Your prostate might not be something you want to think about too much. Chances are, though, that you will begin to develop some prostate health concerns as you grow older. The prevalence of prostate disease increases with age, and most men will notice less power in their urinary stream after the age of 50. About 50 percent of men over the age of 60 develop an enlarged prostate, which can cause pain and urinary problems. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do to protect the health of your prostate. Prostate Health: What Every Man Should Know will focus on the nutritional supplements that have the strongest and safest track record in helping to reduce the painful symptoms associated with prostate disorders.
What is the Prostate?
The prostate is a gland at the base of the bladder found in men only. It is about the size and shape of a walnut, and is responsible for secreting the fluid that combines with sperm to form semen. Certain malfunctions of the prostate can develop due to hormonal changes that take place with age.
Until recently, prostate problems, particularly prostate cancer, were not a subject on the social agenda. However, nearly half of all men over the age of fifty develop an enlarged prostate, known as benign prostate hypertrophy. Furthermore prostate cancer kills four times as many men as cervical cancer kills women. Prostatic enlargement causes symptoms that include: the frequent need to urinate, especially at night; an inability to fully empty the bladder, sometimes leading to infection; and pain with an erection or orgasm.
What Can Go Wrong: Prostate Cancer
Apart from skin cancer, cancer of the prostate is the most common form of cancer that men over the age of 55 are likely to experience. If caught in time it is treatable and, as some of the tumors are slow growing, the medical profession often carefully watches the progression rather than offering radical treatment. Screening tests are available in the form of a physical examination via the rectum, which can detect whether the prostate is enlarged, infected or indeed whether there are any signs of a tumor. There are also prostate-specialist antigen (PSA) blood tests available and ultrasounds are often used before a diagnosis can be made.
The American Cancer Society recommends that your doctor offer the physical exam and the PSA test once a year, beginning at the age of 50, to help detect cancer at its earliest, most treatable stages. Men with a higher risk of developing the disease should begin annual testing at the age of 45.
Risk factors that may increase your chances of developing prostate cancer include:
· Age – The cancer is found mainly in men over the age of 55.
· A family history of prostate cancer.
· Race – The disease is more common in African American men than in Caucasian, Asian or Native American men.
· Diet – Some evidence suggests that a diet high in animal fat may increase the risk of prostate cancer & a diet high in fruits & vegetables may decrease the risk.
What Can Go Wrong: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
It is common for the prostate gland to become enlarged as a man ages. Doctors call the condition benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or benign prostatic hypertrophy. While both conditions result in the same symptoms, they are actually two very different disease processes. Hyperplasia occurs when the cells within your prostate begin multiplying at a greater rate than usual; in contrast, hypertrophy is a result of your prostate cells becoming larger than normal. The end result of both hyperplasia and hypertrophy is the inflammation of your prostate gland, causing the agonizing symptoms outlined below.
As a man matures, the prostate goes through two main periods of growth. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. At around age 25, the gland begins to grow again. This second growth phase often results, years later, in BPH.
Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man’s life, the enlargement doesn’t usually cause problems until late in life. BPH rarely causes symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH.
As the prostate enlarges, the layer of tissue surrounding it stops it from expanding, causing the gland to press against the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. The bladder wall becomes thicker and irritable. The bladder begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing more frequent urination. Eventually, the bladder weakens and loses the ability to empty itself. Urine remains in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and partial emptying of the bladder cause many of the problems associated with BPH.
Symptoms of BPH
Many symptoms of BPH stem from an obstruction of the urethra and gradual loss of bladder function, which results in incomplete emptying of the bladder. The symptoms of BPH vary, but the most common ones involve changes or problems with urination, such as:
· A hesitant, interrupted or weak stream
· Difficulty starting urination
· Urgency, and leaking or dribbling
· More frequent urination, especially at night
· Blood in the urine
· Pain or burning on urination
The American Urological Association recommends a yearly prostate examination for every man over the age of 40 and an immediate examination for any man who persistently experiences any of the symptoms listed above.
Conventional Treatment Options for Prostate Disease
Conventional medical options for the treatment of BPH and prostate cancer range from drugs to surgery. Drugs such as finasteride and terazosin treat BPH by shrinking the prostate, thereby eliminating the cause of blocked or frequent urination. However, these drugs do have troubling side effects such as a loss of interest in sex, headaches, dizziness, fatigue and difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection.
Surgery is another option used to treat both BPH and prostate cancer. However, most men would prefer to avoid undergoing surgery because, as with any invasive procedure, serious risks do exist. Potential adverse effects of surgery include loss of sexual function and problems holding back the urine stream.
Another treatment for prostate cancer is radiation therapy, which uses high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Unfortunately, this type of treatment can cause problems with impotence and bowel function.
There are safer ways to protect yourself from prostate cancer and help treat the symptoms of BPH. Dietary supplements such as saw palmetto and lycopene have been clinically shown to help ward off cancer and ease the discomfort of BPH symptoms safely and naturally.
Beta-Sitosterol: Powerful Prostate Protection
Phytosterols, such as beta-sitosterol, have been shown to help significantly in easing the uncomfortable symptoms associated with BPH. Two double blind, placebo controlled studies have found that men taking the supplement had a stronger urine flow than their peers who received only placebo pills. Other BPH symptoms, as measured by the International Prostate Symptoms Score, were also significantly improved according to researchers.
Saw Palmetto: The Plant Catheter
Native Americans have traditionally used the fruit from the saw palmetto plant to alleviate and treat urinary difficulties. Saw palmetto has earned the nickname “plant catheter” due to its bladder and prostate soothing qualities. Recent research has supported the herb’s traditional usage and, in fact, Germany’s Commission E (similar to the U.S.’s Food and Drug Administration) endorses the herb’s efficacy in the treatment of BPH symptoms. Saw palmetto is such a safe and effective BPH treatment that it has become one of Europe’s most prescribed and used over-the-counter preparations.
For men, saw palmetto treats an enlarged and weakened prostate gland and clinical research has substantiated its use in cases of prostate enlargement. Its mechanism of action, like beta-sitosterol (a key component of saw palmetto), has been reported to be its ability to inhibit the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DTH), a major factor in the onset of prostate enlargement. Saw palmetto is chiefly used as a diuretic and to tone the bladder by improving urinary flow, and relieving strain. Regular use of saw palmetto may decrease urinary frequency, especially during the night, by allowing complete bladder expulsion and reducing inflammation of the bladder and an enlarged prostate.
Several studies have shown that men taking saw palmetto supplements had the same effects as the men who were given the prescription drug finasteride. Researchers point out, however, that saw palmetto was associated with significantly fewer adverse side effects than the drug. In fact, men reported few, if any, serious side effects from taking saw palmetto supplements.
As mentioned earlier, one of saw palmetto’s main ingredients, beta-sitosterol, has been shown to be a strong prostate protector on its own. See above for more information on this amazing nutrient.
Saw Palmetto Monograph Astounds Medical Community
The U.S. Pharmacopeia, an organization dedicated to promoting public health and the safe use of medicines, recently released a monograph on saw palmetto revealing its powerful therapeutic effects for BPH symptoms. After reviewing almost thirty published medical studies, the organization found that a twice-daily dosage of 160 mg of saw palmetto was found to produce relief for many of the symptoms of BPH. Out of seven placebo-controlled trials, five found that saw palmetto reduced nocturia (excessive nighttime urination) by 33 to 74 percent and improved urinary flow rates by up to 61 percent.
Lycopene: Condiment May Help Ward Off Cancer
Preliminary research suggests that something as simple as eating a dish of pasta with red sauce each day may help reduce damage to prostate cells in men with prostate cancer. Researchers found that men who consumed one daily pasta dish with tomato sauce for three weeks had lower levels of DNA damage in prostate tissues and cells. Pasta eaters also had lower levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), a protein in the blood that is measured to assess a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer. Remember, however, that lycopene should not be considered a cure for prostate cancer. Research has found a connection between higher levels of dietary lycopene and a reduced risk of developing the cancer. If you are concerned about prostate cancer you should schedule an appointment with your doctor without delay.
The antioxidant lycopene, found abundantly in tomatoes, is likely responsible for these actions, according to researchers. Other studies have found a correlation between a high intake of lycopene and a lower risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene works by helping to reduce the damage caused by free radicals, renegade oxygen molecules that are byproducts of metabolism leading to aging and disease.
Lycopene is also found in pink grapefruit, watermelon and guava; however, tomatoes and tomato-based products such as ketchup, are the best source. Like the better-known supplement beta-carotene, lycopene belongs to the family of chemicals known as carotenoids. As an antioxidant, lycopene is about twice as powerful as beta-carotene.
Pygeum Bark: France’s Answer to BPH
Even though saw palmetto is the first choice for long-term treatment of BPH, there are a number of other plant-derived therapies that are well researched and have good science behind them. One is Pygeum africanus, a very tall evergreen tree found in central and southern Africa. Area natives used this tree for centuries to treat bladder pain and urinary problems, mixing a dust-like powder from its bark with milk.
In France, pygeum supplements have become the accepted course of treatment for alleviating BPH symptoms. In contrast, other Western countries are quick to turn to surgery. However, as mentioned earlier, surgery poses some very serious risks to a man’s health and well-being. Pygeum offers a natural alternative that safely soothes prostate inflammation and offers significant relief from BPH symptoms without the serious side effects associated with conventional medical treatments.
Pygeum has been studied almost as well as saw palmetto, and in some respects its research record is even better. At least nine double-blind trials of pygeum vs. placebo have been performed, involving a total of over 600 participants, and ranging in length from 45 to 60 days. The largest study of pygeum enrolled 263 men who were given 100 mg of pygeum bark extract daily for 60 days. Researchers found that pygeum produced significant relief of BPH symptoms including pain with urination, frequency, nighttime urination, flow rate and urinary volume.
Pygeum is believed to work by influencing the secretory cells in the prostate and seminal vesicles, and also by reducing inflammation. It has also been shown to help decrease the size of the prostate and increase the bladder’s elasticity. Toxicity and clinical studies haven’t revealed any serious adverse effects from pygeum.
Vitamins and Minerals: A Prostate Health Cocktail
The prostate contains a higher concentration of zinc than any other organ in the body. Studies show that men with prostate enlargement have low levels of zinc in their prostatic fluids. The mineral has also been used to prevent prostate enlargement and to shrink an already enlarged gland.
Researchers have long known that vitamin E may help protect you from developing prostate cancer. Now, recent research brings the medical community a step closer to discovering how the antioxidant vitamin works to guard the prostate against the disease. Study results reveal that vitamin E inhibits the production of two cancer-causing proteins – androgen receptor (AR) and prostate-specific androgen (PSA).
Researchers believe that suppressing the production of AR is especially useful in helping to prevent prostate cancer because the protein activates other genes that can develop into cancerous growths. Current treatment protocols do not prevent the activation of AR and, therefore, have no long-term benefits. They are also associated with serious side effects in other parts of the body.
Soy Isoflavones
As with other cancers, hormones such as estrogen and testosterone may stimulate the growth of prostate cancer. Although estrogen works in different ways in men, it can be equally destructive. Estrogen, being a precursor to androgens, the male hormones, can trigger the production of testosterone, and studies have shown than men with prostate cancer seem to have higher levels of testosterone than their cancer-free counterparts.
Traditional living Japanese men and vegetarians have a lower incidence of prostate enlargement and low mortality from prostate cancer. This is thought to be due to the relatively high levels of phytoestrogens in the diet. Phytoestrogens are plant compounds, which predominate in soybeans and soy products like tofu, miso and tempeh, flaxseeds, legumes, whole grains and vegetables. Phytoestrogens contain isoflavones, which have a mild estrogenic effect on the body. Isoflavones may protect the prostate by occupying the
estrogen receptor sites, which would normally be occupied by more potent estrogens of natural or synthetic origin.
A twenty-year study of 8,000 men of Japanese ancestry, living in Hawaii, showed that those who consumed tofu once a week or less were three times as likely to get prostate cancer as those men who consumed tofu daily. It is interesting to note that Japanese men on average eat between 40 to 70 milligrams of genistein, a naturally occurring estrogen, per day, compared with men on Western diets who consume in the region of one to three milligrams or less. Another large study conducted on Adventist men, who have a high consumption of beans, lentils, peas and some dried fruits, which are all dietary sources of flavonoids, showed they also have a much lower risk of prostate cancer.
Again, soy should not be considered a treatment for already existing cancer. If you are concerned about prostate cancer, be sure to have your doctor perform a thorough exam as soon as possible.
Another Option
Another supplement you might want to consider adding to your daily regimen is pumpkin seed. Seeds of the fruit have been used for hundreds of years by aboriginal peoples to treat reduced urine flow. Recent studies confirm these traditional practices, showing that the nutrient helps bring much-needed relief to sufferers of BPH. In fact, Germany’s Commission E has approved pumpkin seed for this use.
Summary of Uses
The following is a summary of the vitamins, herbs and minerals that can help you to find relief from BPH symptoms and aid you in the battle against prostate cancer:
Beta-Sitosterol:- Offers relief from BPH symptoms.
Lycopene:- May help prevent prostate cancer.
Pumpkin Seed:- Improves urinary flow.
Pygeum Bark:- Eases numerous symptoms associated with BPH.
Saw Palmetto:- Well known for treating BPH symptoms.
Soy Isoflavones:- May help protect against prostate cancer.
Vitamin E:- May guard against prostate cancer.
Zinc:- Found in abundance in prostate. Needed for healthy prostate function.
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