A MESSAGE shared with the FactCheckHub via WhatsApp on April 20, 2021, claimed that onion juice could prevent and treat prostate diseases.
The message which has a call to action “share it to our men,” is titled, ‘Onion remedy for prostate’.
It directed men of all ages to drink a 33cl – equivalent to a generic soda can – of onion juice three times in six weeks, and it should be repeated after 10 years.
The Claim
Drinking a glass of onion juice three times in six weeks prevents, treat prostate diseases.
The Findings
This claim is FALSE; there is no evidence that onion juice taken in such dosage is effective against the prevention and treatment of prostate-related ailments.
An online search gives a potpourri of different self-help remedy using onion. While it has some benefits to human health, according to a 2002 study published in Phytotherapy Research, there is still insufficient evidence on its effectiveness in preventing and treating prostate diseases.
Also, Martin Igbokwe, a Urologist and Kidney Transplant Surgeon, noted that onion being a natural vegetable has some health benefit, but he said he was unaware of such benefit concerning the prescription in the claim.
“As doctors, we only do evidenced based medicine. Using onion juice [to prevent and treat prostate disease] is not scientifically proven. So, it is not true from the urological perspective”, Uyobong Brown, a Senior Registrar at the Division of Urology, National Hospital, Abuja (NHA) in Nigeria, told The FactCheckHub.
Medical doctors working in the Urology field spoken to by The FactCheckHub concurred with Uyobong.
Does prostate accumulate toxins due to urine and semen which passes through the urethra?
Furthermore, the circulated post also claimed that “from 25 years, the prostate accumulate toxins due to urine and semen which passes through the urethra”.
Medical experts dismissed this claim.
“It is not true. The prostate does not do that. The prostate is an organ that helps in reproduction. It aids the reproductive process. It doesn’t accumulate toxins”, Orbih Osilama, a medical doctor with the Urology Division of the NHA, told The FactCheckhub.
Osilama advised against consuming unregulated medication. It can lead to other ailments.
Prostate diseases
A prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system which produces fluid that carries sperm. The diseases are in a spectrum, It can be benign or malignant, Uyobong Brown explained.
Benign prostate diseases range from normal infections to prostate enlargement (Benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH), while malignant is prostate cancer, he noted.
The medical doctor explained that a benign enlargement (BPH) which can occur as men get older, does not mean a patient has cancer or raises the risk as “studies have shown size increment does not correlate with symptoms”.
He advised men who are 50 years and above to go for regular screening while noting an increased likelihood for men who have a family history of it.
In 2020, The FactCheckHub debunked social media posts claiming that consuming onion and garlic cures COVID-19.
Studies on onion and effect on prostate diseases
A 2004 study published in peer-reviewed British Journal of Cancer suggests that regular consumption of garlic and onion show promising signs of possessing chemopreventive activity in patients with prostate cancer.
Another study published in 2007 also found out that men with prostate enlargement (BPH) typically ate less garlic and fewer servings of onions per week than those without it. The study, however, pointed out some weakness which includes not taking into account changes in diet over time.
In a population based study in Shanghai, researchers found out that men who had a higher intake of total Allium vegetables had a reduced risk of prostate cancer than those who took less. Allium vegetables are garlic, scallions, onions, chives, and leeks.
However, the research also found out that “Men in the highest intake categories of chives and onions experienced nonsignificant risk reductions”. Like the previous studies cited, this implies that onion showed promise when combined with other vegetables, unlike as claimed in the WhatsApp message.
Onion did, however, show promise when studies were done on rats here and here.
In conclusion, there is no sufficient evidence yet that onion effectively prevents and treats prostate-related ailments.
Furthermore, studies carried out about onion and prostate diseases generally used regular vegetable intake than the thrice in 10 years prescribed in the circulated claim.
The Verdict
The claim that drinking a glass of onion juice three times in six weeks and repeating it after 10 years prevent and treat prostate diseases is FALSE.
Notes: The report was updated on April 24, 2021, to reflect studies on onion and prostate diseases.
Bamas Victoria is a multimedia journalist resident in Nigeria.
what is the quatity of onion juice to taken at once
Chemicals cost diseased prostate m’en a fortune monthly,so it is advised for natural onion or other plant cure
Onion juice is excellent in treating prostate cancer they just need to disapprove this medicine so they can sell there drugs
Onion as treatment for prostate is a very promising treatment. I had to wake up at night 3-4 times to urinate, I was diagnosed with BPH at 97cm, after the first of the 6 week treatment, I stopped waking up at night, after the second treatment, all difficulties of urinating ended. I took the final dose of the onion treatment and can authoritatively say it improved my sex life, stopped my frequent urinating and my drips after urinating has ended.
Dear good people,
I appreciate to be here, am going through pain in abdomen lower man woods, pain when pee, I no longer job to go hospital, advice to help trest the painful conditions. Thank you
Since onion is food, those with prostrate enlargement can try it if there are no risks involved in drinking onions juice on empty stomach.
You people are liars, you are trying to discourage us so that you can sell your prostate drugs. I did my Prostate test in January my prostate size was 97cm..when I did the test again on 31st October 2023 it came down to 65cm….I was using local herbs, onion juice and onion peels with honey.
Keep me informed always
You did a survey and asked professional opinion of some people. So, there is need to run a proper trial before dismissing onion use as FALSE.
I only want to ask if taken the onion juice as prescribed will have negative effects on human health……if not it worth trying
Thank you for this article I will do the exact opposite of what this article says. Anytime you guys are against something it’s because it works and it will hurt your pocket book.
Your report is not balanced madam. You only interviewed and seeks the opinion of medical doctors, who are known to disprove most things traditional, as a result of their training. You should have also interviewed a competent trado-medical expert to make your report balanced and acceptable. Also, that fact that something has not been proved doesn’t mean it can’t be true. Personally, I believe in the use of herbal drugs, and I trust the efficacy of onion juice in curing or ameliorating the effects of prostatitis.
Though it may not have been scientifically tested, onion juice (about 25 to 30cl) taken on empty stomach reduces symptomatic pain and enhances free urination subsequently. That something has not been tested in the lab does not mean it is falsehood. *** Moringa oleifera leaves for example, when boiled for 10mins and drunk about 40 cl induces sleep in humans*** (personal experience)
An adage among the Yoruba race says, whoever says cotton is not heavy, it’s obvious he only took the size to get fire. I’m having a friend who’s PSA levels was disturbing and the doctor have advice operation but when I asked him to take the Onion juice remedy, he went for second test and was shocked to see the PSA levels return to normal. Probably these urologist need to test it too before they can confidently say it’s NOT TRUE.
Is any way prostate enlargment can be completely cured?
Pls I just want to ask a question nt comment can eating raw onions shrink prostate enlargement