During my research, I ran across this article (below).
If anyone out there is suffering from Peyronies, this natural remedy maybe be useful.
Whether or not this will work for a regular, non-Peyronies curve like mine is something that I will not know until I see my urologist next month.
Meanwhile, I am taking 1200 mg per day of Acetyl L- Carnitine HCL to see if it helps.
I will let you know what my urologist says.
ConsumerLab.com - Testing Supplements for 20 Years
Search
— Select a Review —
My Account | Sign Out
Natural and Alternative Treatments
Print PDF | Print
Natural and Alternative Treatments Index Page | Conditions:
Peyronie’s Disease
En Español (Spanish Version)
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments | Other Proposed Natural Treatments | Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With Caution | References
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine; Para-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA)
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
• Gotu Kola; Vitamin E
Peyronie’s disease is a condition in which a plaque (a thickened, hardened piece of tissue) forms on one side of the penis. If the plaque becomes large enough, it reduces flexibility of the penis. During erection, the less-flexible part of the penis expands to a lesser extent, causing the penis to bend. Pain may occur as well. Severe curvature of the penis can make intercourse difficult or even impossible.
The cause of Peyronie’s disease is unknown, but it may involve injury to the penis that causes local bleeding, which in turn leads to the formation of fibrous tissue. However, the majority of cases occur without any obvious preceding injury.
People with Peyronie’s disease may have a generalized tendency to form fibrous tissue, as shown by a higher-than-average incidence of Dupuytren’s contracture (a condition in which fibrous tissue develops in the hands among men with Peyronie’s). The condition also appears to be partially heritable.
Treatment of Peyronie’s disease consists first and foremost of watchful waiting. In many cases, the disease never becomes severe enough to cause serious difficulty. Pain on erection generally decreases with time, and in some cases the extent of curvature also decreases.
When the condition is too severe to ignore, there are a variety of methods that may be tried, including injection of various drugs into the fibrous plaque, use of radiation therapy, and surgery. Of all these, only surgery is widely accepted as effective. However, because it can cause complications, such as shortening of the penis, it is usually reserved for serious cases.
Principal Proposed Natural Treatments
Acetyl-L-Carnitine
L-carnitine is an amino acid the body uses to turn fat into energy. It is not usually considered a nutrient because the body can manufacture all it needs. Two forms of L-carnitine—acetyl-L-carnitine and propionyl-L-carnitine—have been tried as treatments for Peyronie’s disease.
A 3-month, double-blind study compared the effectiveness of acetyl-L-carnitine to the drug tamoxifen in 48 men with Peyronie’s disease.1 Acetyl-L-carnitine (at a dose of 1 g daily) reduced penile curvature, while tamoxifen did not. In addition, the supplement reduced pain and slowed disease progression to a greater extent than tamoxifen.
Another study evaluated the potential benefits of combination therapy with propionyl-L-carnitine and an injected medication (verapamil).2 In this trial, 60 people with severe Peyronie’s disease were given verapamil injections plus 3 months of treatment with either propionyl-L-carnitine (2 g per day) or tamoxifen. Use of propionyl-L-carnitine plus verapamil significantly reduced penile curvature, plaque size, and the need for surgery, while tamoxifen plus verapamil had little effect.
These studies remain preliminary, but their results are definitely encouraging. For more information, see the full Acetyl-L-Carnitine article.
Paraminobenzoic Acid
Para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) has been suggested for a variety of diseases in which abnormal fibrous tissue is involved, including Peyronie’s disease.3-5 However, there has only been one reported double-blind study. (For more information on why such studies are essential, see Why Does This Database Rely on Double-blind Studies?) This trial enrolled 103 men with Peyronie’s disease and followed them for 1 year.6 The results showed that use of PABA at a dose of 3g 4 times daily significantly slowed the progression of Peyronie’s disease; it did not, however, reduce pre-existing plaque.
For more information, including dosage and safety issues, see the full PABA article.
Other Proposed Natural Treatments
Vitamin E has also been advocated for the treatment of Peyronie’s disease, as well as for the related condition Dupuytren’s contracture, but there is as yet no meaningful evidence that it is effective.
The herb gotu kola is used to treat various conditions in which fibrous scar tissue causes problems, and for that reason it has been advocated for Peyronie’s disease. However, again there is no meaningful evidence that it is effective.
Herbs and Supplements to Use Only With Caution
Various herbs and supplements may interact adversely with drugs used to treat Peyronie’s disease. For more information on this potential risk, see the individual drug articles in the Drug Interactions section of this database.
References [ + ]
Last reviewed December 2015 by EBSCO CAM Review Board
Last Updated: 12/15/2015
Back to Top
EBSCO Information Services is fully accredited by URAC. URAC is an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation.
This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.
