Ingredients
Inosine, Oat Straw and Cayenne in Protoflow
Inosine (50 mg), oat straw (32 mg) and cayenne (20 mg) are the three smallest lines on the Protoflow panel, together 102 mg of 1,531 mg. We found no trial of any of them for the prostate or for urine flow. Only cayenne is named on the sales page.
Written by the Protoflow label teamUpdated
The three01
What are inosine, oat straw and cayenne?
Inosine is a purine building block sold for energy, oat straw is the green stem of the oat plant used as a traditional tonic, and cayenne is a hot pepper.
The label lists "Inosine", 50 mg, "Oat Straw", 32 mg and "Cayenne", 20 mg, in the last three places. Together they make up 6.7% of the 1,531 mg of non-vitamin lines. Only cayenne is named on the sales page. None has a Daily Value.
The three do not belong to the same family. Inosine is a compound found in the body, oat straw is a plant, and cayenne is a spice. They share the last place on the panel and little else.
| Name on the label | Inosine |
|---|---|
| What it is | A purine nucleoside |
| Place on the label | 12 of 14 |
| Amount per serving (2 capsules) | 50 mg |
| Per capsule, if split evenly | 25 mg (the label does not say) |
| % Daily Value | Not established |
| Named on the sales page? | No |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose tied to a prostate effect |
| Strength of evidence | Not established for this use |
| Marketed or traditional use | Sold for energy and exercise |
| Main caution | A purine, so ask a clinician if you have gout or kidney stones. |
| Name on the label | Oat Straw (Stalks) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Avena sativa stalks |
| Place on the label | 13 of 14 |
| Amount per serving (2 capsules) | 32 mg |
| Per capsule, if split evenly | 16 mg (the label does not say) |
| % Daily Value | Not established |
| Named on the sales page? | No |
| Amount used in research | No studied dose tied to a prostate effect |
| Strength of evidence | Not established for this use |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional tonic |
| Main caution | A food-type herb; allergy and gluten questions belong with your clinician. |
| Name on the label | Cayenne (Fruit) |
|---|---|
| What it is | Capsicum annuum fruit |
| Place on the label | 14 of 14 |
| Amount per serving (2 capsules) | 20 mg |
| Per capsule, if split evenly | 10 mg (the label does not say) |
| % Daily Value | Not established |
| Named on the sales page? | Yes, without an amount |
| Amount used in research | Capsaicin studies used milligram doses for other uses |
| Strength of evidence | No prostate data |
| Marketed or traditional use | Traditional warming spice |
| Main caution | Stomach irritation; may increase cough with ACE-inhibitor blood pressure drugs. |
Inosine02
What does research say about inosine?
Inosine is a purine nucleoside sold as a supplement, and we found no trial of inosine for prostate or urinary use (EBSCO, Inosine research starter).
It has been studied for other things, but those studies are not about this product or this use. It is sold mainly for energy and has been studied in other settings. A purine can also be turned into uric acid in the body, so people with gout or high uric acid levels are often told to ask a doctor before using purine supplements.
At 50 mg a serving the amount is small. Doses in other research settings were often larger, so do not read 50 mg as a studied dose.
Oat straw03
What is oat straw used for?
Oat straw (Avena sativa herb) is used in herbal teas and tinctures as a calming tonic, and we found no trial of it for the prostate or urinary flow (EMA, Avenae herba (oat herb)).
The European Medicines Agency keeps a herbal medicines entry for oat herb. An entry like that records traditional use, not proof of effect. Oat straw at 32 mg is a tiny amount, and a cup of the tea would hold far more.
Oats can be a source of gluten through cross-contact, and the sales page says the product is gluten-free. The label does not carry a gluten-free statement of its own. If you have celiac disease, ask the order desk how the claim is supported before you buy.
Cayenne04
What does cayenne do in a capsule?
Cayenne contains capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers hot, and its studied effects on weight, appetite and blood sugar are small (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)).
Memorial Sloan Kettering reports a possible effect on insulin and blood glucose that rests on a single small study. Side effects include stomach irritation and pain, and cayenne may increase cough in people taking ACE-inhibitor blood pressure drugs, and may affect other blood pressure medicines (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)).
At 20 mg per serving, the amount is small, and many people would not notice it. Still, men who get heartburn or who take blood pressure medicine should keep it in mind.
See a doctor today
- You cannot pass urine at all, or only a few drops with a full, painful bladder
- Blood or clots in the urine
- Fever or chills with burning or painful urination
- Severe pain in the lower belly, back or genitals
- A sudden change after a fall or injury
Book an appointment
- A weak or slow stream, or stopping and starting
- Needing to go again soon after you finish
- Waking more than usual at night to urinate
- A sudden, strong urge that is hard to hold
- Dribbling after you finish
- A new erection problem, or a PSA you have not discussed
Urinary symptoms can come from an enlarged prostate, infection, diabetes, medicines, sleep apnea, and sometimes cancer. Lists drawn from NIDDK (NIDDK, Enlarged Prostate (BPH)) and MedlinePlus (MedlinePlus, Nocturia). A supplement cannot sort these causes out.
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See packsAt a glance05
How do the three minor lines compare?
| Line | Per serving | On sales page? | Prostate or flow trial | Main caution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inosine | 50 mg | No | None found (EBSCO, Inosine research starter) | Purine; ask if you have gout |
| Oat straw | 32 mg | No | None found (EMA, Avenae herba (oat herb)) | Gluten cross-contact if you have celiac disease |
| Cayenne | 20 mg | Yes | None found | Stomach irritation; blood pressure drugs (MSKCC, Cayenne (Capsicum)) |
Asking first06
Do the minor lines matter for most men?
Rarely, because the amounts are small, but they matter for men with gout, celiac disease, heartburn or blood pressure medicine.
These are small lines on a long label. For most men, the bigger questions are niacin and the bleeding cautions. If any of the groups above fits you, mention it when you ask a doctor or pharmacist.
Return to the full ingredients page or read the saw palmetto page.
FAQ07
Inosine, oat straw and cayenne: questions answered
What is inosine in Protoflow?
Inosine is a purine nucleoside listed at 50 mg per serving. We found no trial of inosine for prostate or urinary use.
Is oat straw gluten-free?
Oats can pick up gluten through cross-contact. The sales page says gluten-free, but the label has no gluten-free statement, so ask the order desk if you have celiac disease.
How much cayenne is in Protoflow?
The label lists 20 mg of cayenne per serving, the smallest line. It is the only one of the three named on the sales page.
Can cayenne upset the stomach?
Yes. Memorial Sloan Kettering lists stomach irritation and pain among cayenne side effects. The label amount is small.
Does inosine raise uric acid?
Purines can be turned into uric acid, so people with gout are often told to ask a doctor first. Studies of this at 50 mg are not in our sources.
Do these three lines help with urination?
No trial we found says so. They appear on the label as the last three lines, and their share of the formula is under 7%.
Who wrote this08
Written and reviewed by
Pages built from the label, the sales page and linked NIH, FDA, FTC and peer-reviewed sources.
Last updated . Read our editorial standards and how we check reviews. This website is run by a USA authorized retailer of Protoflow, not by the manufacturer or the label distributor. Buying through our order links earns us money.
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