Home Ingredients Plasys300® (Rye Pollen and Beta-Sitosterol Blend — Pharmactive)
Prostate HealthKidney/Urinary TractMen's Health

Plasys300® (Rye Pollen and Beta-Sitosterol Blend — Pharmactive)

Evidence Level
Preliminary
1 Clinical Trial
6 Documented Benefits
1/5 Evidence Score

Plasys300 is an ingredient from Pharmactive Biotech Products that combines cereal pollen (chiefly rye pollen) with plant sterols, mainly beta-sitosterol, sold for men's prostate and urinary comfort. The maker states it is standardized to at least 50% phytosterols and at least 1% essential amino acids. Plasys300 itself has not been tested against a placebo. Its only human data is a maker-run 8-week survey of 50 men with frequent nighttime urination, with no control group and no peer-reviewed report. The controlled evidence comes from other beta-sitosterol products: in two 6-month placebo-controlled trials in men with benign prostatic enlargement, 60 mg or 130 mg a day improved symptom scores and urine flow, and prostate volume did not fall in the trial that reported it. Those products differ, so their doses may not match Plasys300. See a doctor before self-treating urinary symptoms.

Studied Dose One 300 mg capsule a day in a maker-run 8-week survey with no placebo group; no controlled trial exists. Placebo-controlled trials of other beta-sitosterol products used 60 mg a day (20 mg three times daily) or 130 mg a day for 6 months; those products differ, so the amounts may not match Plasys300.
Active Compound Cereal pollen (predominantly rye pollen) plus beta-sitosterol. Manufacturer specification: at least 50% phytosterols (as beta-sitosterol, by GC), so at least 150 mg per 300 mg capsule, and at least 1% essential amino acids (by HPLC).

Benefits

Prostate symptom scores in placebo-controlled trials of beta-sitosterol

In two 6-month double-blind trials in men with benign prostatic enlargement, beta-sitosterol at 60 mg a day (20 mg three times daily; 200 men) or 130 mg a day (177 men) lowered symptom scores more than placebo. Prostate volume did not shrink in the 200-man trial. These trials tested other beta-sitosterol products, not Plasys300 or its rye pollen.

Supported by Trial 1

Urinary flow and residual urine in placebo-controlled beta-sitosterol trials

In the 200-man trial, peak urine flow rose from 9.9 to 15.2 mL/s and residual urine fell from 65.8 to 30.4 mL on beta-sitosterol, with no change on placebo. In the 177-man trial, flow rose 4.5 mL/s and residual urine fell 33.5 mL more than placebo. A smaller trial of beta-sitosteryl glucoside at 0.3 mg a day was not superior to placebo. None tested Plasys300.

Supported by Trial 1

Nighttime waking, urge to urinate and sleep: maker survey with no placebo

In a maker-run 8-week survey, 50 men aged 40 to 60 who woke at night to urinate took one 300 mg capsule a day and rated themselves online: 88% reported less urge to urinate, 90% fewer nighttime awakenings and more than 80% better sleep. With no placebo group, no bladder diary and no peer-reviewed report, it cannot show that Plasys300 caused the change.

Supported by Trial 1

Rye pollen: controlled evidence is for a different extract

The controlled pollen evidence is for Cernilton, a different rye grass pollen extract. In short trials it improved self-rated symptoms and nighttime urination versus placebo but not urine flow, residual urine or prostate size. Plasys300's pollen part has not been tested alone, and its stated amino acid content (at least 1%) is at least 3 mg per 300 mg capsule.

Supported by Trial 1

Nighttime and daytime frequency with a four-ingredient pollen and sterol formula

In a 3-month double-blind trial (144 men randomized, 127 finished), a formula of a pollen extract (cernitin), saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol and vitamin E reduced nighttime and daytime urination and total symptom scores versus placebo. Urine flow, residual urine and PSA did not change. Plasys300 has no saw palmetto or vitamin E, so this result is not a test of it.

Supported by Trial 1

Hormone effects: not measured in people

The maker says beta-sitosterol inhibits excess testosterone production, but no human study of Plasys300, and none of the beta-sitosterol trials cited here, measured testosterone or DHT. The maker's laboratory claim concerns 5-alpha-reductase, which is not the same as lowering testosterone, and beta-sitosterol did not reduce prostate size in controlled trials.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

5α-reductase inhibition

5-alpha-reductase converts testosterone to its active form, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). A review describes plant sterols, including beta-sitosterol, as interacting with this enzyme, mostly in laboratory and animal work, and Pharmactive reports that the phytosterol fraction of Plasys300 inhibited it in an unpublished laboratory study. Whether a 300 mg capsule lowers DHT in a living person has not been measured, and beta-sitosterol trials in men did not reduce prostate size.

2

Prostate cell growth in the laboratory

Pharmactive reports that earlier unpublished laboratory work showed that the phytosterol fraction of Plasys300 slowed the growth of prostate cell lines in culture. Cells grown in a dish do not show what happens in human prostate tissue after swallowing a capsule, and no effect on prostate size or on prostate cancer has been shown in people.

3

Rye pollen and inflammation (not shown in people)

The maker describes the essential amino acids in rye pollen as anti-inflammatory, but the stated minimum amino acid content (1%) is about 3 mg per 300 mg capsule, and no anti-inflammatory effect of Plasys300 has been measured in people or reported in a published study.

4

Smooth muscle effects (not studied)

Pharmactive says Plasys300 blocks overstimulation of alpha-adrenergic receptors in the prostate and urinary tract. No published study has tested this in cells, animals or people, and neither Cernilton nor beta-sitosterol reduced prostate size in controlled trials.

Clinical trials

1
Plasys300 Maker-Run Survey Without a Placebo Group (Uncontrolled, Unpublished)
PubMed

Uncontrolled 8-week consumer survey run by the maker, Pharmactive Biotech Products, of one 300 mg Plasys300 capsule a day in men with frequent nighttime urination (nocturia), reported in October and November 2024. Every participant took the product; there was no placebo or comparison group, outcomes were online self-assessments, and no peer-reviewed report, protocol or statistics exist (Pharmactive Biotech Products 2024, company newsroom)

50 men aged 40 to 60, described by the maker as healthy. 8 weeks.

By the maker's account, 88% reported less urge to urinate, 90% fewer nighttime awakenings and more than 80% better sleep and well-being; close to 90% said they would buy or recommend the product. With no comparison group, these percentages cannot show an effect of Plasys300.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

See a doctor before self-treating urinary symptoms. Frequent nighttime urination, urgency or a weak stream can have several causes, some of which need medical care, and a supplement can delay a needed diagnosis.
In controlled trials of other beta-sitosterol products, withdrawal rates were similar to placebo (7.8% vs 8.0%). In Cernilton trials, adverse events were rare and mild (withdrawals 4.8% vs 2.7% on placebo).
Pollen allergy: rye is a cereal grass, and rye pollen carries allergens that affect people with grass pollen allergy. No allergy data for Plasys300 have been published and the maker's pages list no allergen information, so ask a clinician first if you have a grass pollen allergy.
Do not use if you have sitosterolemia, a rare inherited condition in which plant sterols from food build up in the blood and tissues and can cause fatty deposits in the arteries.
Long-term safety is not established: the beta-sitosterol and Cernilton trials lasted at most 26 weeks, and Plasys300 itself has only an 8-week uncontrolled survey.
Sold for men; it has not been studied in women, in pregnancy or during breastfeeding.
The maker has not published safety data from its 8-week survey, and no controlled trial of Plasys300 has reported safety results.

Important Drug interactions

Finasteride or dutasteride: combined use has not been studied. Tell your prescriber, and do not use a supplement in place of a prescribed prostate medicine.
Alpha-blockers (tamsulosin, alfuzosin): no interaction has been studied. Tell your prescriber if you take one.
Cholesterol-lowering medicines: in a meta-analysis of 124 studies, plant sterols and stanols lowered LDL cholesterol by about 6 to 12% at 0.6 to 3.3 g a day. One capsule provides at least 150 mg of phytosterols, well below that range. Tell your prescriber if you take a cholesterol medicine.
Testosterone therapy: no effect of Plasys300 on testosterone has been measured in people. Tell your prescriber if you use it.
Anticoagulants: no interaction has been documented. Tell your prescriber if you take warfarin or another blood thinner.
Men with new or worsening urinary symptoms should be examined by a doctor before using this product.

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Frequently asked questions about Plasys300® (Rye Pollen and Beta-Sitosterol Blend — Pharmactive)

What is the recommended dosage of Plasys300?

No dose of Plasys300 has been shown to work in a controlled trial. The maker's survey used one 300 mg capsule a day, which provides at least 150 mg of phytosterols, and the maker's product page states no dose. Placebo-controlled trials of other beta-sitosterol products used 60 mg or 130 mg a day for 6 months, but those products differ, so their doses may not match what Plasys300 provides. Follow the label and ask a clinician.

Has Plasys300 been tested against a placebo?

No published placebo-controlled trial of it exists. The only human data is an 8-week survey run by the maker in 50 men who all took the product and rated themselves online, with no comparison group and no peer-reviewed report. The placebo-controlled evidence on this page is for other beta-sitosterol products and a different rye pollen extract.

Is Plasys300 the same as Cernilton?

No. Both are based on rye pollen, but Cernilton is a different pollen extract with its own small trials, and Plasys300 adds at least 50% plant sterols, mainly beta-sitosterol. Results from Cernilton trials cannot be assumed to apply to Plasys300, which has not been tested in a controlled trial.

What is Plasys300?

Plasys300 is an ingredient from Pharmactive Biotech Products that combines cereal pollen (chiefly rye pollen) with plant sterols, mainly beta-sitosterol, sold for men's prostate and urinary comfort. The maker states it is standardized to at least 50% phytosterols and at least 1% essential amino acids.

What is Plasys300 used for?

Plasys300 is researched primarily for Prostate Health, Kidney/Urinary Tract, and Men's Health. In two 6-month double-blind trials in men with benign prostatic enlargement, beta-sitosterol at 60 mg a day (20 mg three times daily; 200 men) or 130 mg a day (177 men) lowered symptom scores more than placebo.

Is Plasys300 safe, and does it have side effects?

Side effects and cautions reported for Plasys300 include: See a doctor before self-treating urinary symptoms. Frequent nighttime urination, urgency or a weak stream can have several causes, some of which need medical care, and a supplement can delay a needed diagnosis. It may also interact with some medications. Plasys300 is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does Plasys300 interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Finasteride or dutasteride: combined use has not been studied. Tell your prescriber, and do not use a supplement in place of a prescribed prostate medicine. Alpha-blockers (tamsulosin, alfuzosin): no interaction has been studied. Tell your prescriber if you take one. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for Plasys300?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for Plasys300 as Preliminary (1 out of 5). It is backed by 1 study summary and 13 cited references summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(13 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. MacDonald R, Ishani A, Rutks I, Wilt TJ. A systematic review of Cernilton for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. BJU Int. 2000;85(7):836-41. doi: 10.1046/j.1464-410x.2000.00365.x.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review of Cernilton, a rye grass pollen extract that is a different product from Plasys300: 4 controlled trials (2 placebo-controlled, 2 against other products) in 444 men with benign prostatic enlargement, lasting 12 to 24 weeks. Cernilton improved self-rated urinary symptoms (RR 2.40 vs placebo) and nocturia (RR 2.05 vs placebo) but did not improve urine flow, residual volume or prostate size. Allocation concealment was unclear in all trials, and the authors called the evidence limited by short duration, small numbers and unknown preparation quality. Adverse events were rare and mild; withdrawals were 4.8% on Cernilton and 2.7% on placebo.
  2. Preuss HG, Marcusen C, Regan J, Klimberg IW, Welebir TA, Jones WA. Randomized trial of a combination of natural products (cernitin, saw palmetto, B-sitosterol, vitamin E) on symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Int Urol Nephrol. 2001;33(2):217-25. doi: 10.1023/a:1015227604041.PubMedUsed to support: Double-blind placebo-controlled trial in men with benign prostatic enlargement (144 randomized, 127 completed, 3 months) of a four-ingredient combination: cernitin pollen extract, saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol and vitamin E. The combination reduced nocturia (p<0.001), daytime frequency (p<0.04) and total AUA symptom score versus placebo, but did not change urine flow, residual volume or PSA. Plasys300 contains no saw palmetto or vitamin E, so the result cannot be attributed to Plasys300's ingredients alone.
  3. Macoska JA. The use of beta-sitosterol for the treatment of prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Am J Clin Exp Urol. 2023;11(6):467-480.PubMedUsed to support: Narrative review of saw palmetto extract and beta-sitosterol. It describes beta-sitosterol as interacting with the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme, which converts testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, mostly in laboratory and animal work, and its prostate cancer findings come from cell and rodent studies, not people. For men with benign prostatic enlargement, it concludes that beta-sitosterol improves lower urinary tract symptoms, citing a placebo-controlled trial in which prostate volume did not fall. It does not study Plasys300.
  4. Wilt TJ, MacDonald R, Ishani A. beta-sitosterol for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review. BJU Int. 1999;83(9):976-83. doi: 10.1046/j.1464-410x.1999.00026.x.PubMedUsed to support: Systematic review of 4 double-blind placebo-controlled trials (519 men with benign prostatic enlargement, 4 to 26 weeks) of beta-sitosterol preparations other than Plasys300. Beta-sitosterol improved IPSS by 4.9 points (2 trials), peak urine flow by 3.91 mL/s and residual volume by 28.62 mL (4 trials), but did not reduce prostate size, and the pure beta-sitosteryl glucoside trial showed no flow improvement. The authors noted short durations, unstandardized preparations and unknown long-term effectiveness and safety.
  5. van Hal J (Nutrition Insight). Pharmactive Biotech's Plasys300 supports men's bladder health, consumer research flags Nutrition Insight. 2024;Published October 16, 2024; accessed 2026. Not PubMed-indexed..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed trade press report of a Pharmactive press release. Describes the maker's 8-week consumer study: 50 healthy men aged 40 to 60 with nocturia took one 300 mg capsule daily and self-assessed online; 88% reported less urge to urinate, 90% fewer nighttime awakenings, over 80% better sleep and well-being. No control group is described. Also reports standardization to at least 50% phytosterols and 1% essential amino acids, earlier unpublished in vitro work by Pharmactive on prostate cell growth and 5-alpha-reductase, and the maker's claim that beta-sitosterol inhibits excess testosterone production.
  6. Berges RR, Windeler J, Trampisch HJ, Senge T. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Beta-sitosterol Study Group. Lancet. 1995;345(8964):1529-32. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(95)91085-9.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled multicenter trial in 200 men with symptomatic benign prostatic enlargement given 20 mg beta-sitosterol (a phytosterol mixture) three times a day (60 mg a day) or placebo for 6 months. The primary outcome, modified Boyarsky score, fell 6.7 points on beta-sitosterol vs 2.1 on placebo (IPSS -7.4 vs -2.1); peak urine flow rose from 9.9 to 15.2 mL/s and residual urine fell from 65.8 to 30.4 mL, with no change on placebo. Prostate volume did not fall in either group. The abstract does not name the product maker or funder; PubMed tags it as having non-US-government research support. It did not test Plasys300.
  7. Klippel KF, Hiltl DM, Schipp B. A multicentric, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol (phytosterol) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. German BPH-Phyto Study group. Br J Urol. 1997;80(3):427-32. No DOI listed in PubMed..PubMedUsed to support: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial in 177 men with benign prostatic enlargement at 13 centers, 130 mg free beta-sitosterol a day for 6 months (Azuprostat, a phytosterol extract from sources such as pine, spruce or Hypoxis). Compared with placebo, IPSS improved by 5.4 points, peak urine flow rose 4.5 mL/s and residual urine fell 33.5 mL. The abstract reports no prostate volume result and does not name the funder; PubMed tags it as having non-US-government research support. It did not test Plasys300.
  8. Kadow C, Abrams PH. A double-blind trial of the effect of beta-sitosteryl glucoside (WA184) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Eur Urol. 1986;12(3):187-9. doi: 10.1159/000472613.PubMedUsed to support: Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled urodynamic study in 53 men with outflow obstruction from benign prostatic enlargement. Beta-sitosteryl beta-D-glucoside at 0.3 mg a day was not superior to placebo; the authors suggested the dose and duration may have been too low. PubMed tags it as having non-US-government research support. It did not test Plasys300.
  9. Ras RT, Geleijnse JM, Trautwein EA. LDL-cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols and stanols across different dose ranges: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled studies. Br J Nutr. 2014;112(2):214-9. doi: 10.1017/S0007114514000750.PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis of 124 randomized studies: plant sterol and stanol intakes of 0.6 to 3.3 g a day lowered LDL cholesterol by about 6 to 12%, with the effect rising up to about 3 g a day. Two of the three authors worked at Unilever R&D.
  10. Kruczek A, Puc M, Wolski T. Poaceae, Secale spp. and Artemisia spp. pollen in the air at two sites of different degrees of urbanisation. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2017;24(1):70-74. doi: 10.5604/12321966.1233895.PubMedUsed to support: Pollen monitoring study in Poland. It states that grass pollen allergens cause most plant-related allergic reactions such as hay fever and pollen asthma, that rye pollen starts the grass pollen season, and that rye pollen counts are used to alert people allergic to allergens in rye pollen. It concerns airborne pollen, not oral products.
  11. MedlinePlus Genetics, US National Library of Medicine. Sitosterolemia MedlinePlus Genetics. 2016;Last updated November 1, 2016; accessed 2026. Not PubMed-indexed..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed government health reference. Sitosterolemia is a rare autosomal recessive condition in which plant sterols from vegetable oils, nuts and other plant foods build up in the blood and tissues, sitosterol being one of several that accumulate; fatty deposits can build up in arteries and raise the chance of heart attack or stroke.
  12. Pharmactive Biotech Products. Rye Pollen and Phytosterol Formula Supports Prostate/Bladder Health: Consumer Study Pharmactive Biotech Products newsroom (company website). 2024;Newsroom item dated 11/2024, linking a Nutraceutical Business Review clipping; accessed 2026. Not PubMed-indexed..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed maker web page announcing its Plasys300 consumer study and saying the ingredient can support men's health by reducing nighttime urination and promoting better sleep. The linked trade report (Nutraceutical Business Review, October 17, 2024) describes an 8-week maker-run study of 300 mg a day in 50 healthy men aged 40 to 60 with self-reported questionnaires and no control group mentioned.
  13. Pharmactive Biotech Products. Plasys300: prostate and urinary health (ingredient page) Pharmactive Biotech Products (company website). 2026;Accessed 2026. Not PubMed-indexed..SourceUsed to support: Not PubMed-indexed maker product page. States the specification (cereal pollen standardized to at least 50% phytosterols as beta-sitosterol by GC and at least 1% essential amino acids by HPLC) and claims testosterone production inhibition, blocking of alpha-adrenergic receptor overstimulation and an antiproliferative effect on prostate cells, without study data ('References available upon request'). No dose and no allergen information are given.