even more creative, try our recipes for Maca Matcha Lattes, Maca Chocolate Crackle, No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars, and Maca Coladas.
Both of these Gaia Herbs Maca powders are made with Maca roots that are slowly sun-dried according to traditional methods, which promotes an optimal amount of final bioactive compounds.*
Maca Capsules
To take Maca in capsule form, consider trying Gaia Herbs Maca Root or Male Libido.
Maca Root contains only Maca and is popular among athletes, weekend warriors, and anyone looking to stay physically active.*
We’ve also used Maca in our Male Libido formula, which contains a blend of herbs traditionally known to support healthy stamina and vitality.* In addition to Maca, this supplement is made with Horny Goat Weed, Saw Palmetto, and Oats.
The Oats used in this product are grown right on our Certified Organic Gaia Farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and are extracted fresh immediately after harvest to preserve full spectrum compounds for optimal potency.*
At the Gaia Farm, we practice regenerative agriculture and carefully nurture and observe each plant we grow, allowing it to flourish in the sun until just the right moment to harvest.
For plants used in our supplements that we cannot grow on our own farm, we turn to our network of dedicated organic and sustainable growers farming in communities where these herbs grow best.
All Gaia Herb products are purity-tested to provide you with the highest quality supplement. Because we believe that you deserve to know exactly what’s in your herbal supplements, we created meetyourherbs.com, the world’s first herb traceability platform.
By using your product’s herb ID number, you will discover the origin of your herbs; learn how they were grown, harvested, and extracted; and see validation of your product’s level of purity and potency.
Nettle
You may know Nettles (Urtica dioica) from their sting when you brush up against them. However, this plant also has a rich history of use to support health and wellness.*
While Nettle leaf is most commonly used in Western herbalism, the root and seeds of this plant are also beneficial.*
The leaves support a healthy inflammatory response and natural histamine levels, while the seeds promote healthy kidney function.* Finally, the roots have been traditionally used specifically for men's health, to support healthy function of the prostate gland.*
Nettle Supplements for Men
Gaia Herbs Nettle Leaf liquid extract and Nettle Leaf capsules are both great options to try if you’re looking for a pure Nettle supplement.
To support the prostate gland with Nettle as well as other powerful herbs, use a supplement designed specifically for men, like Gaia Herbs Prostate Health.*
The prostate grows naturally with age, usually without problems. In some men, however, the enlarged prostate compresses the urethra, making urination difficult and causing frequent urination.
Gaia Herbs Prostate Health is made with herbs traditionally used for maintaining prostate function and can help you continue to go with ease.* It contains Nettle as well as Saw Palmetto, Green Tea, Pomegranate, Rosemary, and other herbs.
For best results, take two capsules in the morning and one in the evening.
We’ve already mentioned Saw Palmetto as one of the star ingredients in both Prostate Health and Male Libido, so let’s close out our top five best herbs for men list by talking about it.
Saw Palmetto
Saw Palmetto promotes healthy prostate gland function.*
This small shrub is native to the Southeastern US, and its berries were a food source for Native Americans. It has long been used to support healthy prostate function associated with the natural processes of aging.*
In addition, Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) has recently been studied to support healthy hormone balance in women.* This plant's name comes from its saw-toothed leaves with thorny stems.
Saw Palmetto Supplements for Men
Saw Palmetto is somewhat of a do-it-all herb for men because it has been used as a complete genital and urinary tonic.* So what about a Saw Palmetto supplement for men?
Gaia Herbs Saw Palmetto is made with a concentrated single herb extract traditionally for maintaining healthy prostate function.* Each capsule delivers 160 mg of Saw Palmetto fatty acids. One capsule twice a day is all you need.
Men’s Health and Wellness the Natural Way
Looking after your health requires focusing on the building blocks of wellness: a healthy diet, regular exercise, and stress management. But it also means providing targeted care for your heart, nervous system, endocrine system, prostate, libido, and fertility.
The herbs and supplements for men listed above can help provide your body with the natural support it needs.*
To reap the benefits of Ashwagandha, Hawthorn, Maca, Nettle, and Saw Palmetto, opt for Gaia Herbs supplements such as Ashwagandha Root, Male Libido, Prostate Health, and Saw Palmetto. If you prefer a powder format, choose Maca Powder or Everyday Adaptogen.
By making a powder or capsule supplement part of your daily routine, you can easily and naturally support your overall health and well-being throughout all of life’s changes.*
REFERENCES:
- M. Hermann and J. Heller, Andean Roots and Tubers: Ahipa, Arracacha, Maca and Yacon. (Rome, Italy: International Plant Genetics Resources Institute, 1997): 186, https://bit.ly/3qGLL59.
- Gustavo Gonzales, “Ethnobiology and Ethnopharmacology of Lepidium Meyenii (Maca), a Plant from the Peruvian Highlands,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2011), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3184420.