Luckily, there are things men can do to help lower their odds of being one of them…

As is the case with most disease, diet is an essential component of any prostate cancer prevention plan. Specific foods have been the subject of research on the potential to protect against prostate cancer.

Among them, mushrooms stand out. A study that followed almost 36,500 men for an average of over 13 years revealed that mushrooms could be a game-changer in the fight against prostate cancer.

Now, further research has given us a more detailed glimpse into exactly how mushrooms might affect prostate cancer…

Mushrooms influence the immune system

Researchers at City of Hope sought to determine why taking a white button mushroom supplement shows promise in slowing or even preventing prostate cancer from worsening. Researchers there focused on data from laboratory preclinical studies and a Phase II clinical trial that studied food as medicine.

They found that taking white button mushroom supplements reduces a class of immune cells called myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). These MDSCs have been linked to cancer development and spread.

The researchers discovered that the administration of white button mushroom extract in mice significantly delayed the growth of tumors and extended survival of the mice. It also improved T cell immune response by reducing MDSC levels, meaning it improved the immune system’s ability to kill cancer cells.

The scientists then profiled blood draws from some of the men participating in the Phase II trial. The men were under active surveillance as they took white button mushroom supplements.

After three months of white button mushroom treatment, the researchers found there were fewer tumor-creating MDSCs and more antitumor T and natural killer cells. This suggests white button mushrooms shore up anticancer immune defense and slow cancer growth.

The bottom line: the medicinal use of white button mushrooms appears to reduce the type of cells that weaken the immune system and allow prostate cancer to spread.

Food as medicine: a burgeoning field of research

The researchers are now focusing on whether the reduction in MDSCs is linked with improved clinical outcomes in patients with prostate cancer.

Dr. Xiaoqiang Wang, a City of Hope staff scientist and first author of the study cautions against self-prescribing supplements without seeking professional guidance.

“Some people are buying mushroom products or extract online, but these are not FDA-approved,” Wang says. “That said, it couldn’t hurt if people wanted to add more fresh white button mushrooms to their everyday diet.”

White button mushrooms aren’t the only food City of Hope researchers are investigating for their potential anticancer properties. Others include grape seed extract, pomegranate, blueberries and ripe purple berries called Jamun.

It’s encouraging that a large cancer center such as City of Hope studies these foods for their medicinal properties. The researchers note that the field of integrative oncology is growing in popularity as people become more health-conscious and aware of the benefits of holistic cancer care.

“We’re finding that plant-derived substances may one day be used to support traditional cancer treatment and prevention practices,” says Dr. Shiuan Chen, a professor and chair of the Department of Cancer Biology and Molecular Medicine at Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope and senior author of the mushroom study.

“This study suggests that ‘food as medicine’ treatments could eventually become normal, evidence-based cancer care that is recommended for everyone touched by cancer.”

If you decide to add mushrooms to your diet as a potential prostate cancer preventive, keep in mind that the way you cook them could affect their disease-fighting properties.

Research shows that grilling or microwaving your mushrooms are the best cooking methods for maintaining their health potency, mainly because they will give you more disease-fighting antioxidants.

Sources:

City of Hope researchers discover why taking a mushroom supplement slows or prevents prostate cancer from getting worse — EurekAlert!

Reduction of myeloid-derived suppressor cells in prostate cancer murine models and patients following white button mushroom treatment — Clinical and Translational Medicine

The post The supplement that kept prostate cancer from worsening appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Maybe it’s because women cross a proverbial threshold — menstruation — that eventually opens a door for young women to begin regular gynecological checkups. Along with those yearly visits come screenings for female-specific cancers.

This kickstarts a habit of regular preventive care that becomes ingrained. But for men, it’s a different story…

Our culture gives men the message that they need to “be strong” and “handle things.”

This message makes a lot of men — especially young men — reluctant to take care of their health, and it’s a habit that’s slow to change.

A new study shows just how big an impact this is having on the health of men, and the news isn’t good…

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An ounce of prevention = a pound of cure

It’s not just a saying. Preventing disease really is a much easier route than curing one. But it’s not a message men have gotten — and it shows…

Last year, Harvard researchers shared that the life expectancy gap between men and women had grown to as much as six years. Sadly, experts say it’s due in part to preventable deaths.

“When you’re in your 20s, 30s, you’re indestructible, you’re Superman,” says Scott Stephens, a 62-year-old who never thought about his health care until he was in his 40s and his father developed prostate cancer.

“It’s also a badge of courage; why should I go? I don’t need to call my doctor.”

A new survey by the Cleveland Clinic looked at members of Gen Z (born 1997-2005), Millennials (born 1981-1996), Gen X (born 1965-1980) and Boomers+ (born before 1965).

They grouped Gen X and Boomers together and Millennials and Gen Z together. Then they compared their survey answers to some specific questions:

• Get a yearly physical (61% Gen X and Boomers+ vs. 32% Millennials and Gen Z men)
• Avoid smoking/vaping (60% Gen X and Boomers+ vs. 43% Millennials and Gen Z men)
• Address mental health (53% Gen X and Boomers+ 59% Millennials and Gen Z men)

Additional revelations from the survey were:

• Most men fear getting cancer (74%), but rates of screenings and cancer awareness remain low.
• One-third of Gen X and Boomers+ who are eligible for colorectal cancer screening have not been screened or are not sure if they’ve been screened.
• A quarter of men with an average risk of prostate cancer (50+) have not been screened or are not sure if they’ve been screened.

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What men should do to protect their health

There’s a clear generational divide in how men approach health. But if we jumped back in time 30 years or so, we’d likely find the exact same habits playing out.

In other words, Gen Z isn’t the first generation of young men to place a low priority on their health. It seems that it’s just a matter of getting older before men begin to take health seriously — when symptoms crop up that require attention.

But regardless of age, there are steps men should be taking at each stage of life to safeguard their health:

In your 20s or 30s. Stop relying on the Internet. Make an appointment and get a handle on how healthy (or unhealthy) you are.

“Men should first come around age 21 for general health maintenance,” says Dr. Messmer. It’s also a good time to start measuring cholesterol, especially if there’s a family history of heart disease.

In your 40s. Colon cancer screening should start when men are in their 40s and then repeat every 10 years. If you have a family history, screening should start five years earlier than the age at which the relative was diagnosed and be repeated every five years.

Prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer screening should also begin in a man’s 40s.

In your 50s or 60s. This is the time when urologic issues tend to crop up. Many men come in with erectile dysfunction but discover they have a more serious prostate problem. Besides the standard PSA test, doctors now have other ways to gauge a man’s risk.

Finally, Dr. Ryon McDermott of the University of South Alabama points out, “The brain and the body are obviously very connected.” It’s never too late to start taking care of your mental health.

Sources:

National Cleveland Clinic Survey Examines Generational Divide in Men’s Health — Cleveland Clinic

It’s Time to Man Up and See a Doctor — Web MD

Widening Gender Gap in Life Expectancy in the US, 2010-2021 — JAMA Internal Medicine

Mars vs. Venus: The gender gap in health — Harvard Medical School

The post The unnecessary reason for men’s increasingly shorter lifespans appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It can be caused by bacteria, but the most common form of prostatitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), does not usually involve bacteria and is often caused by problems elsewhere in the body and outside of the prostate itself.

The most frustrating part about CPPS is that it is very difficult to treat and can have devastating effects on a man’s health. If you have been suffering from recurring prostatitis symptoms, do not despair.

There are many things you can do, and the best way to manage chronic prostatitis is with a multimodal whole-body approach that involves diet, stress management, lifestyle adaptations and a number of natural and alternative treatments.

Here are six ways to deal with a flare-up of prostatitis. It is recommended to try several different approaches so you can get to the source of your pain.

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Relax the pelvic floor

In about half the cases of prostatitis, the pelvic pain is due to chronic tension in the pelvic floor muscles. One of the most significant contributors to this is stress. And, of course, having this difficult-to-treat and painful condition that does not go away only increases your stress and anxiety, contributing further to your problems.

Learn your best way to manage stress to help relieve prostatitis, whether by exercise (which is in itself helpful for treating prostatitis), breathing exercises, yoga, tai chi, mediation, or by talking to a therapist.

Cognitive behavioral training is commonly part of alternative treatment programs that treat pelvic tension. Some men are unaware that they clench their pelvic floor muscles when stressed or anxious. This can lead to inflammation and chronic tension in the pelvic floor, leading to pain, urinary problems, and sometimes sexual problems.

Since this tension likely developed over many years, you are not going to fix this overnight, but working to address the cause of the pelvic floor disorder by managing your stress and anxiety will help you manage your pain and prevent future flare-ups.

Change your diet

If you eat a lot of spicy foods or acidic foods, your diet can be causing prostatitis flare-ups. Studies have found that there are certain foods to avoid for prostatitis because they exacerbate symptoms. Try cutting out spicy foods, caffeinated beverages, hot peppers, chili, alcohol, wheat and acidic foods.

Pay attention to what you eat by keeping a food journal. If your symptoms worsen after eating a particular food, stop eating it for a while. Food allergies and intolerances can also lead to prostatitis flare-ups.

Try prostate supplements

There are many well-researched supplements for prostatitis. A few are even part of the treatment protocols recommended by urologists.

Supplements can help reduce inflammation, maximize prostate health, and support better pelvic and urinary health.

Some of the supplements with the most successful clinical studies and research behind them include Graminex pollen, quercetin, and turmeric (curcumin). Pollen extracts and quercetin are often combined in a therapy called phytotherapy, which is used for relieving sexual pain, reducing inflammation and supporting immunity.

Other supplements with significant research for prostate and urinary health include probiotics, plant sterols, green tea, stinging nettle, pygeum, phytonutrients like DIM, cranberry, saw palmetto, and vitamin D.

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Add some alternative treatments

The most successful approach to prostatitis usually involves employing several different treatments, including alternative therapies for prostatitis.

These drug-free ways to treat prostatitis may include simple treatments you can do at home, such as applying ice packs to the area or sitting in a sitz bath. Some men find relief from taking pressure off the prostate area by sitting on special cushions and pillows.

Other alternative chronic prostatitis treatments that require help from a trained professional involve acupuncture, biofeedback, prostate massage, trigger point release therapy, intrapelvic physiotherapy or pelvic floor rehabilitation. As mentioned, many of these methods are complemented by a good stress management or cognitive training program to lead to long-term success.

Have sex

Got your attention? Yes, sex is one treatment for prostatitis. Avoiding sex or a lack of sex can lead to prostatitis because semen can accumulate in the prostate and lead to inflammation. Aim to ejaculate at least once a week to clear out the prostate. If pain during sex is one of your problems, then look into treatments for sexual pain, like phytotherapy.

Medications for prostatitis

If none of the other treatments are working, there are several drugs for prostatitis. None of them “cure” chronic prostatitis, but they can help if you have severe symptoms. While antibiotics may be necessary if you have acute bacterial prostatitis, they are not recommended or helpful for CPPS and can lead to more complications and problems.

In the short term, you might find some acute pain relief with anti-inflammatory drugs, but these medications are not safe for long-term use, which is why it is wise to look into natural and alternative treatments for managing pain.

Several medications can help with severe urinary symptoms, muscle spasms, or neuropathic pain. Some of these medications have side effects, so be sure to research if the benefits outweigh the risks.

If you follow these ways to deal with a prostatitis flare-up and have patience with them, you may be able to resolve your pelvic pain long-term. Following a natural, whole-body approach that involves several different treatments so you can approach your prostatitis from different angles (diet, exercise, psychological health, supplements, and alternative therapies) is going to lead you down the path to better prostate and pelvic health.

The post Six ways to deal with a prostatitis flare-up appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

They’re critical components in the membranes that surround the cells in your body, provide calories to give your body energy and support many functions, including heart, blood vessel, lung, immune system and endocrine system health.

So, it’s not surprising that omega-3 supplements have grown in popularity.

But when it comes to men’s health, specifically anything prostate-related, there’s been some controversy…

Studies have shown omega-3s could slow the growth of prostate cancer, while some have seen a slight increase in risk.

As with research, there can be many variables, but a team of UCLA-led investigators decided to take a closer look at men with low-risk prostate cancer and are hopeful their findings may influence treatment strategies…

The prostate cancer benefits of omega-3s

Many men with low-risk prostate cancer choose active surveillance over immediate treatment. That means they have chosen to undergo regular monitoring of their cancer without immediate intervention.

However, within five years, about half of these men need to undergo therapy with either surgery or radiation. That’s why patients are eager to find ways to delay the need for treatment, including through dietary changes or supplements.

But so far, there have been no specific dietary guidelines established for prostate cancer patients under active surveillance. Clinical trials have looked at increasing vegetable intake and healthy diet patterns. Still, none have found a significant impact on slowing progression.

The UCLA team recruited 100 men under active surveillance for low-risk or favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Participants were randomly assigned to continue their regular diet or follow a diet low in omega-6s and high in omega-3s, supplemented with fish oil, for one year.

The typical American diet contains 14 to 25 more omega-6s than omega-3s and is not considered healthy. Unlike omega-3s, omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory and have been linked to heart disease, cancer, the development of high blood pressure in people with diabetes and high triglycerides.

Participants in the intervention arm of the study received dietary counseling from a registered dietician nutritionist who guided them on reducing the consumption of food with higher omega-6 content, including chips, cookies, mayonnaise and other fried or processed foods. They also were counseled to eat fish rich in omega-3s and given fish oil capsules for extra omega-3s. The control group didn’t receive any counseling or fish oil capsules.

The researchers tracked changes in a biomarker called the Ki-67 index, indicating how fast cancer cells multiply. This is a key predictor of cancer progression, spread and survival. Same-site biopsies were obtained at the beginning of the study and at the one-year mark. What did they find?

Great results, with a caveat

According to the results, those following an omega-3-rich diet, low in omega-6s and supplemented with fish oil, had a 15 percent decrease in the Ki-67 index. In comparison, the control group saw a 24 percent increase. In other words, consumption of the omega-3 diet significantly reduced the growth rate of prostate cancer cells in men with early-stage disease.

“This significant difference suggests that the dietary changes may help slow cancer growth, potentially delaying or even preventing the need for more aggressive treatments,” says Dr. William Aronson, a professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and first author of the study.

While these results are promising, the researchers didn’t see any differences in other cancer growth markers commonly used to track prostate cancer progression. They caution that further study is needed to confirm the long-term benefits of omega-3s and lowering omega-6s in managing prostate cancer.

Omega-3-rich foods include fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, as well as plant-based oils like hemp and linseed and some algae like spirulina.

Other options include adding a fish oil supplement to your daily regimen — or better yet, a krill oil supplement. Some studies indicated that the fatty acids in krill oil are more easily absorbed. In fact, one study found that taking krill oil versus fish oil resulted in higher levels of omega-3s EPA and DHA in the bloodstream.

Sources:

A low omega-6, omega-3 rich diet and fish oil may slow prostate cancer growth — ScienceDaily

High Omega-3, Low Omega-6 Diet With Fish Oil for Men With Prostate Cancer on Active Surveillance: The CAPFISH-3 Randomized Clinical Trial — Journal of Clinical Oncology

Omega-3 Fatty Acids — National Institutes of Health

The post More omega-3, less omega-6 could slow prostate cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Why is it recommended you have your PSA checked? An elevated PSA can be an early indication that something is not quite right with the prostate, such as the possibility of prostatitis, an enlarged prostate, or prostate cancer, while a lower PSA is a strong indication of good prostate health. However, an elevated PSA can be associated with other situations that don’t directly involve prostate health, such as a reaction to medication, a urinary tract infection, recent catheterization or ejaculation, or inflammation of the prostate associated with a sports injury or age.

In any event, it’s best to get a PSA test so you and your doctor can decide whether any action is necessary. As a general course of action, you can help ensure a healthy prostate by following certain lifestyle guidelines.

Eat more fruits, vegetables and nuts

Although several hormones have an impact on the prostate, one in particular — DHT, or dihydrotestosterone — promotes prostate inflammation and stimulates insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a hormone that can promote abnormal cell growth and cancer. Certain foods contain substances shown to naturally inhibit DHT. One of those substances is lycopene, which is found in carrots, mangoes, tomatoes, and watermelon.

A National Institutes of Health study noted that lycopene inhibits IGF-I growth in prostate cells by reducing DHT-modulated IGF-I production. Other food substances that inhibit DHT include L-lysine (in almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts), and zinc (in cashews, kale, spinach, wheat germ, white mushrooms, and supplements). Make a point to include several of the mentioned foods in your diet every day.

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Add some pomegranate to your diet

Whether you enjoy pomegranate juice, the tasty pulp and seeds, or prefer the supplement, be sure to include this fruit in your diet more often. Research at Johns Hopkins has shown that this phytonutrient-rich fruit can reduce the rate of PSA doubling in men who have prostate cancer. Overall, the doubling time increased from 11.9 months at baseline to 18.5 months after treatment with pomegranate extract. Since pomegranate is rich in sugar, taking a supplement may be better than having the fruit on a regular basis.

Exercise more

Staying physically active on a regular basis can help lower your PSA levels. Aerobic activities, such as walking, running, cycling, and rowing, are encouraged as well as some resistance exercise to help strengthen and tone muscles. A highly recommended exercise approach is HIIT (high-intensity interval training), which is perfect for men who want to maximize their exercise benefits in a minimal amount of time.

A study in the Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at the PSA levels and physical activity of nearly 2,000 healthy males and found that “PSA levels were significantly higher among the group with hypertension or the group of individuals that did not exercise regularly or group of office workers who were considered to have lesser physical activities.”

Lose weight

Some contradictory evidence surrounds the association between overweight and obesity and PSA. On the one hand, excess weight is associated with a greater risk of prostate cancer, prostatitis, and enlarged prostate, all conditions also associated with an elevated PSA. However, several studies point to lower PSA levels in healthy overweight and obese men, including a new study in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. Overall however, losing weight is the more logical and healthful step for the prostate and your general health.

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Take aspirin

Several studies have indicated that use of aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can reduce PSA levels. A University of Arizona study, for example, found that this effect was especially significant among men who had never smoked. Before taking aspirin, however, talk to your healthcare provider about whether it is safe for you to do so and the optimal dose for you.

Eat more tomatoes

Tomatoes are an important source of the potent antioxidant lycopene, which has been shown to reduce PSA levels and lower a man’s risk of prostate cancer. Lycopene is released from tomatoes when they are cooked, so you get the most benefit from enjoying stewed tomatoes, tomato soup, tomato-based pasta sauces, and tomato juice. One caution, however: don’t eat tomatoes that have been canned, as they may have been exposed to BPA (bisphenol-A) in the lining of the can, a chemical that disrupts your endocrine system and may contribute to prostate cancer. Fresh is definitely best when it comes to this fruit.

Reduce or avoid foods that harm the prostate

You may be surprised at how many common foods irritate the prostate and can contribute to a rise in PSA levels and an enlarged prostate. Here are some of the foods and beverages that fall into this category:

• Foods that contain acrylamide, such as French fries and potato chips (the two biggest offenders) and doughnuts
• Foods rich in saturated fats
• Excess alcohol
• Nonfermented soy products such as tofu and edamame, which can raise estrogen levels
• Microwave popcorn
• Nonorganic potatoes, meats, and dairy products
• Canned foods, especially tomatoes, which are acidic and more likely to leach bisphenol A (a hormone disruptor) from the lining of the cans
• And these 8 worst foods for prostrate health.

Reduce animal protein intake

Meat, poultry, and dairy foods are typically high in protein and also trigger the release of a substance called insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). When you consume a considerable amount of these high-protein foods, the body makes a lot of IGF-I and can use some of it to promote cancer growth, including prostate cancer.

A study in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention reported that IGF-I levels were elevated among animal protein eaters but not among plant protein consumers. In fact, eating plant protein seemed to reduce IGF-1 levels. If you do eat animal protein, be sure to choose organic products that have not been raised with antibiotics or any other hormones.

Try quercetin and pollen

Both quercetin and pollen have demonstrated properties that promote and support prostate health, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant abilities, especially in the management of the inflammatory condition known as prostatitis. In addition, a new study in Urology looked at the effect of an anti-inflammatory combination (consisting of quercetin, nimesulide, saw palmetto, and bromelain) taken daily for three months by men with PSA values of 7.2 ng/mL or 7.3 ng/mL at baseline. By the end of the study, the combination had effectively and safely reduced PSA levels from 7.3 ng/mL to 4.6 ng/mL among men who had prostate inflammation. Both quercetin and pollen can be taken separately, but they also can be found together in supplement formulas designed to support prostate health.

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Follow The Prostate Diet

Men who want to help keep PSA levels low, support overall prostate health, and fight inflammation are encouraged to follow The Prostate Diet. The diet has 10 foundations which, if you follow them consistently, should reward you with a healthy prostate and overall health as well. Post them where you can refer to them until they become a habit.

• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, organic whenever possible
• Consume healthy fats — monounsaturated, omega-3 fatty acids
• Choose plant protein over animal protein
• Drink green tea often
• Choose whole, natural foods over refined, processed foods
• Include foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (e.g., cold-water fatty fish, walnuts, algae)
• Avoid or significantly limit certain foods and supplements (see “Reduce or avoid foods that harm the prostate”)
• Choose prostate cancer-killing foods and supplements, such as tomatoes, green tea, and vitamin D
• Stay well hydrated with pure water
• Consider taking natural supplements that support prostate health

Sources:

1. Algotar AM et al. Effect of aspirin, other NSAIDs, and statins on PSA and PSA velocity. Prostate 2010 Jun 1; 70(8): 883-88
2. Allen NE et al. The associations of diet with serum insulin-like growth factor 1 and its main binding proteins in 292 women meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention 2002 Nov; 11(11): 1441-48
3. Gallo L. The effect of a pure anti-inflammatory therapy on reducing prostate-specific antigen levels in patients diagnosed with a histologic prostatitis. Urology 2016 Aug; 94:198-203
4. Kim SH et al. Serum prostate-specific antigen levels and type of work in tire manufacturing workers. Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2014 Nov 4; 26(1): 50
5. Liu X et al. Lycopene inhibits IGF-I signal transduction and growth in normal prostate epithelial cells by decreasing DHT-modulated IGF-I production in co-cultured reactive stromal cells. Carcinogenesis 2008 Apr; 29(4): 816-23
6. Paller CJ et al. A randomized phase II study of pomegranate extract for men with rising PSA following initial therapy for localized prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Disease 2013 Mar; 16(1): 50-55
7. Zhang J et al. An inverse association of obesity and prostate-specific antigen in elderly males. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine 2016; 9(9): 18746-53

The post 10 ways to lower your PSA levels appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But I’ve been hearing a lot recently about black garlic, which has twice the antioxidant level of the better-known white variety.

Black garlic is simply white garlic that’s been subject to a fermentation process that’s been used in Asia for thousands of years.

It involves fermenting white garlic at controlled high temperature and humidity for about three to four weeks. During that time, the garlic produces dark-colored melanoidin in addition to natural sugars and amino acids.

The health benefits of black garlic are similar to those of white garlic. It also contains tons of probiotics, which means it can help stabilize the gut. And it is being investigated for even broader applications — including a disease that will strike one out of every eight men in their lifetime…

Fermented black garlic extract may slow prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in U.S. men, behind skin cancer. And it’s the third leading cause of cancer death in men in Spain, which is why researchers there decided to explore the impact of fermented black garlic extract on prostate cancer cells.

The researchers took into account a previous experiment in mice in which the extract was found to have anti-inflammatory characteristics. Inflammation plays an important role in prostate cancer.

“We tested the extract in different human prostate cancer cell models and found that it was capable of reducing various tumor aggressiveness parameters, including cell proliferation,” says researcher Antonio Montero. Put more simply, the extract appeared to make the prostate cancer cells less aggressive and less likely to spread.

“We also found that it did not affect normal prostate cells,” Montero adds. This means the compound could be administered as a dietary supplement without any potentially negative impact on healthy prostate cells.

Having demonstrated the anticancer effect of fermented black garlic extract, the researchers sought to identify which molecular pathways were affected by the compound. They were able to verify that the compound altered key signaling pathways in the cancer, including those related to inflammation.

“The treatment decreases the inflammatory environment that you can see in this type of cancer,” says principal investigator Raúl Luque. “The extract was more effective and was able to produce more changes when the cells were in a pro-inflammatory environment. The local inflammation could be related to the aggressiveness of the cancer, and the fact that this extract acts on it could be due to its reduced aggressiveness after the extract treatment.”

Luque notes that the results indicate fermented black garlic extract “could be a very good option to avert some of the adverse events that occur in patients who are going to progress to a more complex and aggressive stage of prostate cancer.”

Where to find black garlic

Further study in humans is needed to determine the preventive effect of the compound. This would involve conducting a pilot study in people with a family history of prostate cancer or continuing with a clinical study in patients who already have it, administering the extract to see whether the cancer’s progress can be slowed or stopped.

For now, if you’re a man with a history of prostate cancer in your family, you may want to add black garlic to your diet to help protect your prostate health. You can use black garlic just as you would use regular garlic in recipes, dips and spreads. One advantage black garlic has over white garlic is that it doesn’t have the same pungent odor.

Fortunately, black garlic has become more readily available in grocery stores in recent years. It can be bought whole, in ready-to-use peeled cloves or as a black garlic paste. Make sure you check the expiration date for the latter two forms and use them within three months after opening. If you buy whole black garlic, keep it in the refrigerator and use it within six months.

If you prefer the convenience of a supplement, you can also buy black garlic supplements in powdered or liquid extract form at health food stores or online.

Sources:

The beneficial effects of fermented black garlic extract on prostate cancer are evaluated — EurekAlert!

The Protective Effects of an Aged Black Garlic Water Extract on the Prostate — Nutrients

The Health Benefits of Garlic — Cleveland Clinic

A Cook’s Guide to Black Garlic: What It Is, How It’s Made, Plus 15 Tasty Ways to Use It — Forks Over Knives

Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer — American Cancer Society

The post How fermented black garlic slows prostate cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Now, the news has gotten even more dismal — at least for men.

That’s because according to research published in the journal Cancer, by the same date, cancer deaths in men are expected to rise almost 100 percent.

Yup, you read that right…

By 2050, it’s expected that almost double the number of men will die due to cancer.

Here’s why…

Fueling the cancer surge

The research, using data from the Global Cancer Observatory, analyzed more than 30 different types of cancer across 185 countries and territories worldwide.

Not only do their findings indicate that men’s incidents of cancer will to jump by 84 percent by the time 2050 rolls around, it’s estimated that the number of men who die from cancer will skyrocket by 93 percent.

Factors that the WHO says are at play in this massive surge include:

1. Population aging
2. Changes to people’s exposure to environmental risk factors, with air pollution a key concern
3. Tobacco and alcohol use
4. Obesity

Additionally, the researchers say that men may tend to participate less frequently in cancer prevention activities and underuse early screening metods and treatments, which could lead to poorer outcomes.

Tips to reduce cancer risk in men

There’s already a huge amount of research that proves there are ways to avoid cancer and stay healthier longer.

In fact, the American Cancer Society announced five modifiable factors that could reduce up to 50 percent of cancers. They are a great place to start, but here are a few more since cancer is nothing to leave to chance…

• Taking vitamin D daily – The VITAL study found daily supplementation of vitamin D reduced development of advanced cancer by 38 percent and reduced cancer mortality by 12 percent.
• Cutting out saturated fats – Lung cancer is the top cancer killer of men (prostate is 2^nd). A study including 98,000 people found a 24 percent lower risk of lung cancer in people who had the lowest amount of fat in their diets. The reduction was even greater for smokers at 29 percent.
• Eating less red meat – Red meat has been shown to cause carcinogenic compounds in the colon that eating chicken, fish or plant-based diets don’t.
• Just saying no to ultra-processed foods – Research involving 200,000 people found that men who ate ready-to-eat, meat-based products, like fish sticks, chicken nuggets and frozen burgers were more likely to end up with colon cancer.
• Drinking green tea – Studies have shown that men who drink green tea regularly are less likely to develop prostate cancer, the 2^nd leading cause of cancer deaths in men.
• Eating fermented foods – Fermented dairy products like yogurt, Greek yogurt, sour cream and kefir help balance your gut microbiome, which has been shown to reduce the risk of several kinds of cancer, including prostate.

And of course, while you’re taking steps to lower your risks, be sure to pay attention to the 10 cancer symptoms men should not ignore.

Sources:

Men’s Cancer Deaths to Rise 93 percent Globally by 2050 – U.S. News & World Report

The vitamin 10 times stronger than a cancer drug – Easy Health Options

Why red meat causes carcinogenic compounds in the colon – Easy Health Options

Foods that raise men’s colorectal cancer risk – Easy Health Options

Why obesity before 50 spells cancer – Easy Health Options

Young-onset colon cancer is on the rise and this habit’s to blame – Easy Health Options

These men reduced their prostate cancer risk three-fold – Easy Health Options

The complicated connection between dairy and prostate cancer – Easy Health Options

The post 4 reasons men’s cancer-related deaths are expected to double appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But while the recommendation was meant to save men the stress, pain and potential long-term effects of an unnecessary biopsy, like urinary incontinence, the fallout has been a rise in metastatic prostate cancer.

Unfortunately, it’s left men with few other options for early detection prostate screening.

Now though, thanks to the development of a novel test, researchers say they can detect prostate cancer with 90 percent accuracy — before any symptoms appear…

Advanced technology shines the light on prostate cancer

The research, performed at Aston University in Birmingham (UK), analyzed over 100 blood film samples taken from healthy men, men with prostate cancer and some men with a more aggressive form of the disease.

Specifically, they looked at crystal-like structures in these dried blood smears using a light-based technique known as new polarization-based image reconstruction.

This allowed them to zero in on how proteins in the blood actually changed shape three-dimensionally during the early stages of the cancer.

They were able to also conduct a detailed layer-by-layer analysis of the samples, which they say is crucial for identifying significant differences between healthy and cancerous samples.

In fact, according to the scientists, the technique showed a 90 percent accuracy rate for both early diagnosis and classification of cancer — which is far higher than existing screening methods.

Even better, because the only thing required for cancer screening is a blood sample, the technique is less traumatic and practically risk-free for patients — and takes just 15 minutes.

“Prostate cancer accounts for nearly 10 percent of cancer deaths in men and is one of the leading causes of death in older men,” said study author Professor Igor Meglinski. “However, the life expectancy of 90 percent of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer at stage 1 or 2 is 15 years or more”

“By enabling earlier and more accurate detection, our blood test has the potential to significantly improve outcomes and survival rates for many patients.”

Know your prostate cancer risks

The researchers believe this new test has the potential to revolutionize cancer diagnoses and early detection and monitoring as well.

That’s great news, but since the test is still in its early stages, it may be a while before your doctor can offer it.

For now, men will have to rely on traditional screening methods. Of course, the best first step is to lower your prostate cancer risk in the first place…

Ways to do this include:

• Maintaining a healthy weight to avoid the dangerous link between obesity and prostate cancer.
• Lowering the amount of three dietary molecules linked to aggressive prostate cancer.
• Following a prostate cancer-prevention diet.
• Exercising, which acts like a roadblock to prostate cancer progression.
• Keep up healthy levels of vitamin D. Low levels have been linked to prostate cancer.

Supplements may also help…

Previous research found three compounds — ursolic acid, curcumin and resveratrol — reduced the size and weight of prostate tumors in mice.

When ursolic acid was combined with curcumin or resveratrol, it blocked prostate cancer cells from consuming glutamine, a nutrient they need to grow, effectively starving them.

Sources:

Aston University researcher uses light to develop quicker, cheaper and less painful technique to detect prostate cancer — EurekAlert!

Breakthrough new cancer test could make prostate exams a thing of the past — MSN

5 Years After Routine PSA Testing Stopped Being Recommended — American Cancer Society

The cancer-fighting triple-threat for your prostate — Easy Health Options

The secret ingredients for prostate cancer prevention — Easy Health Options

The post Painless prostate cancer test claims 90% accuracy appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

A lot is known about how diet and exercise can reduce a man’s risk of ending up with prostate cancer. But in terms of the standard treatment, one mystery remains.

Or it did, until a group of dedicated cancer researchers found the answer that had been eluding us…

The testosterone paradox

Many men with prostate cancer are put on hormone therapy (also called androgen deprivation therapy or ADT) to reduce levels of testosterone and keep the hormone from fueling cancer cells.

This is one half of the testosterone paradox…

While blocking testosterone production halts tumor growth in the early stages of prostate cancer, elevating testosterone levels can have the same positive effect in later stages of the disease.

The reasons for this have puzzled experts until a Duke Cancer Institute study uncovered the explanation…

Testosterone: one hormone, diverse cancer functions

The answer turned out to be pretty simple.

When testosterone levels are low, testosterone receptors in cancer cells tend to “go solo.” They activate the pathways that cause cancer cells to grow and spread — effectively paving the way for more cancer growth.

But as testosterone levels rise, the same receptors are forced to work in pairs. This creates a different form of receptor that stops tumor growth.

“Nature has designed a system where low doses of hormones stimulate cancer cell proliferation and high doses cause differentiation and suppress growth, enabling the same hormone to perform diverse functions,” says Dr. Donald McDonnell, in whose lab this experiment was performed.

Late-stage BAT protocol closer to becoming mainstream treatment

Prior to this, oncologists knew that a monthly injection of testosterone given to patients with late-stage prostate cancer — a technique called bi-polar androgen therapy, or BAT — helped to slow the advance of tumors and prolong life in many cases.

But they didn’t know why it worked and that hindered widespread adoption of the treatment protocol.

Now that the mechanisms are clear, the path is open to adopting this as a more mainstream approach to treating advanced cases of prostate cancer, and Dr. McDonnell hopes his study will pave the way.

“Our study describes how BAT and like approaches work and could help physicians select patients who are most likely to respond to this intervention,” he says.

“We have already developed new drugs that exploit this new mechanism and are bringing these to the clinic for evaluation as prostate cancer therapeutics.”

How to reduce risk for prostate cancer

As I mentioned earlier, a healthy diet, especially one rich in cruciferous vegetables, and exercise can contribute to preventing prostate cancer. Exercise may even suppress tumor growth in advanced prostate cancer.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important. But even more crucial is that you don’t carry a load of belly fat, better known as visceral fat.

Visceral fat has a mind of its own. It’s not just fat – it’s an organ that is biochemically active and can disrupt hormones, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) the hormone behind prostate cancer.

So your mission, then, is to keep that spare tire from catching up with you.

Here are a dozen habits that pack on dangerous belly fat. Not surprisingly, they include eating processed foods and drinking soda with aspartame, which actually increases belly fat.

But take a close look – because some of them may surprise you.

Sources:

Study solves testosterone’s paradoxical effects in prostate cancer — Eureka Alert

Androgen receptor monomers and dimers regulate opposing biological processes in prostate cancer cells — Nature Communications

The post The prostate cancer ‘testosterone paradox’ solved appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For men though, it’s a process fraught with anxiety. PSA screenings are often inaccurate and present false positives that lead to unnecessary and very uncomfortable biopsies.

For these reasons, experts began to weigh the benefits against the potential for harm, including long-term urinary incontinence that can occur when the biopsy requires multiple needle sticks.

But in the time since routine PSA testing fell out of favor as a widespread practice, the number of metastatic prostate cancer cases has risen, with diagnoses increasing from 4 percent to 8 percent between 2003 and 2017

The 5-year survival rate for metastatic prostate cancer is 31 percent, compared with the nearly 100 percent 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer caught in the early stages.

Investigators hope they’ve finally hit on just the right test to set these numbers back…

A new test to reduce the need for biopsy

Researchers at the University of Michigan have created MyProstateScore 2.0 (MPS2), a test that screens for prostate cancer in urine samples. MPS2 seeks out 18 different genes associated with high-grade prostate tumors.

“If you’re negative on this test, it’s almost certain that you don’t have aggressive prostate cancer,” says Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan, a professor at the University of Michigan.

The researchers started with a database of more than 58,000 prostate cancer-associated genes and narrowed it to 54 uniquely overexpressed in cancers classified as Grade Group 2 (GG2) or higher. Prostate cancers are ranked from least (GG1) to most (GG5) dangerous.

Then, they tested those 54 genes against urine samples from 761 men with elevated PSA who were scheduled for biopsy. The effort yielded 18 genes that consistently correlated with high-grade cancer in the biopsy specimens — the same genes MPS2 now tests for.

The MPS2 was validated against more than 800 urine samples and correctly identified 95 percent of GG2 prostate cancers and 99 percent of cancers that were GG3 or higher. When estimates of the prostate’s size (or volume) were incorporated, test accuracy was even higher.

How many of those men could have avoided a painful and unnecessary biopsy if the MPS2 had been used? 41 percent — if the prostate volume was included in the measure — and 37 percent if it wasn’t

With the standard PSA blood test, only 26 percent of biopsies would have been avoided.

They noted that even though MRI scans can also be used to predict whether a prostate tumor is likely to spread, ruling out high-grade cancer with a urine test offers some advantages over MRI.

“This research is very encouraging, since many men in rural areas may not have access to prostate MRI machines or the added sophistication that is needed in interpreting these MRI scans,” says Dr. Marc Garnick, the Gorman Brothers Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “A widely available urine test may eventually help provide more precision in determining who should undergo a prostate biopsy, and may also help to assess the probability that a cancer is clinically significant and in need of treatment.”

Update: Researchers at the University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center have clinically validated the urine test, which can potentially bypass these invasive procedures among men who are unlikely to benefit. The team modified the urine collection approach so that the MPS2 test could detect markers for prostate cancer, without requiring a prior rectal exam.

From a cohort of 266 men who did not undergo a rectal exam, they found that the test could detect 94% of GG2 or higher cancers and was more sensitive than blood tests. Further, mathematical models demonstrated that the use of MPS2 would have avoided up to 53% of unnecessary biopsies.

MPS2 is currently available through Lynx Dx, a University of Michigan spin-off company that has an exclusive university license to commercialize MPS2. Patients interested in learning more can call the Michigan Medicine Cancer AnswerLine at 800-865-1125.

When to get tested

If you are a Black man, the American Cancer Society’s current recommendation is to discuss prostate cancer testing with your doctor beginning at age 45. All other men should discuss prostate cancer testing with their doctor beginning at age 50.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) has slightly different recommendations. They advise beginning testing at age 40 if you have a family history of prostate, breast, ovarian, pancreas or other cancers, are Black, or have known BRCA 1/2 mutations. All other men should begin testing at age 45.

Along with testing, lifestyle factors can cut down on prostate cancer risk…

The Mediterranean Diet is the best place to start according to experts who say men with higher levels of lycopene and selenium in their blood are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

You also want to make every effort to maintain a healthy weight. Numerous studies have linked hormones secreted by excess fat cells with aggressive prostate cancer. And belly fat, in particular, has been associated with death from prostate cancer.

Last but not least is exercise — which, even in men diagnosed with prostate cancer, has been shown to act like a roadblock to cancer progression.

And don’t forget to check with your doctor on the availability of the MPS2 urine test.

Sources:

New urine test may help some men with elevated PSA avoid biopsy — Harvard Health Publishing

Development and Validation of an 18-Gene Urine Test for High-Grade Prostate Cancer — JAMA Oncology

Put your love into action. Get screened. — American Cancer Society

Should I Be Screened? — Prostate Cancer Foundation

The post The urine test that could save more men from a prostate biopsy appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But even so, prostate cancer comes with uncomfortable symptoms like pelvic pain, trouble urinating and bone pain.

There are two ways prostate cancer is typically treated:

• Prostatectomy, the surgical removal of the prostate, or a radical prostatectomy, which removes the prostate as well as the seminal vesicles and possibly nearby lymph nodes.
• Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays similar to X-rays to kill the cancer. It’s either done externally, where a machine outside the body directs radiation at the cancer cells, or internally, where radioactive seeds or pellets are surgically placed into or near the cancer to destroy its cells.

Not only are these two therapies pretty invasive, they can come with devastating side effects, including urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Luckily, other, less invasive treatments for prostate cancer are still under investigation — and one in particular is very promising…

Ultrasound method shows success

MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation (TULSA) is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a small catheter-like device to precisely apply ultrasound and MRI-guided thermotherapy (producing high heat) to destroy cancerous tissue within the prostate gland. TULSA can be performed in two to three hours in an outpatient or inpatient setting under general or spinal anesthesia.

According to Dr. Steven S. Raman, M.D., FASR, FSIR, professor of radiology, urology and surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, “This image-guided therapy maximizes our ability to kill cancer cells while minimizing collateral damage to the prostate to achieve the ultimate trifecta in prostate cancer treatment: full local cancer control while maintaining urinary continence and potency. The latter are the complications of most prostate cancer therapies that patients hate and often result from a lack of precision in treatment monitoring.”

As lead author of a prospective observational study that put TULSA to the test, he has the results to back up his statement…

• Participants in that study showed improvement in the reduction of cancer, prostate size and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a marker for cancer.
• At one year after TULSA, cancer was undetectable on follow-up biopsy by 76 percent, and there was a decrease in median prostate volume by 92 percent.
• At five years after TULSA, there was a decrease in PSA from 6.3ng/ml to 0.63 ng/ml.

And, compared to alternative surgical, radiation and thermal therapy (US-guided HIFU or cryotherapy), TULSA had a very favorable side effect profile…

By 5 years following the procedure, 92 percent of patients recovered continence and 87 percent preserved erectile function.

However, TULSA does not preclude future treatment with surgery or radiation. Of the 115 men participating in the study, 25 received follow-up conventional treatment with surgery or radiation because of residual or new tumors.

Dr. Ramen believes the success of TULSA represents a revolution in whole-gland treatment for prostate cancer and plans to study the procedure’s effectiveness in the CAPTAIN trial, a randomized control trial comparing TULSA with radical prostatectomy.

 “We have more research to do, but if validated, TULSA has the potential to change the standard of care for thousands of men.”

Monitoring prostate cancer risk

As PSA testing for prostate cancer has fallen out of favor over the past decade, the number of metastatic prostate cancer cases has risen. Between 2003 and 2017, patients diagnosed with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body increased from 4 percent to 8 percent.

The 5-year survival rate for metastatic prostate cancer is a dismal 31 percent, compared with the nearly 100 percent 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer caught in the early stages. That’s why it’s so important to know the following risk factors so that you can discuss with your doctor whether and how often you should be tested for prostate cancer:

• Age. More than 6 in 10 cases of prostate cancer occur in men who are 65 and up.
• Family history. If your father, brother or other close blood relative had prostate cancer, it raises your risk of the disease, especially if they were diagnosed before age 60.
• Race. If you are African American, you’re more likely to develop prostate cancer, and it’s more likely to be advanced when it’s diagnosed. Don’t wait to see a doctor.
• Lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy weight and eating a diet high in specific micronutrients are two ways you can help lower your risk of the disease. Multiple studies also show exercise can shrink prostate tumors and extend survival and quality of life.

Sources:

New treatment option for prostate cancer shows successful outcomes — EurekAlert!

How Is Prostate Cancer Treated? — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The post New prostate cancer therapy offers fewer side effects, more hope appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For decades, this has meant making decisions with far too little information on what to expect from treatment — especially regarding effects on sexual function and urinary, bowel and hormonal health.

According to Dr. Bashir Al Hussein Al Awamlh, a fellow in Urologic Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), “Many men with localized prostate cancer survive for 15 years or more, with minimal differences in survival among various treatment strategies.

“Given this long-time horizon and similar survival rates, the choice of treatment for patients may be influenced by the adverse effects of the treatments.”

He and others involved in the study hope the results of the decade-long study may help men feel more empowered when making treatment decisions along with their doctors.

Treatments for men with a favorable diagnosis

The CEASAR (Comparative Effectiveness Analysis of Surgery and Radiation for Localized Prostate Cancer) study, coordinated by VUMC, is a multisite research study conducting long-term follow-up on men who were diagnosed with localized prostate cancer between 2011 and 2012.

The study included 2500 men who were divided into two groups: favorable prognosis and unfavorable prognosis, which is relevant because patients with an unfavorable prognosis receive more intensive treatments.

Men with a “favorable” prognosis can choose from four treatment options:

• Active surveillance – When a man chooses active surveillance, he receives no treatment. Instead, his cancer specialist will closely monitor the tumor, moving to treatment later if necessary. This option is also known as watchful waiting.
• Nerve-sparing prostatectomy – In this case, a man with prostate cancer undergoes a surgical procedure in which the prostate is removed, but the nerves involved in erectile function are left intact. The goal is to maintain as much sexual function as possible.
• External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) – EBRT uses daily radiation to kill off cancer cells.
• Low-dose-rate brachytherapy – Like EBRT, this treatment option utilizes radiation. However, instead of daily treatment, radiation ‘seeds’ are implanted in the prostate.

The research revealed that men who chose prostatectomy (prostate removal) experienced worse sexual function three to five years after the procedure compared to men who opted for other treatments.

Additionally, men who were given a prostatectomy were also more likely to live with urinary issues, with a quarter of these patients reporting “leakage” up to 10 years after the procedure. This is a significant percentage considering that only 4-11% of men who underwent EBRT instead of a prostatectomy experienced the same issues.

Treatments for men with an unfavorable diagnosis

Men with an “unfavorable” prognosis generally only have two treatment options since they require more aggressive treatments.

Options for men in this category included:

• Prostatectomy – Like in the favorable group, this treatment involves full surgical removal of the prostate.
• EBRT plus androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) – Men in who receive an unfavorable diagnosis may choose to undergo EBRT, but with the addition of ADT, which lowers a man’s levels of circulating hormones. This is done to try to boost the effectiveness of the radiation.

As you can imagine, side effects are more likely in this group due to the aggressive treatment levels.

• The research showed that like with the favorable prognosis group, a quarter of the men who chose to undergo a prostatectomy had urinary leakage.
• EBRT/ADT led to worse outcomes for bowel and hormonal issues at 10 years post-treatment. Unfortunately, ADT also raises a man’s Alzheimer’s and dementia risk.
• For men in the unfavorable group, doctors saw no differences in sexual function whether they received a prostatectomy or treatment using EBRT/ADT.

Arming yourself in the battle against prostate cancer

The good news is that with the results of this study, men can now make a more informed decision on care following diagnosis.

The authors plan to develop a personalized, patient-facing prediction tool using their findings to offer functional estimates through 10 years, based on different treatment strategies, to aid patients in making decisions.

“The findings underscore the importance of counseling men with unfavorable prognosis prostate cancer differently than favorable prognosis cancer regarding expected long-term functional outcomes and suggest that adverse effects of treatments on sexual function may be deemphasized in decision making for some men,” said senior author Daniel Barocas, MD, MPH, professor and executive vice chair of Urology at VUMC.

Outside of the realm of conventional medical treatment are lifestyle factors that may have a positive impact on the prostate cancer battle at home. These include:

• Following the Prostate Diet – The Prostate Diet offers eight dietary principles that can help avoid a prostate cancer diagnosis.
• Staying active – Studies show that even a single exercise session can help slow prostate cancer progression so staying active is a must.
• Drinking green tea – According to the results of a study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research, men with prostate cancer who consumed the active compounds in green tea demonstrated a significant reduction in serum markers predictive of prostate cancer progression.
• Eating cruciferous vegetables – Broccoli, kale, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are among vegetables rich in a phytochemical known as DIM (3,3’-diindolylmethane). DIM has been shown effective in inhibiting an enzyme involved in prostate cancer cell growth and in inducing cell suicide (apoptosis) while not impacting healthy cells. Cruciferous vegetables also harbor indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytochemical that protects DNA from damage, promotes apoptosis, and prevents growth of cancer cells.

Sources:

Long-term prostate cancer treatment study informs decisions for diverse groups — News Medical Life Sciences

Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer — American Cancer Society

The post Study reveals what men can expect after prostate cancer treatment appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If you’re one of them, it is understandable that you would like to find a way to shrink your prostate or at least reduce its symptoms. You may wonder how to take the prostate back to a younger, more normal size that doesn’t keep you running to the bathroom all night long.

When enlarged, the prostate gland (which is located at the base of the bladder) can put pressure on the urethra and cause symptoms such as frequent urination and nighttime urination. The growing prostate can also keep the bladder from completely emptying and can affect the flow of urine, making for a weaker flow, starting and stopping the flow, and urinary tract infections. More severe cases of BPH can make it difficult to urinate.

Even though BPH is not cancerous, it does affect a man and his family’s quality of life. If you are waking up several times a night to urinate, chances are you are waking up your family members at least some of the time. Having to stop activities due to urinary urgency can have an effect and cause stress and annoyance for everyone involved.

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Growth of the prostate with age is normal. But even though the prostate does grow with age, there are things you might be doing that fuel this growth, just as there are lifestyle habits, dietary factors and supplements that can fight and help you manage this growth. Check out these five natural ways to shrink the prostate gland…

No. 1: Get moving

Several studies have concluded that moderate or vigorous exercise is very helpful in reducing the risks and symptoms of BPH. Not only does exercise reduce risk of BPH and urinary tract symptoms, but also it provides benefits for your heart health. This can help you prevent other health and sexual problems such as erectile dysfunction.

No. 2: Slim down

Obesity is one of the largest contributors to BPH. If you are overweight, one of the best ways to drop your prostate problems is to drop some pounds. Losing weight can help improve your urinary symptoms. A bonus is that weight loss also reduces your risk for prostate cancer.

The Journal of Urology published a study that found that overweight men have an increased risk of BPH. Abdominal fat in particular may play a role. The researchers examined 5,667 men ages 55 and older. They assessed the risk of BPH for each man each year for seven years. All of the men who had a body mass index above 25 had an increased risk for BPH that ranged from 13 percent to 29 percent. They evaluated abdominal obesity by dividing waist measurement by hip measurement. The men who had a ratio of 1.05 or higher had an increased risk of BPH of 45 percent.

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No. 3: Strive for balance (hormonal, that is)

Experts believe that the hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) promotes the growth of prostate cells. When testosterone and estrogen are imbalanced, DHT activity can increase and encourage the growth of prostate cells. That is why it is important to keep an eye on and manage your hormones, which you might have noticed begin to change after the age of 40.

Both exercising and maintaining a healthy weight help to keep your testosterone and estrogen balanced, but there are natural supplements that are worth looking into as well. Both pygeum and plant sterols like beta-sitosterol contain active components that can inhibit DHT production. Another supplement, 3,3’-diindolylmethane (DIM), naturally supports the balance of testosterone and estrogen and promotes normal prostate size.

No. 4: Eat better

Your diet also greatly affects your prostate health. If you follow the best diet for prostate health (one that is low in red meat and higher in fish or vegetable sources of protein, fiber, fruits and vegetables), you can reduce your risk factors for BPH. Foods that promote good prostate health include those high in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, tuna and sardines. Lycopene-rich tomatoes benefit the prostate, too.

What you should not eat is also important. Avoid foods that your prostate hates such as red meat, dairy, wheat, fried foods and sugar.

You also need to drink well. Stay hydrated, and limit your alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day. Drinks like green tea and cranberry, which are both also available in supplement form, are beneficial as well.

There are also many green tea prostate benefits for men. In Japan, the country with the lowest prostate cancer in the world, men consume many cups of green tea per day. The catechins found in green tea can promote a normal prostate size and regulate the production of DHT. Studies show that green tea can help regulate the production of hormones that influence prostate volume. Both green tea and cranberry are also useful for men who suffer from urinary tract infections, as these drinks (and supplements) inhibit the growth and attachment of bacteria to the urinary tract lining.

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No. 5: Try supplements

Many prostate supplements can benefit an aging prostate and support normal urinary health. When shopping for supplements, look for formulations that include ingredients that can help with overall prostate health. As already mentioned, several supplements help support hormone regulation. One of them, pygeum, has also been found in studies to be useful in reducing BPH symptoms. While studies have not found that pygeum actually shrinks the prostate, it does help offer relief of urinary symptoms. Curcumin is another supplement that can help regulate the inflammatory processes that support the health of the prostate. Saw palmetto is a well-researched supplement that studies have found as effective as popular drugs for BPH without causing the scary side effects of prostate drugs.

The next step

Hopefully, these five natural steps to better prostate health offer relief from your prostate symptoms. Even though there is a lot you can do to help manage your prostate health by changing your diet and lifestyle, prostate symptoms sometimes linger. If you have tried everything from exercise to weight loss to diet and supplements and your symptoms do not improve, you should see your doctor for further testing.

Your doctor may suggest other treatments such as medication or surgery. There are risks associated with these treatments, so make sure you make an informed decision and ask a lot of questions before starting any treatment.

Chances are you will find that improving your diet and lifestyle will make a positive difference in your prostate health and in the way you feel in general. If you at least get a better night’s sleep, that alone has to improve your mood, energy and outlook on life.

The post 5 natural ways to shrink the prostate appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And then there’s the food — hearty, comforting and warmly scented with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The fall and winter months are the best times to enjoy a wide variety of squashes, including the one for which the holiday season is best known: pumpkin.

We’ve talked a lot about the many benefits of pumpkin seeds. But the flesh of the pumpkin packs its own health punch. Here are some ways consuming pumpkin can help maintain your well-being….

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A healthy dose of beta carotene

Orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes and pumpkins are loaded with beta carotene, an antioxidant your body converts into vitamin A. A one-cup serving of pumpkin can provide 200 percent of your recommended daily vitamin A intake.

Vitamin A is key to protecting your vision and helping you to see more clearly, especially in low-light conditions. The nutrient plays a role in maintaining the health of the heart, lungs, kidneys and reproductive system. And it stimulates production and activity of white blood cells, helps with bone remodeling and supports the health of the endothelial cells lining the body’s interior surfaces.

Carotenes are also believed to have the potential to check atherosclerosis. In fact, studies found the greater the concentration of carotenes in the blood, the lesser the atherosclerotic burden, particularly in women

Beta carotene also helps to fight the impact of aging on your skin. It also can alleviate inflammation, which benefits both the skin and the body.

In addition to beta carotene, pumpkins contain vitamin C, vitamin E, iron and folate. All of these nutrients can boost the ability of your immune system to fend off germs and speed up wound healing.

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Potassium for good heart health

The essential mineral potassium is sometimes referred to as an electrolyte because it carries a small electrical charge that activates many cell and nerve functions. Potassium helps to maintain normal cell fluid levels as well as muscle function and blood pressure.

While there isn’t enough evidence to establish a recommended dietary allowance for potassium, the National Academy of Medicine has established an adequate intake for the mineral. For adults, the adequate intake is 3,400 mg for men and 2,600 mg for women.

Pumpkin can help keep those potassium levels up. One cup of pumpkin contains about 394 mg of potassium, just shy of the 420 mg found in one banana. Eating pumpkin regularly can help maintain healthy blood pressure levels as well as lower your risk of stroke, kidney stones and type 2 diabetes. The potassium in pumpkin can also help increase bone mineral density.

Plenty of fiber to help manage weight

One cup of pumpkin only contains 30 calories, making it a great food to include in a healthy diet (as long as it’s not in pumpkin pie form). Plus, pumpkins contain a lot of fiber, which can help you feel full and keep you from overeating. In addition to helping curb appetite, fiber also promotes good digestive health, balances blood sugar and lowers your odds of contracting heart disease.

At 7 grams a cup, a daily dose of pumpkin can help boost your fiber intake. It’s recommended that men get 30 to 38 grams of fiber daily, while women should try to eat a least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day.

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Healthy ways to eat pumpkin

Say the word “pumpkin” and most of us think of that old holiday standby, pumpkin pie. But there are much healthier ways to consume this tasty squash.

For instance, try adding cubes of pumpkin to a mix of roasted vegetables or a vegetable casserole. Or whip up a tasty (and healthy!) pumpkin soup. You can even combine pumpkin with chickpeas to make delicious hummus. Surprisingly, pumpkin puree is a tasty addition to rich, thick and nutritious smoothies.

And when you carve your pumpkin, for Halloween or for a special recipe, be sure to keep and roast the seeds. They are rich in antioxidants, iron, zinc, magnesium and many other nutrients.

Native Americans used pumpkin seeds as an age-old remedy for bladder, kidney and digestive problems. Research has also shown pumpkin seeds to be effective in reducing prostate symptoms without side effects. 

Sources:

Health Benefits of Pumpkin — Nourish by WebMD

Vitamin A — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Pumpkin — Eat This Much

Potassium — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Where to find potassium, other than bananas — Sharp Health News

Fiber — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

9 reasons to add pumpkin to your diet — OSF Healthcare

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If you’re an older man, this scenario may be all too familiar. You’re experiencing what’s known as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as weak stream and frequent nighttime urination, or nocturia.

LUTS is usually associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition in which the prostate becomes enlarged and makes it difficult to urinate or completely empty the bladder. However, age-related bladder changes, metabolic syndrome and vascular disease also can contribute to LUTS.

Moderate to severe LUTS has been linked to an increased risk of death in previous studies. But it was unclear whether improving these symptoms had any impact on that higher death risk — until now….

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The danger of lower urinary tract symptoms

Researchers analyzed data on 3,046 men aged 50 or older with moderate to severe LUTS from the Medical Treatment of Prostate Symptoms trial. The participants were randomly assigned to receive active treatment with LUTS medications or an inactive placebo. Medications used in the study were the alpha-1 blocker doxazosin, the 5-alpha reductase inhibitor finasteride or a combination of the two.

During the two-year follow-up period, the researchers used the AUA Symptom Score to rate the impact of LUTS symptoms on a scale of 0 to 35. Follow-up data were used to determine the connection between reduction in urinary symptoms and death risk after an average of six years.

Results showed that for each one-point reduction in symptom score, the risk for death decreased by 4 percent. The more symptoms were reduced, the greater the reduction in death risk, with a 10-point reduction in LUTS symptoms correlating with a 35 percent decrease in death risk.

While the men assigned to all three active treatment groups showed significant reductions in mortality risk, the placebo group did not.

The researchers note that urinary symptoms are typically regarded as a “benign condition” that’s only treated when it becomes a problem for the patient.

“The findings suggest that we may need to view urinary symptoms differently, possibly with an emphasis on earlier treatment,” says lead author Dr. Blayne Welk of Western University and Lawson Health Research Institute in Canada.

The researchers stress that the study cannot determine a causal relationship between improved LUTS symptoms and subsequent death risk and that further study is needed. They also observe that the study did not evaluate the impact of other treatment options, including newer types of selective alpha blockers.

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Natural ways to keep your prostate healthy

If you decide to ask your doctor about medication for LUTS or BPH, you should know that studies have linked 5-alpha reductase inhibitors like finasteride with an elevated risk of diabetes. Your doctor will want to consider your health history before choosing that path.

There are other medications but they too have side effects to be weighed. For those reasons, some men choose a natural approach.

For instance, diet can influence prostate health. Some foods should be avoided, while other foods may help shrink the prostate.  Research shows that a diet rich in whole fruits, vegetables and healthy fats (sounds like the Mediterranean diet!) can improve prostate health and BPH.

Several supplements have a reputation for relieving LUTS as well, most notably saw palmetto. Studies have confirmed the effectiveness of saw palmetto in promoting prostate health, relieving the excessive need to urinate (especially at night) and enhancing urinary flow. Others include pygeum, stinging nettle and beta-sitosterol.

Consider drinking green and black tea regularly (but avoid drinking anything close to bedtime). A study conducted by researchers at Winthrop University Hospital in Garden City, New York, evaluated the impact of green and black tea on a small group of men (46) with LUTS. The men who had taken the tea mixture showed an improvement in LUTS (including improved urinary flow and reduced inflammation) and quality of life in as little as six weeks when compared with placebo.

And last but not least, regular exercise is also important for keeping your prostate healthy. The more active you are, the lower your risk of BPH or prostate problems.

Sources:                                                                                                        For older men, treating urinary symptoms may lead to lower mortality risk — EurekAlert!

The Reduction of Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Is Associated With a Decreased Risk of Death — The Journal of Urology

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That’s because while localized tumors of the prostate gland are considered very treatable, once prostate cancer metastasizes, which occurs in approximately 20 percent of men, all bets are off.

Sadly, for too long, doctors have been working blind, not really understanding why and how these tumors spread or having a clear answer to stop it.

But that’s all changed thanks to ground-breaking research from the Medical University of Vienna, where researchers have discovered both the pathway behind prostate cancer progression and a means to put a halt to tumor growth in a diabetes drug that millions already take.

Decoding cancer’s cellular signal pathway

To do so, the team used a complex mouse model, which allowed them to examine prostate cancer cells and identify the key factors in the regulation of tumor cell growth, as well as the way they interact with each other.

What they found is that a protein signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (also known as STAT3) plays the leading role. And they discovered that the activation of STAT3 by another protein called interleukin 6 (IL6) can work as a cancer protectant.

“Interestingly, our study showed for the first time that permanent activation of STAT3 prevents the development of prostate cancer as well as the development and spread of metastases. Conversely, we discovered that the loss of the signal pathway between STAT3 and IL6 in the prostate can lead to massive tumor growth and metastasis, which significantly increases the aggressiveness of the cancer and the mortality rate,” explained lead investigator Lukas Kenner.

The research proved that when STAT3 is activated, proteins known as LKB1/pAMPK increase. These proteins are capable of blocking certain cancer molecules, which actually stop a tumor from growing.

And that’s where the research really pays off…

Glucose and cancer

That’s because not only do those proteins inhibit cancer growth, they also are responsible for the regulation of glucose metabolism — a fact which led the scientists to pit a common diabetes drug, metformin, against prostate cancer.

And sure enough, when it came to cancer, it was blood sugar control for the win!

The team discovered that taking metformin can significantly slow the progression of STAT3-positive prostate cancer.

“As metformin is already available, our research findings could be useful in developing new treatment options for patients with STAT3-positive prostate cancer in the foreseeable future,” said Kenner.

Of course, this comes as no surprise to those of us who have been following the cancer-sugar connection for any amount of time.

In fact, it’s been over 90 years since Otto Warburg first exposed sugar’s cancer-causing secret.

And numerous studies have linked reducing sugar, such as through the keto diet, to anti-cancer effects.

Sources:

Research into use of diabetes medication for treatment of metastatic prostate cancer — ScienceDaily

Prostate Cancer Statistics — CDC

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This remedy has ancient roots and has long been valued for its ability to manage bladder disorders, but scientific studies have shown it also has lots of potential for prostate health.

Here are some reasons why you may want to consider pygeum to support your prostate…

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What Is Pygeum?

Pygeum supplements are made from the bark of the Prunus africanum tree, although both the tree and the extract are often referred to simply as pygeum. The active ingredients in the extract include phytosterols, the most common of which is beta-sitosterol. Other components in pygeum include triterpenes and compounds called ferulic acids.

You may recognize beta-sitosterol as another natural supplement that is beneficial for the prostate. It is found in stinging nettle and saw palmetto, two other herbal remedies shown to support prostate health. Phytosterols can inhibit the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone that plays a major role in the development of an enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH) and in hair loss.

Although pygeum has been studied for a variety of ailments, it has demonstrated the most promise for the management of an enlarged prostate.

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Pygeum And Enlarged Prostate

An enlarged prostate is a common condition caused by the noncancerous growth of the prostate gland as men age. Enlargement of the prostate can constrict the urethra, the tube that transports urine out of the body. Therefore, men who have an enlarged prostate often, but not always, experience urinary tract symptoms such as urinary urgency, painful urination, dribbling, the need to urinate often during the night and urinary frequency.

A number of studies have indicated that pygeum has properties that can help relieve symptoms of an enlarged prostate.

A few of the findings and reports on pygeum and BPH:

• A total of 263 men who had an enlarged prostate were given either 50 mg of pygeum extract or a placebo twice daily for 60 days. At the end of the study, the men who had taken pygeum extract had a “marked clinical improvement” in urinary tract symptoms. In fact, there was a 66 percent improvement in urinary symptoms in the pygeum group compared with 31 percent in the placebo group.
• A meta-analysis involving 18 trials evaluated a total of 1,562 men who had an enlarged prostate. Overall, the reviewers concluded that compared with placebo, pygeum offered men a “moderately large improvement” in urinary tract symptoms. Men who took pygeum were more than twice as likely to experience an improvement than men in placebo groups.
• In a comparison of pygeum with saw palmetto, another herbal remedy shown to be helpful in supporting prostate health and coping with an enlarged prostate, investigators reported on two studies: In one, 70 men with an enlarged prostate were given either 320 mg of saw palmetto for 30 days or 100 mg of pygeum plus 320 mg of saw palmetto for 30 days. In both studies, men experienced an improvement of about 50 percent in frequent urination and painful urination.
• In a review article in American Family Physician, the author noted that “limited evidence shows that the herbal agents saw palmetto extract, rye grass pollen extract, and pygeum relieve symptoms” of an enlarged prostate.

Taking Pygeum Supplements

If you are considering pygeum supplements, there are two options. One is to take the herbal remedy alone. The other is to take a supplement that contains pygeum along with other natural remedies for prostate health. In either case, the suggested dose of pygeum (standardized to contain 13 percent total sterols) is 75 to 200 mg daily as a single dose or divided into two equal doses.

Sources:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of botanically derived inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12006122

Efficacy of Pygeum africanum extract in the treatment of micturational disorders due to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Evaluation of objective and subjective parameters. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1702916

Pygeum africanum for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Databases of Systematic Reviews 2002; (1)CD001044. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11869585

Serenoa repens in benign prostatic hypertrophy: analysis of 2 Italian studies. Minerva Urol Nefrol 2010 Dec; 62(4): 335-40. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20944533

Edwards: Diagnosis and management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. http://www.aafp.org/afp/2008/0515/p1403.html

NBBS isolated from Pygeum africanum bark exhibits androgen antagonistic activity, inhibits AR nuclear translocation and prostate cancer cell growth.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19771394

Papaioannou M et al. The natural compound atraric acid is an antagonist of the human androgen receptor inhibiting cellular invasiveness and prostate cancer cell growth.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18627423

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The reasons why have been viewed as complex. But now, a study has made an important connection that could help improve those odds.

And it has to do with an important vitamin that more and more research has shown is imperative for good health…

A vitamin deficiency that takes lives

Scientists at Cedars-Sinai Cancer Treatment Center in Los Angeles took a deeper dive into the reasons that African American men are so much more vulnerable to prostate cancer.

“African American men are more likely than European American men to develop prostate cancer and are twice as likely to die from the disease,” said Dr. Moray Campbell, a research scientist at Cedars-Sinai Cancer and senior author of the study.

“Large-scale studies have shown that differences in access to healthcare do not fully account for this health disparity, and our study identifies biological factors that might explain it.”

Dr. Campbell and her team discovered that vitamin D is the missing piece to the puzzle. That’s because vitamin D affects prostate cancer risk in two ways…

First, it guards against cell damage. Cancer is caused by genetic mutations, so it makes sense to protect against such cell damage.

This may be the reason that men who have higher levels of vitamin D have a lower risk of deadly prostate cancer.

The second way vitamin D helps is that it stimulates the maturation of cells. Cancer cells do not behave like normal cells. Instead of maturing and dying, they continue to divide, creating more and more abnormal cells.

“Without sufficient levels of vitamin D to cause them to mature, the cells in a tumor continue to multiply out of control,” says Dr. Campbell.

What makes African American men more prone to a D deficiency

Campbell and his research team found that the vitamin D receptor, a protein that helps the body use vitamin D, appears to have adapted differently in people of African ancestry.

“The forebears of African American and European American men adapted to the climates where they originated,” Campbell said. “African men retain higher melanin levels in the skin to protect against the strong sun — which also helps the body produce vitamin D. Because of this, their descendants in the U.S., which receives fewer hours per year of bright sunshine than African countries do, are often vitamin D deficient.”

For African American men, this spells an even higher risk of prostate cancer and means they need to work harder at maintaining healthy vitamin D levels.

This isn’t the first time that the melanin-vitamin D factor has come into play for African American health. This difference in how darker skin produces vitamin D also raises the risk of heart disease. In general, it’s also been tied to shortening lifespan.

Getting more vitamin D

This means African American men need to work harder at getting vitamin D. Experts believe at least 40 percent of Americans in general have deficient or insufficient levels of vitamin D.

If you want to know where your levels are, see your doctor to have your vitamin D blood levels checked. If you are deficient, your doctor may recommend a high-dose supplement to raise your levels.

Make sure you choose vitamin D3. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared the effects of vitamin D2 and D3 supplements on blood levels found that D3 supplements tended to raise blood concentrations of the vitamin more and sustained those levels longer than D2. That’s likely because D3 is the form naturally produced in the body and found in foods, like eggs.

Sources:

Study: vitamin D may play a role in prostate cancer disparities — Eureka Alert

African American Prostate Cancer Displays Quantitatively Distinct Vitamin D Receptor Cistrome-transcriptome Relationships Regulated by BAZ1A — Cancer Research Communications

6 things you should know about vitamin D — Harvard Health

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I took metformin for a week, the leading prescribed drug for treatment of type 2 diabetes in the United States and taken by 80 million people around the world.

This medication is often touted as a wonder drug for individuals with type 2 as well as for those living with other health challenges.

My reasons for taking metformin were highly personal…

I have a genetic predisposition for both prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes (I’m not diabetic but I swing in and out of pre-diabetes), and I’m getting older. I did copious amounts of research, and it seemed, on all three counts (prostate cancer prevention, managing diabetes (increasing insulin sensitivity) and anti-aging), that metformin could truly be a wonder drug.

So, truth be told, I really wasn’t looking at metformin as a drug — I was looking at it more as a “superfood.”

However, I quickly changed my mind, and here’s why…

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How does metformin work for type 2 diabetes?

Metformin is designed to help control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood by reducing the amount of sugar you absorb from your food and the amount of glucose made by your liver. Metformin also increases your body’s response to insulin, a natural substance that controls the amount of glucose in the blood. People who have type 1 diabetes, however, do not produce insulin and therefore should not use metformin.

People with type 2 diabetes are prone to developing serious complications, such as kidney problems, diabetic neuropathy, heart disease to name a few. Use of metformin, along with lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, not smoking) and routine monitoring of blood sugar can help prevent these life-threatening issues.

What are the health benefits of metformin?

I’ve already mentioned that metformin can be effective in controlling blood glucose levels. But what if you’re like me — swinging in and out of prediabetes?

The Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group conducted a randomized clinical trial among adults at high risk for type 2 diabetes and examined the impact of either lifestyle intervention or treatment with metformin on the prevention or delay of diabetes onset. Lifestyle changes (low-fat, low-calorie diet plus 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly) resulted in a 58 percent reduction in the development of type 2 diabetes, while use of metformin alone reduced diabetes incidence by just 31 percent – which is pretty good but nowhere near the benefits from just making lifestyle changes!

The kicker here though is that the benefits of taking metformin and making the lifestyle adjustments were not cumulative, so making the lifestyle adjustments alone should be the first priority.

But metformin can do more…

Take prostate cancer, for example. A recent study found that metformin could be a useful complementary treatment, especially in men using androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Metformin appears to work directly on the prostate tumor as well as helping to lower insulin levels throughout the body.

More generally, metformin can suppress tumor growth, enhance the activity of anticancer medications, and improve immunity. This latter benefit is associated with the ability of metformin to lower blood sugar by improving insulin receptor sensitivity. The drug can reduce the fuel supply for bacteria, viruses, and fungi, which tends to reduce one’s susceptibility to infections.

Related: 4+ reasons diabetics should eat mushrooms

Metformin can also help with weight loss. This benefit comes in handy not only among men who are struggling with type 2 diabetes but those who simply need to drop some excess weight. Results of the BIGPRO 1 trial showed that use of metformin was associated with a decline in bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, LDL) concentration when compared with placebo and a decrease in damage to artery linings, a characteristic that contributes to the complications associated with type 2 diabetes (i.e., damage to the eyes, kidneys, and nerves). Other benefits of metformin include a decline in total cholesterol, free fatty acids, and tissue plasminogen activator antigen, all of which are associated with cardiovascular complications.

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Metformin and life extension

Some research has even suggested metformin may help extend lifespan. The potential life-extension benefit goes something like this: metformin inhibits a complex called mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which regulates the production of protein, boosts energy production, and creates waste. Metformin can help keep mTOR levels from being elevated too much or too often (situations associated with inflammation and cancer growth), which in turn can contribute to longevity.

Related: This anti-diabetes antioxidant reverses insulin resistance

What are the side effects of metformin?

Side effects associated with starting use of metformin can include nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, and stomach pain. These side effects typically fade as individuals become accustomed to the drug. Metformin should not be taken if you have a history of liver or kidney disease or of congestive heart failure. Anyone with a history of alcohol abuse also should avoid taking metformin because serious lactic acidosis may develop.

People with diabetes are encouraged to exercise regularly, yet use of metformin may interfere with this activity. A study published in Diabetes Care reported that “metformin has the potential to lower some patients’ selected exercise intensity” and also tends to increase heart rate.

The combination of using metformin and exercising may also result in another complication. Use of metformin reduces levels of blood glucose, but exercise can increase levels of the hormone glucagon, which deals with low blood sugar. The combination of metformin and exercise can result in significantly elevated concentrations of glucagon as the body attempts to compensate for the impact of metformin. One result is a less than effective result at lowering the glycemic response after eating than is possible by taking metformin alone.

In addition, the results of at least one small study suggest that use of metformin may lower sex drive and testosterone levels. Given the intense interest among men in their testosterone levels and the desire to boost them, these side effects are not welcome as well.

A total of 64 men with type 2 diabetes were evaluated: 30 who were taking metformin and 34 taking sulfonylurea. Twenty-seven nondiabetic men served as controls. Use of metformin was associated with a significant reduction in testosterone levels, libido, and low testosterone-induced erectile dysfunction, while use of sulfonylurea was associated with a significant elevation in all three factors.

Related: A simple step to stop diabetes

Continued use of metformin also is associated with a reduction in vitamin B12 absorption. Since absorption of this nutrient declines with age, the addition of metformin to the picture can make it worse. A decline in B12 concentrations can cause an elevation in homocysteine levels (which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially among people with type 2 diabetes), and this decrease in B12 values can grow over time. Low concentrations of B12 are associated with changes in mental function, neuropathy, and anemia.

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What side effects did I personally experience?

Ok, so you know the TV ads for drugs right – 5 seconds on the actual drug and 5 minutes on the side effects. I get it, drugs have side effects and they spend all that time telling you what they are for one reason, to avoid legal liability. It’s a fact – as long as they TELL YOU you can die from taking a drug you can’t sue them if you die – that’s America for you!

Some of the known side effects of metformin are above – but for me, one week on the drug was enough – notwithstanding all the purported health benefits. Here’s what I personally experienced:

1. A 5lb weight loss in a week that was unexplained by any other reason;
2. Constant nausea and lightheadedness;
3. Massive fatigue and low energy – basically resulting in me being unable to finish basic workouts;
4. Muscle weakness – I was lifting only ~75% of my normal weights and they were even feeling heavy;
5. Low motivation and anxiety;
6. Sleepiness by 8pm – normally I don’t feel like going to bed until after 10.30pm;
7. Lack of breath – just climbing stairs had me puffing;
8. Heart palpitations; and
9. Constant dry mouth.

If it had just been one or two of the above I may have sucked it up, but all of them together felt like a sledgehammer — especially when I was in the middle of training for some pretty intense Spartan and other obstacle course races. All of my training partners were looking at me wondering what the heck was wrong with me!

So I quit.

Did I give up on all the great benefits I was seeking — prostate cancer prevention, improving insulin sensitivity and anti-aging? No way!

I just doubled down on these natural therapies. Here’s how it went for me…

Sources:

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Not only was the Mediterranean diet ranked the best diet overall — but it also ranked No. 1 for best diets for bone and joint health, best family-friendly diets, best diets for healthy eating and best plant-based diets. It came in second only to the DASH diet among the best heart-healthy diets.

But that’s only the beginning of the Mediterranean diet’s long list of health benefits which include losing weight and keeping it off, improving healthy aging, gut health and sexual function. In addition, there’s evidence the Mediterranean diet can help reduce the physiological effects of stress.

But men may want to check out what this amazing diet can do about one of the most common and fatal cancers in men…

Prostate cancer protection from colorful plants

Eating the Mediterranean way involves piling your plate high with a rainbow of fruits and vegetables — and for men who want to avoid prostate cancer, that’s exactly what you should be doing…

Researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) analyzed the micronutrients found in the blood of prostate cancer patients and compared them with those found in a healthy control group. This revealed that prostate cancer patients had lower levels of lutein, lycopene, alpha-carotene and selenium, as well as higher levels of iron, sulphur and calcium.

Men with low blood levels of lycopene and/or selenium were determined to have an increased risk of prostate cancer and are likely to be more sensitive to the damaging effects of radiation used to treat the disease.

The study showed men who regularly consume colorful fruits and vegetables rich in these micronutrients are less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Also, men who undergo radiation treatment for prostate cancer are more likely to experience faster recovery if they eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables.

Foods rich in lycopene include tomatoes, melons, papayas, grapes, peaches, watermelons and cranberries. Selenium-rich foods include white meat, fish, shellfish eggs, and nuts.

In addition to age, family history and ethnicity, study co-author Dr. Permal Deo says “There is strong evidence that being overweight and tall increases the risk of prostate cancer. Diets high in dairy products and low in vitamin E may also increase the risk but the evidence is less clear.”

“Our recommendation is to adopt a Mediterranean diet enlisting the help of a dietician because people absorb nutrients in different ways, depending on the food, the digestive system, the person’s genotype and, possibly, their microbiome,” he adds.

Getting those Mediterranean micronutrients

The UniSA findings highlight the importance of eating foods high in lycopene and selenium. A Mediterranean diet includes plenty of lycopene-rich tomatoes, which studies show are great cancer fighters.

One study found men who ate a significant amount of tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice and pizza had a 35 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer and a 53 percent reduced risk of getting aggressive prostate cancer.

The lycopene from tomatoes is more easily absorbed when they are cooked, so try to opt for cooked over raw tomatoes whenever possible.

When you follow a Mediterranean diet, you tend to eat a lot of nuts, which are superfoods in terms of the nutrients they contain. Take the walnut, for instance. Walnuts contain more alpha-linolenic acid (the plant form of omega-3s) than any other nut. They are also second only to blackberries in the number of antioxidants they contain. But Brazil nuts are by far the most potent source of selenium.

Sources:

Rainbow of fruit and veg the best prevention against prostate cancer — University of South Australia

Plasma Micronutrient Profile of Prostate Cancer Cases Is Altered Relative to Healthy Controls—Results of a Pilot Study in South Australia — Cancers

Mediterranean Diet — U.S. News & World Report

Walnut Nutrition — Jessica Levinson

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But being genetically predisposed to prostate cancer is not a death sentence, nor does it mean that the outcome is out of your control.

Diet and exercise are huge factors in preventing prostate cancer or keeping it from spreading.

Now we’re finding out that even in the advanced stages of the disease, every “dose” of exercise counts when it comes to survival and quality of life.

Just one exercise session can slow prostate cancer progression

Scientists at Edith Cowan University (ECU) in Australia have bested their own previous research, finding that just one session of exercise can increase muscle proteins that suppress tumor growth in persons with advanced prostate cancer.

Previous work from ECU’s Exercise Medicine Research Institute showed that men with advanced prostate cancer could increase levels of proteins called myokines by engaging in six months of exercise training.

Myokines are produced by skeletal muscles and can suppress tumor growth and even help fight the growth of new cancerous cells.

Now the same researchers, led by Dr. Robert Newton, have found that just a single round of exercise can elevate myokines sufficiently for them to actively suppress tumor growth.

Dr. Newton considers this a “breakthrough moment” in exercise oncology.

“The findings from our work are particularly exciting because we report for the first time ever that men with advanced prostate cancer are able to produce an acute elevation in anti-cancer molecules called myokines in response to a single bout of vigorous exercise,” he says.

“This is helping us to understand why patients with cancer who exercise exhibit slower disease progression and survive for longer.”

“These patients are palliative, so there is no cure and they will eventually succumb – however, there is evidence that exercise will extend survival and the increased myokine levels explored in our recent paper is a prime mechanism.”

What else is good about myokines (and other exercise-induced chemicals)

This is an amazing and potentially life-changing discovery for men with prostate cancer.

But even if you’re fortunate enough not to be in that category, those myokines that your muscles produce when you exercise can do all sorts of other good things for you.

For one thing, myokines produce a “brain boost.” They are known to help the body burn fat as fuel, to act as natural antidepressants, and to provide a possible shield against cognitive decline.

 And while we’re talking about brain chemicals, let’s not forget about endorphins, the “feel good” neurotransmitter released in extra amounts when you participate in group exercise, such as a group run or yoga class (it’s also what makes members of a sports team feel like “family”).

If you need more convincing about the cancer-prevention benefits of exercise, then you have read about how intense exercise starves cancer and stops the spread.

Sources:

Exercise is medicine for cancer and every dose counts – even in late stages in the disease Eureka Alert

Acute effect of high-intensity interval aerobic exercise on serum myokine levels and resulting tumour-suppressive effect in trained patients with advanced prostate cancer Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases

Cancer breakthrough: Exercise may stop disease in its tracks Edith Cowan University

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At the time, it seemed like the logical thing to do. PSA screening isn’t 100 percent accurate and can lead to false-positive results. And that can result in unnecessary biopsy and treatment, not to mention a lot of anxiety.

However, this scaling back of PSA testing has accompanied a worrying rise in cases of metastatic prostate cancer. Between 2003 and 2017, patients diagnosed with prostate cancer that has spread to other parts of the body increased from 4 percent to 8 percent.

With the 5-year survival rate for metastatic prostate cancer at a dismal 31 percent, it’s extremely important to reverse that statistic. Testing is certainly one way to do this, since the 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer caught in the early stages is nearly 100 percent.

That’s why scientists in the United Kingdom have been exploring ways to identify men at greatest risk of developing prostate cancer — and it looks like they are on the right path…

Web tool predicts those at high risk

CanRisk is a free tool developed by the University of Cambridge and The Institute of Cancer Research, London. It’s used by healthcare professionals worldwide to help predict the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancers.

To date, it has recorded almost 1.2 million risk predictions. And now researchers have added prostate cancer to the CanRisk tool.

“What we need is a way of identifying those men who are at greatest risk, allowing us to target screening and diagnostic tests where they are most needed, while also reducing the harms for those men who have low risk of the disease,” says Antonis Antoniou, a professor at the University of Cambridge.

“This is what CanRisk-Prostate aims to do. For the first time, it combines information on the genetic makeup and prostate cancer family history, the main risk factors for the disease, to provide personalized cancer risks.”

It’s partly in the genes

The researchers developed the CanRisk-Prostate model using genetic and cancer family history data from almost 17,000 families affected by prostate cancer. It employs data on rare genetic faults in moderate to high-risk genes as well as a risk score based on 268 common low-risk variants. It then combines this data with a detailed cancer family history to predict future risk.

One in six men will develop prostate cancer by the time they are 85 years old. Using the model, researchers found predicted risk was higher for men who had a father diagnosed with prostate cancer. The risk ranged from 27 percent if the father was diagnosed at 80 years of age to 42 percent if the father was diagnosed at 50 years of age.

Genetic faults increased the risk considerably. For instance, 54 percent of men who carry an altered BRCA2 gene would go on to develop prostate cancer. However, among those men with BRCA2 gene faults, the risk was substantially lower if they also had a small number of the low-risk gene variants, with risk rising as the number of low-risk variants increased.

By using CanRisk-Prostate, clinicians will be able to use any combination of cancer family history, and rare and common genetic variants to obtain a personalized risk profile for patients.

The researchers ran the risk model on an independent cohort of men from the UK Biobank biomedical database and research resource. All of the more than 170,000 men were free from prostate cancer when recruited to the study, but more than 7,600 developed prostate cancer within the subsequent 10 years.

When validating the model, the team found 86 percent of the UK Biobank participants who developed prostate cancer were in the 50 percent of men with the highest predicted risks. This suggests the possibility of targeting screening and diagnostic tests to the population subgroup at highest risk — since the majority of prostate cancers will likely occur among them.

Eventually, CanRisk-Prostate will enable risk-adapted early detection approaches to the general population.

So far, the data used to develop CanRisk-Prosate is from men of European ancestry, but the researchers hope to include data from men of other ethnicities as further research is done.

What qualifies as high risk?

Lifestyle certainly plays a role in prostate cancer risk. Maintaining a healthy weight and eating a diet low in processed foods and added sugars are two ways you can help lower your risk of the disease.

However, there are three risk factors you need to be aware of that are beyond your control.

Age is one of the biggest risk factors for prostate cancer. Prostate tumors usually develop in men older than 50, with more than 6 in 10 cases occurring in men who are 65 and up. But the good news here is that multiple studies show exercise can shrink prostate tumors and extend survival and quality of life.

Another risk factor is having a family history of the disease. If your father, brother or another close blood relative had prostate cancer, it raises your risk of the disease, especially if they were diagnosed before the age of 60. Inherited genetic factors may be related to between 5 and 10 out of every 100 prostate cancers.

Finally, if you are African American, you’re more likely to develop prostate cancer, and it’s more likely to be advanced when you’re diagnosed.

If you have any of these three risk factors, you’ll want to talk to your doctor about whether (and how often) you should get screened for prostate cancer.

Sources:

Prostate cancer risk prediction algorithm could help target testing at men at greatest risk — University of Cambridge

CanRisk-Prostate: A Comprehensive, Externally Validated Risk Model for the Prediction of Future Prostate Cancer — Journal of Clinical Oncology

Metastatic prostate cancer on the rise since decrease in cancer screenings — Keck Medicine of USC

CDC warns incidence of metastatic prostate cancer on the rise — Urology Times

PSA screening in prostate cancer: The controversy continues — Urology Times

Prostate Cancer: Statistics — Cancer.Net

Prostate Cancer Causes & Risk Factors — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

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Whether you are concerned about the frustrations of urinary troubles due to an enlarged prostate or your receding hairline, plant sterols are a natural solution that can help.

Plant sterols are chemicals found in plant foods. One plant sterol that is especially beneficial in many ways for men is beta-sitosterol. This compound naturally occurs in pumpkin seeds, soy, beans, nuts, seeds and avocados.

It can be useful in supporting prostate health but this powerhouse doesn’t stop there. Beta-sitosterol can contribute to heart health, improve cholesterol levels, relieve anxiety — and more.

Prostate benefits of plant sterols

Beta-sitosterol has a long history of use in treating symptoms of enlarged prostate. Many studies on beta-sitosterol show that it can help with the urinary symptoms that accompany having an enlarged prostate due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Beta-sitosterol works by inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase activity, which is the way that many prescription drugs like finasteride (Proscar) work. Studies show that beta-sitosterol can help improve BPH symptoms such as increased urinary flow rates, decreasing the amount of urine left in the bladder after urinating and improving the overall quality of life.

If you value your sexual health, take note. Proscar side effects include decreased sexual function, low libido, retrograde ejaculation and other health problems. These effects can last up to 40 months after you stop taking the medications. Some men report having permanent erectile dysfunction after taking BPH drugs. That’s why considering natural supplements, such as plant sterols like beta-sitosterol, are an attractive choice for managing men’s health.

Beta-sitosterol is important to aging men because inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase activity also prevents testosterone from being converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This secondary hormone has several effects in older men such as leading to BPH and contributing to male pattern baldness by stopping hair growth.

Plant sterols have other prostate benefits. Saw palmetto, which contains beta-sitosterol, is helpful for men struggling with prostatitis and BPH.

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Heart health benefits and more

Men often have other health issues that go beyond prostate and sexual health. Many men struggle with heart health and cholesterol. Here’s how beta-sitosterol can help…

Heart health:

Surprisingly, the amount of researched-gathered data on plant sterols and heart health is even more robust than the data on the benefits of plant sterols for prostate health

Foods that contain plant sterols and stanols are among several cholesterol-lowering foods. They work by preventing cholesterol from being absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestines, reducing total cholesterol levels and LDL (or bad) cholesterol while not affecting the HDL (or good) cholesterol. You end up excreting cholesterol rather than absorbing it.

This can reduce the risk of atherosclerosis or hyperlipidemia which could lead to heart disease.

Hair loss:

Beta-sitosterol can also help with mild to moderate male pattern balding. A placebo-controlled, double-blind study on natural 5-alpha-reductase type II inhibitors like beta-sitosterol was conducted and published in 2002. The researcher reported that “beta-sitosterol promoted significant improvement in 6 out of 10 male study subjects with mild-to-moderate androgenetic alopecia, or male pattern balding.”

Anxiety:

In a series of behavioral experiments, mice given beta-sitosterol showed much less anxiety than the controls. For example, they didn’t hide in the dark corners of their enclosure but instead ran around exhibiting behavior that scientists who work with mice regularly recognize as happy.

And to top it off, mice taking the natural compounds showed none of the side effects that would go hand-in-hand with taking anti-anxiety medications.

Insulin resistance:

In other research using mice, results showed that beta-sitosterol reduced blood sugar levels, possibly due to increased insulin response.

Another study using diabetic rats found that giving them 20 milligrams/kilograms of beta-sitosterol per day normalized blood sugar and insulin levels after taking the supplement for 30 days.

Miscellaneous benefits:

It has even been suggested that beta-sitosterol can help with allergies and rheumatoid arthritis. Some people use beta-sitosterol to help boost their immunity.

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How to find plant sterols

Plant sterols naturally occur in plant foods and are being added to more foods such as oils, salad dressings, juices and snack bars. Here are a few good sources:

• Canola oil – Packed with 96 mg of the compound per tablespoon
• Avocados – Right up there with canola oil at a whopping 95 mg per cup
• Pistachios – A tasty treat with a full 71 mg of beta-sitosterol per cup
• Almonds – Delivering 46 mg per cup of nuts
• Fava beans – Another great option at 41 mg per cup

While you should eat a diet that emphasizes plant foods, it is just as easy and safe to take a supplement that contains beta-sitosterol if you are looking to maintain an adequate level across the board.

A big reason supplements can be more helpful is that our bodies absorb less than 5 percent of the beta-sitosterol in foods, and you don’t necessarily want to add extra calories into your diet to get the plant sterol benefits.

Sources:

Plant sterols and plant stanols in the management of dyslipidemia and prevention of cardiovascular disease — Journal Atherosclerosis

Maier, Karyn. Beta-Sitosterol to Treat Hair Loss. Livestrong.com. 20 Nov 2013.

A natural food supplement may relieve anxiety — EurekAlert!

An update on β-sitosterol: A potential herbal nutraceutical for diabetic management — Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy

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Both prostatitis and an enlarged prostate due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) can greatly affect a man’s quality of life.

Luckily, there is an herb that has long been used to relieve urinary tract and prostate problems. The name may sound harsh, but stinging nettle for prostate health has many benefits such as many anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties…

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Stinging Nettle For BPH

A number of studies have found stinging nettle root (Urtica dioica) to be effective at promoting normal prostate size and relieving the urinary symptoms associated with an enlarged and aging prostate. Common symptoms of BPH may include urinary frequency, incontinence, urination at night, not being able to empty the bladder completely, waiting for the stream to begin, and a urinary stream that starts and stops. Stinging nettle also works well with other natural therapies that have prostate health benefits, such as saw palmetto.

In a comparison study that looked at 620 men with BPH, 81 percent of the men who took stinging nettle had their symptoms improve. These men in the stinging nettle group also had their prostate size decrease slightly. Only 16 percent of the placebo group experienced improved symptoms, and their prostate size did not change.

Another study that compared patients who had early stages of BPH was a randomized, double-blind study that took place in multiple centers and evaluated 543 patients. The men received either the drug Proscar (finasteride), which is a 5-alpha-reducatase inhibitor, or a fixed combination of stinging nettle root and saw palmetto extract.

The study lasted 24 weeks. After that, both groups had similar improvements in the size of their prostate and in their values on the International Prostate System Score. But the singing nettle and saw palmetto combination was much better tolerated than the Proscar group. Proscar side effects can be pretty bad and may include long-term sexual dysfunction.

In fact, one reason to consider effective natural therapies such as stinging nettle and saw palmetto is that popular BPH drugs can cause erectile dysfunction and other negative side effects, while the natural supplements do not. These are just some of the reasons that stinging nettle root is one of the top supplements for enlarged prostate.

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Stinging Nettle For Prostatitis

Chronic bacterial prostatitis can be frustrating to treat. Men may go through several rounds of antibiotics, and the symptoms can come and go for many months, lasting at least three months. Common symptoms may include groin or back pain, pain or burning when urinating, and difficulty urinating. The best way to treat this condition is a multimodal approach that may include traditional therapies with natural therapies.

A study at the University of Florence compared treatments in men with chronic bacterial prostatitis. A control group took just an antibiotic while the other group took the antibiotic along with a daily formula that contained stinging nettle with some other natural therapies such as turmeric, saw palmetto and quercetin. After a month of treatment, almost 90 percent of the men who took the formula containing stinging nettle had their prostatitis symptoms disappear compared to 27 percent of the control group that took only an antibiotic.

The results were long-lasting. Not only did the stinging nettle herbal combination improve symptoms after a month, but all the members of the group that took stinging nettle formula were still symptom-free six months later compared to two patients in the group that took only an antibiotic. It is important to note that quercetin should not be used with certain antibiotics such as fluoroquinolones. Make sure your healthcare provider oversees your treatment program for chronic bacterial prostatitis and does not have you take quercetin and antibiotics at the same time.

How To Get Stinging Nettle

You can buy stinging nettle as a single-ingredient herb; but it seems to be most effective when combined with other natural therapies such as turmeric, quercetin and saw palmetto.

Talk to your doctor before starting stinging nettle or other therapies. Occasional side effects may include rash, fluid retention and an upset stomach.

Sources:

Cai T et al. Serenoa repens associated with Urtica dioica (ProstaMEV) and curcumin and quercitin (FlogMEV) extracts are able to improve the efficacy of prulifloxacin in bacterial prostatitis patients: results from a prospective randomized study. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2009 Jun; 33(6): 549-53

Lopatkin N et al. Efficacy and safety of a combination of Sabal and Urtica extract in lower urinary tract symptoms—long-term follow-up of a placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter trial. Int Urol Nephrol 2007; 39(4): 1137-46.

Safarinejad MR. Urtica dioica for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. J Herb Pharmacother 2005; 5(4):1-11.

Schneider T, Rubben H. Stinging nettle root extract (Bazoton-uno) in long term treatment of benign prostatic syndrome (BPS). Results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled multicenter study after 12 months. Urologe A 2004 Mar; 43(3): 302-6

Sokeland J. Combined sabal and urtica extract compared with finasteride in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia: analysis of prostate volume and therapeutic outcome. BJU Int 2000;86:439-442.

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But being genetically predisposed to prostate cancer is not a death sentence, nor does it mean that the outcome is out of your control.

If you are at increased genetic risk for prostate cancer, you’ll want to hear about recent research that spells out exactly what you can do to dramatically decrease the odds that you’ll develop lethal prostate cancer.

Lethal prostate cancer CAN be avoided

A new study conducted by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital confirms that men who are at genetic risk of developing prostate cancer are not helpless against having the disease turn into a death sentence.

Dr. Anna Plym of Brigham’s Division of Urology led the study, which looked at data from participants in two cohort studies — the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study and the Physicians’ Health Study.

Findings showed that men who followed a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle were equally likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.

But those who followed a healthy lifestyle had close to a 50 percent reduced risk of developing lethal prostate cancer.

“Having a high genetic risk is often viewed as something very deterministic, but our findings suggest it may not be,” says Dr. Plym.

“Through lifestyle modifications, early screening, and early treatment we may be able to deal with high genetic risks, and this is an important message for men to have.”

Healthy choices slash risk by 45 percent

Dr. Plym and her colleagues examined data from 12,000 participants in the two cohort studies. All were at high genetic risk of prostate cancer.

By following up with these subjects, they obtained detailed information about each person’s lifestyle factors, including diet.

The researchers defined a “healthy” lifestyle as one that included:

• Vigorous physical activity
• No smoking
• A healthy diet rich in tomatoes and fish and low in processed meat
• A healthy weight (body mass index less than 30)

Those men who conformed to this healthy lifestyle had a 45 percent reduction in the risk of lethal prostate cancer, compared with those who did not.

Men with a high genetic risk score who followed a healthy diet had a lifetime risk of around two percent for lethal prostate cancer. According to the study authors, this is a bit lower than the average risk for the average man with no genetic predisposition.

What you can do now to lower your risk

Whether you have a genetic predisposition to prostate cancer or not, remember that this is the second leading cause of death for men in this country. The time is NOW to do what you can to reduce your risk of losing your life to it.

Start with the findings of the study discussed here. I’d recommend ditching processed meat right away. If you haven’t heard, processed meat’s disease links are notorious. If you enjoy sandwiches, roast a chicken and cut slices to keep ready in the fridge.

If you just can’t say no to the occasional hot dog, look for a brand that offers all-natural, uncured beef franks with no chemical nitrites or nitrates added. Once you put chemical nitrates in your body, it turns into N-nitroso compounds, which have been linked to cancer.

But foods that contain natural nitrates, like spinach, beets, celery, parsley, green beans and carrots, also contain antioxidants like vitamin C — which helps prevent the formation of N-nitroso compounds. These nitrates can be beneficial to your health in many ways, including helping the body produce nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that affects blood vessels, blood pressure and blood flow.

Research has discovered that saturated fats feed prostate cancer. So do what you can to stick to healthy fats, like the ones you’ll find in the Mediterranean diet (which is also great for guarding against prostate cancer).

Japan has the lowest prostate cancer rates in the world, and that’s no accident. Take a look at the Japanese diet and lifestyle choices that account for this.

Lastly, here are more diet tips for dodging prostate cancer.

Sources:

Men at heightened risk of prostate cancer may benefit from healthy lifestyle changes — Eureka Alert

A Healthy Lifestyle in Men at Increased Genetic Risk for Prostate Cancer — European Urology

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And, while the term “hormone therapy” may make you think that the medication you’re taking is adding a hormone to your body, the truth is that it’s there to block a hormone — specifically testosterone.

That’s because even though testosterone is a natural male hormone, it can fuel certain prostate cancer cells, accelerating their growth.

By starving them of this fuel, the therapy can help slow their growth or even cause cancer cell death.

While there’s no doubt that this can help save your life, there is a downside.

Because the medication is depriving you of a hormone your body otherwise needs, it can also result in some serious side effects, including a significantly increased risk of heart problems.

Yup, you could be simply trading in your cancer for heart disease. Not exactly what you signed up for, right?

Luckily, there is good news…

According to a new study by researchers from Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the University of East Anglia, there is a simple way to boost your heart health and reduce your risk of the issues caused by prostate hormone therapy…

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Just twice a week

Their study followed 50 patients due to start prostate hormone therapy (also known as androgen deprivation therapy or ADT).

For the study, half of the participants took part in two supervised exercise sessions a week for three months while the other half continued with their regular routine.

After three months, the researches assessed both groups’ heart health.

And, the findings, which have now been published in the British Journal of Urology International (BJUI), clearly show that the simple three month prescription for short term exercise actually prevented negative changes in cardiopulmonary fitness and fatigue for those taking part in the trial.

That’s right, exercising just two times a week is the key to heart health during prostate hormone therapy.

“Structured exercise programs have much to offer people living with common cancers. Hormone treatments for prostate cancer are known to have undesirable side-effects, which increase a man’s susceptibility to cardiovascular disease,” said Professor John Saxton, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, when asked about the results of the study. “This research shows that some of the harmful side-effects of hormone therapy are reduced in men who begin to exercise regularly around the same time that these drugs are prescribed.”

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Aerobic exercise plus weights

If you’re living with prostate cancer and have been prescribed androgen deprivation therapy, adding an exercise program to your weekly routine could help you keep your heart healthy.

The routine that worked for the patients in the study included both aerobic exercise plus resistance training.

For example, you could walk on the treadmill, swim, or hike to boost your aerobic fitness and use weight machines, free weights or resistance bands to increase your muscle strength.

The key to any exercise program is to pick what works for you and stick to it.

Sources:

1. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer — Mayo Clinic
2. Reducing the side-effects of prostate hormone therapy with exercise — EurekAlert

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Except for one: licorice. The black, chewy stuff seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. Me, I love it!

The candy comes from the root of the licorice plant, which is one of the world’s oldest herbal remedies.

It’s been found to contain a compound that fights diabetes. Taking licorice root extract can fight adrenal fatigue. When applied topically, it has been shown to counteract the growth of the herpes simplex virus that causes cold sores.

And there’s nothing like a cup of licorice tea to soothe an upset stomach.

But now, research is pointing us toward the possibility of using the natural chemicals in licorice as a cure for a common type of cancer.

Licorice cells attack prostate cancer in two ways

Gnanasekar Munirathinam and his colleagues from the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Chicago’s College of Medicine are studying substances derived from the licorice plant to determine if they could be used to prevent or stop the growth of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in American men. Out of every 100 men, about 13 will get prostate cancer during their lifetime, and about 2 to 3 men will die from prostate cancer.

On the other hand, prostate cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer.

In their recent review, Professor Gnanasekar and colleagues looked at the available literature on glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhetinic acid, the two major active components of licorice root, and their effect on various types of cancer cells.

When it came to prostate cancer cells, the results were especially encouraging. Not only did the licorice compounds induce apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells, they inhibited the process by which normal cells become cancer cells and start to migrate within the body.

In other words, these compounds not only killed existing prostate cancer cells, but they also stopped normal cells from becoming cancerous in the first place.

Professor Gnanasekar says, “More research is needed into exactly how these (compounds) could best be used to develop therapies, but this appears to be a promising area of cancer research.”

Diet can help reduce prostate cancer risk

So, if you’re a licorice lover like me, does this mean you should run out and start eating licorice by the pound?

Absolutely not.

In fact, if you have high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, you’re probably best off avoiding it altogether or at least checking with your doctor before eating it.

That’s because elevated levels of glycyrrhizin have been shown to cause an abnormal increase in the stress hormone cortisol which may cause imbalances in your fluid and electrolyte levels.

As a result, chronic and large doses of licorice root products may trigger several dangerous symptoms, including:

• low potassium levels
• high blood pressure
• muscle weakness
• abnormal heart rhythms

And though it’s rare, there is such a thing as licorice poisoning. It may result in kidney failure, congestive heart failure, or excess fluid accumulation in the lungs (pulmonary edema). In extreme cases, it can even be fatal.

Another natural way to use dietary means to decrease your prostate cancer risk — that won’t make you sick — is a compound called di-indole-methane (DIM). DIM is found in cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli.

In studies, DIM has increased estrogen metabolism (lessens estrogen dominance), decreased androgen-specific antigen, up-regulated BRCA1 expression, and increased androgen hormone-binding globulin. This suggests that DIM may have a promising, beneficial chemopreventive role for not only prostate cancers but breast cancers as well.

The Mediterranean diet is a good diet to follow if you want to make real diet changes that can cut your risk further. It is lower in fat. That matters because recent research has found that prostate cancers may be on the rise because of a scary synergy between forever chemicals and dietary fat.

Sources:

Researchers look to licorice for promising cancer treatments — Science Daily

Anti-Cancer and Other Biological Effects of a Dietary Compound 3,3ʹ-Diindolylmethane Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Human Clinical Trials — dovepress.com

Oncopreventive and oncotherapeutic potential of licorice triterpenoid compound glycyrrhizin and its derivatives: Molecular insights — Pharmacological Research

What Are Licorice Root’s Benefits and Downsides? — Healthline

Anti-Cancer and Other Biological Effects of a Dietary Compound 3,3ʹ-Diindolylmethane Supplementation: A Systematic Review of Human Clinical Trials — dovepress.com

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In fact, almost 250,000 men will receive a diagnosis of prostate cancer and over 34,000 men will die from it this year alone — a rate that’s predicted to skyrocket!

And now, thanks to a study from scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago, we might finally know why prostate cancer cases have been increasing sharply… and what to do about it.

The forever chemicals that seem to be everywhere

They say that the issue stems from a combination of so-called “forever chemicals” and a dietary component that’s making matters much worse.

The chemicals, known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl or PFAS,  are a class of synthetic chemicals that are found in food wrappers, nonstick cookware and other products.

You’ll find them lurking in your dental floss, hiding in the water you drink and even in your “eco-friendly” takeout bowl of all things!

According to the researchers, they’ve already been linked to prostate cancer — but they’ve found that things get even worse if you add a high-fat diet to the mix…

A synergy between forever chemicals and dietary fat

Their study found that in combination with fat, PFAS are capable of reprogramming the metabolism of both benign and malignant human prostate cells. It’s a reprogramming that converts the cells to a more energy-efficient state that allows them to grow and replicate at three times the rate of cells in the absence of the chemicals.

“Our data suggest that exposure to PFAS synergizes with dietary fat to activate the protein-coding gene PPARa, altering cells’ metabolism in ways that escalate the carcinogenic risk in normal prostate cells while driving tumor progression in malignant cells,” said food science and human nutrition professor Zeynep Madak-Erdogan, the principal investigator on the project.

Yup, fat significantly accelerates the development of tumors when you’re exposed to these chemicals — to the tune of three times the cancer growth.

If that weren’t already bad enough, the scientists made one more scary discovery…

They found that when they exposed benign and malignant cells to a form of PFAS called perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) the malignant cells’ viability was five times greater than the cells in the control group.

That PFBS is a chemical that is found in both polluted air and drinking water.

In other words, you could be breathing it in and drinking it down on a daily basis!

Breaking the chemical-fat cycle that leads to prostate cancer

Clearly, poor diet choices plus these dangerous chemicals is a recipe for cancer growth.

So what can you do to protect yourself?

Well, the first step is pretty clear in that by reducing the amount of fat (especially bad fats) in your diet, you can break one side of that cancer chain. The Mediterranean diet is a great start.

Next, you should try to limit your exposure to PFAS as much as possible by:

• Throwing out any old Teflon nonstick cookware.
• Skip the grease-proof paper plates and stick to glass or porcelain dishware.
• Avoid fast food and its PFAS contaminated wrappers.
• Invest in a good water filter to address PFAS in your drinking water.

Another very important step is to support the functions of your liver. In addition to being your body’s main detox organ, the liver helps break down fat to use it as energy. So a healthy liver can help you come at this problem in both directions.

But if the liver is bogged down from dealing with a high-fat diet and an overload of chemicals, it can’t do either job very well. That’s how difficult-to-remove fat gets stored in the body, especially when obesogen chemicals are in the picture.

Certain foods can support the liver and its detoxing processes, including cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and Brussel sprouts. These foods also contain DIM, short for di-indole-methane, a plant compound that works against estrogen dominance. Supplements that support the liver include milk thistle, turmeric and NAC.

Sources:

PFAS exposure, high-fat diet drive prostate cells’ metabolism into pro-cancer state — ScienceDaily

Prostate Cancer Statistics — CDC

Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer — American Cancer Society

Prostate cancer cases estimated to rise sharply in 2021 — Robotic Oncology

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On the other hand, most men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it.

In fact, in certain men, prostate tumors do not develop into cancer.

These facts have prompted scientists at the University of Michigan to look for an alternative to the costly and invasive method now used to make a diagnosis.

Until now, a biopsy was needed to rule out cancer

The standard first step in making a diagnosis of prostate cancer is a blood test that detects abnormally high levels of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA).

But most men whose tests show an elevated PSA level do not actually have prostate cancer. That’s referred to as a false-positive test.

Until recently, the only way to tell who had cancer and who didn’t was to follow up a PSA test with a procedure called a transrectal biopsy.

It’s uncomfortable and invasive and, as with any surgery, it carries a small risk of complications. It can lead to serious infection, pain and bleeding, not to mention loads of anxiety.

And according to the National Cancer Institute, only about 25 percent of men who have a prostate biopsy due to an elevated PSA level actually are found to have prostate cancer when a biopsy is done.

But now, a new urine test based on research performed at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center may help men get a definite answer without unnecessary worry or unnecessary biopsies…

Now, a urine test that can make the call

Researchers at the University discovered that half of all prostate tumors contain a genetic abnormality that acts like an “on-switch” for the development of prostate cancer.

Based on that research, a U-M startup company developed the MyProstateScore test, which measures levels of these abnormal genes in a patient’s urine.

“Our ultimate goal was to determine whether the MyProstateScore test could be a practical, reliable test that could rule out the need for more costly or invasive testing in men referred for a prostate biopsy,” says study lead author Dr. Jeffrey Tosoian, a clinical lecturer in urology at Michigan Medicine and co-founders of LynxDX, a startup company that hopes to make the urine test more widely available

In a validation study that included more than 1,500 patients, they found that had the MyProstateScore test been available, one-third of unnecessary prostate cancer biopsies could have been avoided.

Among these 1,525 patients, 338 (22%) had cancers detected on biopsy that were group grade 2 or higher, meaning they were serious enough to warrant immediate treatment.

387 biopsies that found no cancer or slow-growing cancer could have been avoided. Meanwhile, the test would have missed only 10 clinically significant cancers that would have warranted immediate treatment.

“The data show that this straightforward, secondary testing approach could reduce the use of more costly and invasive procedures following a PSA test,” Tosoian says.

Keeping your prostate cancer-free

Prevention is the best treatment, and there are plenty of ways to keep prostate cancer away…

Diet is a great place to start. So, here’s a basic guide to eating habits that will keep your prostate healthy.

Japanese men have the lowest rate of prostate cancer in the world. If you’re serious about avoiding prostate cancer, you’ll want to do what you can to duplicate a Japanese man’s diet and lifestyle. It’s not hard – no exotic foods involved!

Some of the foods you’ll want to stock up on, particularly if you’re over 40, are coffee, green tea, and pomegranates.

Wondering what foods to avoid? Fried foods, processed meats, sugary drinks and baked goods, and excessive alcohol… pretty much the same foods that are bad for you for many other reasons.

Next, do all you can to keep yourself at a healthy weight. Numerous studies have linked hormones secreted by excess fat cells with aggressive prostate cancer. And belly fat, in particular, that notorious “spare tire,” has been associated with death from prostate cancer.

Sources:

New prostate cancer test could avoid unnecessary biopsies Science Daily

Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer American Cancer Society

The post New test detects ‘on-switch’ for prostate cancer development appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

South Australian researchers have been closely examining this process, and in doing so they’ve identified a new way prostate cancer cells harness glucose for growth — one that could lead to new treatments for the deadly disease…

The metabolic process that drives prostate cancer

This recent study used cutting-edge technologies to analyze the metabolism of prostate cancer cells and identified a weakness in prostate tumors that could be the key to destroying them.

The researchers zeroed in on a particular protein known as 6PGD that helps prostate cancer cells shift their metabolism to defend themselves against a hormonal therapy used to treat the disease. They found that switching on 6PGD enables the cells to use glucose to generate antioxidants and make the building blocks needed for them to grow.

“We think this is a significant finding because it potentially represents a new mechanism by which prostate cancer cells can become resistant to hormonal therapies, which are the standard-of-care treatment for men with advanced and metastatic disease,” says Luke Selth, an associate professor at Flinders University.

Professor Lisa Butler from the University of Adelaide, co-senior author of the study, says the results represent a step forward in understanding the unique metabolism of prostate tumors. According to the study results, inhibiting 6PGD could kill cancer cells in real tumors taken directly from cancer patients as well as those grown in lab dishes.

What’s more, these inhibitors were more effective when combined with hormonal prostate cancer therapy. Since these types of drugs often don’t cure cancer, researchers are keen to identify combination therapies that improve patient outcomes.

“Using the latest technologies, we generated an incredibly detailed view of how 6PGD influences prostate cancer metabolism,” Butler says. “Importantly, our work has pinpointed some clinical agents that may be able to shut down this pathway, so it is possible that our findings could eventually be used to develop a new targeted therapy for this common disease.”

Lowering your risks

When it comes to this particular cancer, there are some risk factors you can’t change: age, race/ethnicity, genetic background or family history. But you can reduce your risk by maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and avoiding certain foods, particularly dairy, red and processed meats and any added sugars and artificial sweeteners.

High levels of calcium and protein have both been connected with prostate cancer, and since cancer cells feed on glucose, it’s a good idea to keep your sugar intake as low as possible. In fact, research has connected the keto diet, which is low on carbs and sugar with starving cancer cells.

There are several foods that help support good prostate health. For instance, try adding green tea and fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids to your diet. Green tea has antioxidants called catechins that help defend against a precancerous condition called prostate intraepithelial neoplasia. And studies have shown that men who eat omega-3-rich fish substantially lowered their risk of prostate cancer. Experts generally recommend men adopt a Mediterranean-style diet to keep their prostate healthy.

Also, make sure you’re getting enough of certain nutrients that can help protect against prostate cancer. Vitamins C, D and E all help protect against prostate enlargement and inflammation, both of which can be risk factors for prostate cancer.

As far as supplements go, saw palmetto can help manage the symptoms of enlarged prostate (BPH) and prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate. Taking saw palmetto with other herbal ingredients such as curcumin, quercetin and stinging nettle can enhance its effectiveness.

The pitfalls of prostate cancer screening

While it’s important to catch any cancer as early as possible, screening for prostate cancer can prove difficult. Neither the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test nor DRE (direct rectal exam) are 100% accurate, leading to false-positive results, which can result in unnecessary biopsy and a lot of anxiety and confusion — or worse, a false negative, which can allow cancer to grow and spread.

However, these screenings are still important tools. While the general guidelines recommend starting at age 55, Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests you may need PSA screening between the ages of 40 and 54 if you have family who’ve had this cancer, especially a father or brother, or if you’re African-American — due to a higher risk for more aggressive cancer.

Screening may hold the most benefit for men between the ages of 55 and 65, when men are most likely to get prostate cancer and treatment makes the most sense — meaning when treatment benefits outweigh the potential risk of treatment side effects.

Your doctor can help you decided when and how often you should be screened.

Sources:

Targeting prostate cancer metabolism — Flinders University

A feedback loop between the androgen receptor and 6-phosphogluoconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) drives prostate cancer growth — eLife

Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer — American Cancer Society

Prostate Cancer Risk Factors — American Cancer Society

Can Prostate Cancer Be Found Early? — American Cancer Society

Prostate Cancer: Age-Specific Screening Guidelines — Johns Hopkins Medicine

The post Targeting what drives prostate cancer at its source appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

When diagnosed early, though, the five-year survival rate for prostate cancer is nearly 100 percent.

Except, that is if you are obese.

For over a decade, research studies have found a strong connection between obesity and the aggressiveness of prostate cancer.

The reasons are still being explored, but the connection is undeniable.

A landmark study and the obesity and prostate cancer connection

In 2003, a landmark study by the American Cancer Society showed that obese people are at increased risk for death from several kinds of cancer, including prostate cancer.

The authors of this study stated: “On the basis of associations observed in this study, we estimate that current patterns of overweight and obesity in the United States could account for 14 percent of all deaths from cancer in men and 20 percent of those in women.”

That’s a lot of deaths that could have been prevented with some healthy lifestyle adjustments.

Prostate cancer in men was one of the cancers that was associated with an increased risk of death when a man carried extra weight.

Other researchers have picked up the ball and continued to shed light on this connection.

More proof that obesity and prostate cancer go hand in hand

In 2004, Dr. Steven Freedland, a urologist who was at that time associated with Johns Hopkins Medical Center, published an extensive review of the existing literature on the relationship between prostate cancer and obesity.

He found that:

• Obesity is associated not only with excess body fat but also with altered blood levels of various hormones, including testosterone, estrogen, insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and leptin, all of which have to some degree been linked to prostate cancer.
• The majority of the epidemiologic literature suggests that obesity might be related to the risk of getting prostate cancer. However, it is clearly associated with an increased risk of dying from the disease once it develops.
• Leptin and adiponectin are hormones that are secreted by fat cells. Obese men tend to secrete more leptin and less adiponectin, and both of these were associated with larger, more advanced tumors when prostate cancer was diagnosed.
• The strongest dietary risk factor for prostate cancer is consuming animal products. In fact, as men in other countries have adopted a more Western lifestyle and diet, more cases of prostate cancer have been diagnosed, and the mortality rate has gone up.

Abdominal fat is worse

More recently, a Canadian research team examined data from a survey conducted in Montreal between 2005 and 2012. They observed that abdominal obesity, or fat around the midsection, was associated with an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Eric Vallières is a Université de Montréal student conducting his doctoral research at Institut national de la recherche scientifique (INRS), and the study’s main author.

He says, “Abdominal obesity causes hormonal and metabolic variations that can promote the growth of hormone-dependent cancer cells.

“Abdominal obesity is believed to be associated with a decrease in testosterone, as well as a state of chronic inflammation linked to the development of aggressive tumors.”

Ways to lose weight for a healthier prostate

This research gives men some clear guidance on how to change their diet to avoid prostate cancer or to increase their chances of survival if they do have the disease. Here’s are some suggestions to get you started…

Dr. Geo Espinoza has written on how the Mediterranean diet is good for your prostate. And here, he lists seven of the worst foods for prostate health.

My colleague Virginia Tims-Lawson has written about the diet that boosts testosterone and burns more calories.

Three supplements have been tied to helping decrease belly fat…

1. Researchers have proven that increasing omega-3 intake in obese people reduces belly fat by actually shrinking the size of individual fat cells. Omega-3s have the amazing ability to increase metabolic activity within fat cells — so the more active cells stay in leaner shape than sluggish ones.
2. Taking probiotics is a proven way to lose weight and belly fat. In fact, studies show taking probiotics can help you lose weight in as little as three to twelve weeks. But if you want to use probiotics for weight loss, studies show you should take them for at least eight weeks for the best results.
3. One study shows that eating more fiber can boost levels of a healthy gut bacteria called Bacteroidetes, which is usually found in the guts of lean people. And studies consistently tie low-fiber diets to weight gain. You can choose to eat more fiber in your diet, or since so many people seem to struggle with getting enough fiber through diet alone, a scoop of fiber powder in your morning smoothie isn’t a bad idea.

But dietary changes may not be enough, meaning you may need to get moving…

HIIT workouts have shown success in helping men lose belly fat. But if you can’t handle too much cardio, a study at Harvard shows that men who do about 20 minutes of daily weight-lifting put on less belly fat as they age than other men who do 20 minutes a day of aerobic activities like running, walking or biking.

Sources:

Prostate cancer linked to obesity — Medical Xpress

General and abdominal obesity trajectories across adulthood, and risk of prostate cancer: results from the PROtEuS study, Montreal, Canada — Cancer Causes & Control

The post How heavily weight factors into prostate cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in American men, but prostate cancer comes in a close second. In fact, it’s the second leading cause of death among men in the U.S. (behind lung cancer… another one American men need to watch out for).

The good news is the vast majority of prostate cancer cases aren’t deadly. But even so, prostate cancer comes with uncomfortable symptoms (like pelvic pain, trouble urinating and bone pain) and uncomfortable treatments (like radiation and surgery).

So, how do you protect yourself?

Well, according to new research, eating a plant-based diet could deliver a potent dose of prostate cancer protection.

Plants pack potent prostate cancer protection

Emerging research keeps showing that diet is a major factor in the development of prostate cancer, and a recent study published in the journal Nutrients confirms this fact yet again.

In this latest study, researchers analyzed health and dietary data collected from men in Montreal between 2005 and 2012. They used this data to sort men into three categories based on their dietary habits…

1. A healthy diet that included lots of fruits, vegetables and plant proteins like tofu and nuts
2. A salty Western diet with alcohol that included more meat and beverages like beer and wine
3. A sugar-rich Western diet with sweet beverages that included a lot of pasta, pizza, desserts and sugary carbonated drinks

After comparing these dietary patterns with the eventual health outcomes for the men eating them, researchers confirmed which eating patterns were best and worst for prostate cancer risk…

The healthy diet lowered prostate cancer risk. The Western diet with sweets and sugary beverages raised prostate cancer risk. And surprisingly, the salty Western diet with alcohol didn’t have any impact on it.

“For a long time, we’ve suspected that diet might play a role in the development of prostate cancer, but it was very hard to pinpoint the specific factors at play,” said lead researcher Marie-Élise Parent. “This study is significant because it looks at dietary habits as a whole. We’ve uncovered evidence that, we hope, can be used to develop prevention strategies for prostate cancer, the most common cancer among men in Canada and many other countries.”

Ready… set… eat more plants!

So, if you want to protect yourself from prostate cancer eating a healthy diet filled with fruits, veggies and plant-based protein seems like a good idea.

In fact, this isn’t the first time plant-based diets have been connected to a lower prostate cancer risk. Research over the past couple of decades has tied this type of eating pattern to not only a lower risk of developing the disease, but a slower progression of the disease if you do get diagnosed. Of course, even if you don’t feel like you can commit to that type of diet, at the very least, avoid sweets and sugary beverages because those seem to drive the disease.

Related:Should you worry if your doctor doesn’t treat your prostate cancer?

Exercise also makes a big dent in your prostate cancer risk. It’s even been shown to boost the immune response of men who’ve already developed prostate cancer. So, make sure to squeeze in a sweat session along with your healthy (mostly) plant-based meals.

Sources:

1. Link confirmed between a healthy diet and prostate cancer prevention — MedicalXpress.
2. Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Risk of Prostate Cancer in a Population-Based Case-Control Study in Montreal, Canada — Nutrients.
3. Prostate Cancer Statistics — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
4. Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer — American Cancer Society.
5. Prostate cancer — Mayo Clinic.
6. Adoption of a plant-based diet by patients with recurrent prostate cancer — Integrative Cancer Therapies.
7. Prostate Cancer — Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The post The secret ingredients for prostate cancer prevention appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Research has already told us that being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk for at least 13 types of cancer.

Now, overweight and obesity are showing up as risk factors for #14, a fast-killing cancer that only men can get.

And if you’re a man in your 50s who’s carrying those extra pounds and inches around your waist, the likelihood that you’ll die of this cancer is even greater…

Obesity leads to prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer in men in the United States. It’s a notoriously fast-acting killer: fewer than one in three men with advanced prostate cancer live five years beyond diagnosis.

Dr. Jeanine Genkinger, an epidemiologist at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, together with a team of scientists, has linked being overweight in middle age and later adulthood to a greater risk of advanced prostate cancer.

Dr. Genkinger used data from fifteen large studies. She examined associations between body fat, height, and prostate cancer in 830,772 men, 51,734 of whom had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Rather than look at data from just one particular age in subjects’ lives, Dr. Genkinger and her team looked at data that had been collected across their lifespans, to determine whether there was a particular age at which excess body fat became more of a risk.

What they discovered was that middle to late adulthood — a median age range of 50 to 64 — was the key point at which risk became greatest.

Men in this age group with a body mass index (BMI) elevated above a healthy weight ran the greatest risk of developing advanced prostate cancer.

Body mass index is a measure of body fat based on both height and weight. A body mass index between 20 and 25 is generally considered “normal.” Anything over 25 is considered “overweight.”

In particular, men with the greatest waist circumference had the highest risk of advanced prostate cancer and death.

In other words, that “spare tire” can be a death sentence.

A role model for how to beat prostate cancer

“The worst thing you can do with any life-threatening disease is sit around all day waiting for the next test.”

In August 2007, Arthur Fowle was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer. Two months later, he had his prostate removed.

Still, for the next three years, his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels kept rising, indicating that the cancer was returning.

Finally, Mr. Fowle took things into his own hands.

He started following a Mediterranean style of eating: whole-grain cereal and berries for breakfast, a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread and fresh vegetables and nuts for lunch, and baked chicken or fish with vegetables for dinner. He avoids red meat, salt, sugar, fried and processed foods.

And he’s a lot more active than he used to be. Most days, he lifts weights, does cardio exercise, and practices yoga. And he plays golf a few times a week.

He also credits his mental attitude and proactive stance with playing a part in his longevity.

“The minute I started this program it’s almost like overnight my entire attitude changed. I’d wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, and feel I was doing something good for myself.”

“If I die tomorrow, I think I could look at myself in the mirror and say I tried everything I could to live as healthy a life as possible. I didn’t just sit around and hope that the next treatment right work.”

Sources:

1. Being overweight may raise your risk for advanced prostate cancer — EurekAlert
2. Prostate Cancer Survivor Advocates Healthy Eating and Exercise — American Cancer Society

The post How that “spare tire” is connected with deadly prostate cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So, generations of us grew up thinking of the white liquid as a vital part of a healthy diet.

In fact, check out any current food pyramid and you’ll still see a tall glass of milk taking its place of honor in the dairy section of the chart.

But, is dairy really healthy for us?

Well, according to a new study, the answer might be a resounding no — especially for all the men out there…

High rates of prostate cancer linked to high rates of dairy consumption

Past scientific studies have shown that the primary source of calcium in Western countries (the U.S. included) is dairy products, like milk and cheese. It just so happens that Western countries are also where the rates of prostate cancer are the highest.

On the other hand, in Asian countries where the intake of dairy products is quite low, there are also lower rates of the cancer.

Coincidence or not?

That’s what the researchers from the Mayo Clinic set out to determine…

They reviewed 47 separate studies published since 2006 that included more than 1,000,000 participants. And, the verdict is in…

Without a doubt, the researchers found a link between high consumption of dairy products and an increased risk of prostate cancer.

It looks like the American diet, heavy on dairy, is fueling higher prostate cancer rates.

A prostate cancer-free diet?

You may be wondering about other types of food too.

After all, if dairy could be a problem, are other animal-based foods an issue?

Not according to the research…

The Mayo team said that they found no clear association of increased risk of prostate cancer linked to other animal-based foods, including red and white meat, processed meats and fish…

Which is good news for any man who’s not ready to give up his steak, chicken, or other favorite meat dishes.

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And, there’s more good news.

The team was also able to identify the type of diet that not only doesn’t raise your risk of prostate cancer but actually lowers it — a plant-based diet.

Related: Six ways to prevent prostate cancer

That means that if you are willing to forgo your usual hamburger and embrace plant proteins instead, you could grab some big prostate benefits.

That’s no small matter when you consider that almost 12 percent of men will be diagnosed with the disease at some point in their life and the even more frightening fact that prostate cancer has the second-highest mortality rate of all cancer in men — behind only lung cancer.

So, for all the men out there who are willing to take every necessary step to limit their risk of prostate cancer as much as possible, follow the advice I gave my husband after reading the results of this study…

Skip the cheese and milk completely, go for less pork, steak, and chicken and eat a lot more veggies and veggie proteins. While your mother may not have given the right advice when it came to drinking your milk, she was absolutely correct that you should always eat your vegetables.

Sources:

1. Mayo Clinic researchers find dairy products associated with higher risk of prostate cancer — EurekAlert
2. Top 10 Cancers Causing Death in Men — Verywell Health

The post One vital reason men may want to cut down on dairy appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

The truth is that after a prostatectomy, not only do many men deal with erectile dysfunction, almost every patient has incontinence immediately post-surgery. And, for up to 20 percent of them, that incontinence can persist two years after the surgery, and beyond.

That’s why doctors recommend that men who have gone through prostate surgery and are not seeing improvements in their incontinence issues within the first few months receive physical therapy.

But, there’s a problem with that…

Not all men who undergo physical therapy for their incontinence get better.

Now, thanks to a new study from UT Southwestern’s Departments of Urology and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, we not only know why but what you can ask your therapist in order to get the help you need to regain that control.

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Spastic versus weak muscles

For decades, therapy to strengthen pelvic muscles using so-called Kegel exercises has been the standard treatment for men dealing with urinary incontinence after prostate surgery.

The idea is that since men have been put through a difficult surgery, those pelvic floor muscles that ensure you can hold your urine must have become weak. And so, by strengthening them, continence will be restored.

Related: Kegel exercises for men

But, UT’s new study has shown that may not be the best approach.

The team examined the records from post-prostatectomy patients with stress urinary incontinence who received physical therapy over a six-year period. And, they found that the majority of men don’t have just weak pelvic floor muscles but instead a combination of both tight (spastic) and weak muscles.

In fact, just over 18 percent of the patients were living with only weak pelvic floor muscles. On the other hand, over 72 percent of patients had spastic muscles, while close to 10 percent had tight muscles only.

This is a big problem, since if you are one of the more than 82 percent of men with tight pelvic floor muscles following prostate surgery, and you’re given therapy to strengthen a spasming muscle, you can actually make the muscle tighter instead of stronger.

So, the team took a different approach…

Instead of the one-size-fits-all type of therapy that far too many men receive, they instead recommended individualized sessions to address the specific needs of the patients and either relax or strengthen the muscles in question.

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The results were impressive

A whopping 87 percent found that their incontinence improved with this targeted approach. And, 58 percent achieved what is considered the optimal level of improvement — needing two or fewer protective pads per day.

The benefits didn’t stop their either…

The men receiving individualized therapy based on their muscle issues also reported a decrease in pain. In fact, while 27 percent were suffering at the beginning of the study, that number dropped to just 14 percent after only four sessions.

While this may not seem like a huge decrease, according to the researchers, it was actually quite impressive.

“This is the first study to show a decrease in post-prostatectomy pain after therapy,” said Kelly M. Scott, M.D., an associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern and first author of the study.

Getting the care you need

So, if you are post-prostatectomy or preparing for surgery and you’re concerned about getting the right type of physical therapy to ensure you can regain your continence and your freedom, here’s what you should ask your therapist.

“Are my pelvic floor muscles actually weak and need to be strengthened, or are they actually tight and just need to be relaxed and lengthened?”

This will help ensure you get the targeted therapy you need to get back to your life after surgery.

Sources:

1. Individualized physical therapy reduces incontinence, pain in men after prostate surgery — EurekAlert!

The post The best therapy for incontinence following prostate surgery appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Turns out, that may not only be false but a downright dangerous statement that’s luring thousands of men to their early deaths.

Connection between dairy consumption and prostate cancer

Prostate cancer, which affects roughly 175,000 men in the United States each year, is the second leading cause of cancer death in men.

And like many cancers, diet plays a major role in the development of prostate cancer…

Researchers recently combed through the published data on the connections between diet and prostate cancer. The data revealed that dairy, more than other animal-based foods, is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer.

And, conversely, a plant-based diet was associated with either an unchanged or a decreased risk of prostate cancer.

As this was a review of the scientific literature and not an individual study, the researchers offered no conclusions as to why this might be.

But another study, this one published in the July 2019 issue of the journal Nutrients, stated that “milk intake may increase proliferation [spread] of cancer cells through elevated insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1), which is linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer.”

The data is there: too much milk and cheese can increase a man’s risk of prostate cancer. But not all dairy is created equal, as far as prostate cancer risk goes…

The one kind of dairy that’s good for reducing prostate cancer risk

Research shows that eating fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, Greek yogurt, sour cream, kefir and the like, could actually lower the risk of prostate cancer.

Fermented dairy is milk or cream that has been cultured using bacterial strains like Lactobacillus. Some products, like kefir, are fermented with both bacterial strains and yeast, like you would use to make bread or beer.

Related: 12 natural prostate cancer killers

Fermentation adds probiotics, good bacteria that benefit your gut health, to the milk or cream. Having a well-balanced gut microbiome (i.e., lots of positive bacteria and little toxic bacteria) has been shown to reduce the risk of many kinds of cancer, including prostate.

Alternate sources of calcium and protein are less risky than dairy

Calcium is essential. Your body needs it to build strong bones, maintain a strong heart, and keep nerves and muscles healthy. Most people need between 1,000 and 1,200 mg a day.

While it’s true cow’s milk has calcium, it is NOT necessarily the best source of this essential mineral. Here are just a few non-dairy foods that are high in calcium:

• Seeds like chia, flaxseeds, poppy, and sesame seeds
• Leafy greens like spinach, kale and collard greens
• Beans, peas, and lentils
• Sardines and salmon
• Brazil nuts
• Almonds
• Rhubarb
• Figs

A lot of these foods are also high in protein, so you’re not sacrificing anything by getting your calcium from non-dairy sources. Plus, they have omega-3 fatty acids, which promote heart and eye health, positive moods and soothe inflamed joints.

If you, or the men in your life, are drinking a lot of milk and eating a lot of cheese, it might be helpful to eat more greens, nuts, and fish. If possible.

You’ll get the protein and nutrients that do a body good, without an increased cancer risk.

Sources:

1. Effect of plant- and animal-based foods on prostate cancer risk — The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association
2. Dairy product consumption and prostate cancer risk in the United States — Nutrients
3. The role of gut microbiome in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer: A prospective, pilot study — Urology
4. Calcium and calcium supplements: Achieving the right balance — Mayo Clinic
5. Top 10 vegan sources of calcium — Healthline
6. Top 15 sources of calcium — Healthline
7. The facts on omega-3 fatty acids — WebMD

The post The complicated connection between dairy and prostate cancer appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I also love it when my local grocers and markets start offering my favorite fall treat…

Pumpkins.

Well, pumpkin seeds, to be specific.

When I was a kid, we used to go to the corner candy store and buy little red boxes of pumpkin seeds. We would pop them by the handful and suck the thick layer of salt off of the shells until our extreme thirst made us stop and guzzle some water or other drink.

Knowing what I know today about salt, I’d opt for the natural, unsalted variety. (Don’t get me wrong — salt is an important part of your diet, but most of us get way too much.)

And anyway, pumpkin seeds don’t need a coating of processed salt to be tasty.

Let me tell you why these little seeds are so good for you, and why they should be part of your diet, not only each fall but year-round…

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Vitamins, minerals and benefits galore

When you clean out your Halloween pumpkin and drop those clumps of seeds into the trash (or, hopefully, the compost), you probably wouldn’t guess how much health and wellness you’re throwing away.

Here are five health benefits to be gained by munching on roasted pumpkin seeds (and, they are a delicious snack!)…

Tons of nutrients. A one-ounce (28g) serving of pumpkin seeds has 1.7g of fiber and 7g of protein.

It also offers a healthy portion of the recommended daily intake of a bunch of vitamins and minerals:

• Vitamin K 18%
• Phosphorous 33%
• Manganese 42%
• Magnesium 37%
• Iron 23%
• Zinc 14%
• Copper 19%

High in antioxidants.  In one study, pumpkin seed oil reduced inflammation in rats with arthritis without side effects, while animals given an anti-inflammatory drug experienced some unpleasant side effects.

High in Magnesium. Pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium. Healthy magnesium levels are important for blood pressure and blood sugar levels, as well as heart and bone health.

Research shows that up to 75 percent of Americans are deficient in this vital mineral. Heart problems, stroke, asthma, and migraines can result from a magnesium deficiency, not to mention the constellation of ailments known as metabolic syndrome.

Help for an overactive bladder. A 12-week study found that pumpkin seed oil extract significantly reduced overactive bladder symptoms. Other studies have shown it helps support prostate health and relieves BPH symptoms, like frequent nighttime urination.

Better sleep. Pumpkin seeds are a natural source of tryptophan, an amino acid that can help promote sleep. They also have plenty of zinc, which helps convert tryptophan to serotonin which is then converted to melatonin, the hormone that regulates your sleep cycle.

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How to roast your pumpkin seedsTo

In order to enjoy munching on those seeds, you’ll want to roast them first. That’s not hard to do.

Just preheat your oven to 300°, then toss the seeds in a bowl with some melted butter or, better yet, extra-virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for about 45 minutes or until they’re golden, stirring them occasionally.

Editor’s Note: You’re invited to join a tiny handful of Americans who enjoy rare, fresh-pressed olive oil all year long that can’t be found in grocery stores or specialty shops. Take my word for it, there’s a difference in taste, quality and benefit! Click here to learn more…

Sources:

The potential of pumpkin seeds as a functional food ingredient: A review — Science Direct

Effect of pumpkin-seed oil on the level of free radical scavengers induced during adjuvant-arthritis in rats — Pharmacological Research

Antioxidant and lipoxygenase inhibitory activities of pumpkin seed extracts — Food Research International

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And, that isn’t even taking into account the risks that come with surgery for prostate cancer, including urinary or fecal incontinence, infections, and even erectile dysfunction.

It’s no wonder that when it comes time to get a prostate exam, many men would rather just skip it than face the worry.

But, there is good news…

Instead of just hoping you never get prostate cancer, a new study has found something you can actually do that could help lower your risks of ever receiving that diagnosis, and it’s simple and even tasty.

I’ll take a side of mushrooms, please

The research, published in the International Journal of Cancer has found that eating mushrooms on a regular basis could be key to avoiding prostate cancer. After evaluating almost 36,500 men between the ages of 40 and 79 for an average of over 13 years, the team discovered an inverse relationship between mushroom consumption and the development of prostate cancer.

In fact, compared with mushroom consumption of less than once per week, eating the fungi once or twice a week was associated with an 8 percent lower risk of prostate cancer. Even better, eating them three or more times per week was associated with a whopping 17 percent lower risk.

So, the next time you order a steak, you might want to ask for a side of mushrooms for your prostate.

Now, there were some limitations to the study that you should be aware of.

“Since information on mushroom species was not collected, it is difficult to know which specific mushroom(s) contributed to our findings. Also, the mechanism of the beneficial effects of mushrooms on prostate cancer remains uncertain,” said lead author Shu Zhang, Ph.D., of the Tohoku University School of Public Health, in Japan.

But, I think I can help with those too…

Mushroom basics

You see, there has been a huge amount of scientific research on the lowly little mushroom and most of it has come down to this…

Mushrooms possess massive power to boost your immune system and fight off cancer thanks to natural compounds known as beta-glucans. These compounds interact with your lymphocytes, T-cells, and even your natural killer cells (tumor-fighting cells). And, certain types of mushrooms are known for their ability to train your immune system, so it’s perfectly positioned to fight.

So, even though the researchers couldn’t provide a list, the following should be a great place to start:

#1 — Phellinus linteus

An exotic-sounding mushroom, Phellinus linteus, was found by researchers at Boston University to work in tandem with chemotherapy drugs to kill substantially more cancer cells than the drugs alone.

#2 — Reishi

Studies have shown that reishi mushrooms can block both cancer spread and invasion of healthy tissues.

#3 — Cordyceps mushrooms

These mushrooms demonstrate the power to enhance the activities of macrophages, phagocytes and natural killer cells, acting as anti-tumor agents.

#4 — Coriolus mushrooms

According to the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Coriolus mushrooms may have immunostimulant and anti-tumor properties based on scientific studies.

So, if you want to eat for optimal prostate health, these types of mushrooms would be a great place to start. But, there is one more thing…

You don’t want to cook all of their cancer-fighting power right out of them so be sure to check out this guide to maintaining the nutritional magic of mushrooms from my colleague Joyce Hollman.

Sources:

Prostate Cancer Survival Rates — Prostate Cancer Foundation

Prostatectomy — Mayo Clinic

Eating mushrooms may help lower prostate cancer risk — EurekAlert!

Why Men Need Mushrooms — Easy Health Options®

10+ ways mushrooms protect your body like nothing else — Easy Health Options^®

Coriolus Versicolor — Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

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This is especially true since some forms of the cancer are extremely aggressive and require aggressive levels of treatment to match. This treatment can include radiation, chemotherapy, surgery and hormone therapy.

Now, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have made a troubling discovery: That hormone therapy (also known as androgen deprivation therapy) has been linked to Alzheimer’s and dementia.

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What is androgen deprivation therapy?

Androgen deprivation therapy is a hormone-suppressing therapy used to treat prostate cancer.

Basically, men with prostate cancer are given drugs that suppress levels of their male hormones, known as androgens. The main hormones the therapy focuses on are testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

These androgens cause prostate cells to grow, including cancer cells, so by suppressing them, the therapy stops the hormones from affecting and stimulating cancer growth. So, with androgen therapy, prostate tumors may shrink. However, hormone therapy alone won’t cure the cancer which is why it’s used in combination with chemo and radiation.

Unfortunately, androgen deprivation therapy has always come with risks. These risks include sexual dysfunction such as loss of libido and erectile dysfunction.

Loss of bone mineral density, osteoporosis, and bone fractures are also common. In fact, studies have found that up to 20 percent of men experience a skeletal fracture within five years of starting androgen deprivation therapy.

Now, those aren’t the only risks men need to be aware of…

Dementia diagnoses in older men with prostate cancer

The University of Pennsylvania research team used the health data from more than 154,000 older men diagnosed with prostate cancer to analyze the association between androgen deprivation therapy and the subsequent diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia.

Of the men, 62,330 (with an average age 76) received androgen deprivation therapy within two years of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and 91,759 men (with an average age 74) didn’t have such treatment.  So, these two groups were closely matched in age at the time that they received their prostate cancer diagnosis. The difference was whether or not they received the hormone-suppressing therapy.

And, the researchers found that androgen deprivation therapy was associated with a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with Alzheimer disease or dementia compared with no androgen deprivation therapy over an average follow-up of eight years.

In other words, for many of the patients, their lives were being saved at the sacrifice of their memories.

The choice between cancer and dementia

One in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime. This means many men will face a particularly difficult choice between cancer treatment and the possibility of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Related: 12 natural prostate cancer killers

So, here’s what you should know…

Androgen deprivation therapy is more likely to be recommended if:

• The cancer has spread beyond the ability of chemo and radiation to handle alone
• If the disease returns following chemo or radiation
• If you’re at high risk of recurrence
• Prior to radiation to shrink the tumor

To reduce your risk of prostate cancer and the possible androgen therapy that comes with it, you can:

• Go low fat – Fats have been linked to a higher risk of prostate cancer, so choose low-fat dairy options, leaner cuts of meat, and use less oil in your cooking.
• Boost fruit and veggie intake – The vitamins and nutrients in fruits and vegetables may positively impact your prostate cancer risk so try to add an additional serving to each meal.
• Exercise – Exercise is just as healthy for your prostate as it is for the rest of your body. Get out there, get moving, and shoot for 30 minutes of physical activity on a daily basis.
• Lose weight – A BMI (body mass index) of 30 or above is associated with a higher prostate cancer risk. This means that slimming down can help you avoid that dangerous diagnosis.

The only sure way to avoid androgen deprivation therapy and the possible Alzheimer’s and dementia it can cause is to avoid prostate cancer. So, start taking steps now to boost your prostate health and talk to your doctor about your risk factors.

Sources:

1. Prostate cancer — Mayo Clinic
2. Hormone Therapy for Prostate Cancer — American Cancer Society
3. Side effects of androgen deprivation therapy — UpToDate
4. Androgen deprivation therapy associated with risk of Alzheimer’s, dementia diagnoses in older men with prostate cancer — EurekAlert!
5. Key Statistics for Prostate Cancer &mdashl American Cancer Society
6. Prostate cancer prevention: Ways to reduce your risk — Mayo Clinic

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Living with BPH means discomfort and complications…

The enlargement of the prostate squeezes the urethra, irritating and blocking the bladder. The bladder wall thickens and becomes damaged. And, the risk of infection, stones, and even renal failure skyrockets.

That’s why so many men these days are prescribed drugs to treat their prostate problems, such as 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors that reduce the production of hormones called androgens and help treat symptoms such as reduced urinary flow.

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Unfortunately, short-term studies have suggested that these drugs, which include finasteride and dutasteride, might cause problems of their own and could reduce the body’s response to insulin, an early sign of type 2 diabetes.

But, since the research wasn’t extensive, it was not clear how significant the risk really was and whether or not you should be worried. Luckily, a team, led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh and University College London, can now answer those questions.

Additional monitoring needed

The researchers studied the health records from around 55,000 men in the UK, who had been prescribed 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors over an 11-year period.

And, they found the drugs were linked to an increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes of about one third. This means that in a population of 500 men on this treatment for 20 years, 16 extra cases of diabetes are likely to develop.

Just to make sure that their results were correct and there weren’t other factors at play, such as diet and lifestyle, they repeated the study on a different male population – Taiwanese.

Once again a similar effect was seen.

Dr. Li Wei, Associate Professor from UCL School of Pharmacy and the first author of the study said, “By studying real word data from different ethnic populations across the UK and Taiwan, we found that men being treated with dutasteride or finasteride for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have a roughly 30 percent increased risk of developing diabetes. It is important that all patients are made aware of the risks and benefits of their medications. In this instance, men should be alerted to the increased risk of diabetes if they are taking these particular medicines for BPH, and should speak to their doctor if they are concerned.”

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Should you stop taking prostate drugs?

Since these prostate drugs so dramatically increase your risk of diabetes, should you stop taking them?

According to the team of researchers, not necessarily…

The team stressed that current treatment guidelines do not need to change, based on their study and say patients should continue to take the drugs.

However, they gave a clear warning that if you are on any of the 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, you should get additional checkups and regular monitoring so that your prescription can be altered if necessary.

The best thing you can do is to be aware of the higher threat of diabetes and follow Dr. Wei’s advice to talk to your doctor about alternative treatments if you’re concerned.

What are your alternatives? Your doctor may prescribe a different medication. Some supplements have been researched for their properties to relieve symptoms of BPH. Your diet can help or hinder your symptoms as well.

Sources:

1. Causes and Statistics — Boston Scientific
2. What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)? — Urology Care Foundation
3. Prostate medicines linked to type 2 diabetes risk, study suggests — EurekAlert!

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