Mace Spice for Urinary Incontinence

A 2018 study found that 1.5g of mace, a spice made from the arils of the same plant as nutmeg, twice daily significantly improved mixed urinary incontinence compared to placebo over 3 months in women. Pelvic floor physical therapy was included in both groups. It is thought that mace may increase urethral muscle tone by blocking serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake in the sacral spinal cord. High doses and excessive use can cause coma or other serious toxic effects, especially in children.

Najeeya AGF, Sultana A. Efficacy of mace (Arils of Myristica fragrans Houtt) plus PFMT on symptoms in mixed urinary incontinence: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Integr Med Res. 2018 Dec;7(4):307-315. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2018.10.001. Epub 2018 Oct 26. PMID: 30519527; PMCID: PMC6260249.

Imtiaz A, Almutairy BM, Almutairi TM, Aloufi MM, Almutairi AH. Mace Poisoning: Accidental Toxic Ingestion in a Child Leading to a Reversible Coma. Cureus. 2024 Dec 23;16(12):e76284. doi: 10.7759/cureus.76284. PMID: 39850188; PMCID: PMC11754422.