The prostate gland is a small, walnut-sized gland in men that helps carry seminal fluid and sperm out of the body. Prostate cancer is a cancerous tumor in the prostate gland. The prostate is located just below the bladder and all around the urethra, the tube which urine passes through on its way out of the male body via the penis.
Prostate tumors can be benign or cancerous. Benign tumors on the prostate gland cause the gland to grow larger and press against the urethra, which obstructs the normal flow of urine. This is a condition called benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), which is common but not life-threatening. Prostate cancer is a very common form of cancer in men. It can spread to other parts of the body and be fatal.
Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of cancer deaths in men of all ages and the most common cause in men over the age of 75. Prostate cancer is not common in men under the age of 40. Some groups of people are at a higher risk for developing prostate cancer, including African-American men over the age of 60, farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men who have been exposed to cadmium.
Cancerous tumors in the prostate often grow slowly and may not spread or cause harm for many years. If prostate cancer is caught early, it can be treated successfully in more than 90% of cases. If you are a man over the age of 50, you should discuss with your doctor the possibility of being screened for prostate cancer.
Signs and Symptoms
Prostate cancer often does not have any symptoms in the early stages. Many people are not aware they have it.
Some symptoms that may indicate prostate cancer include:
- Difficult and painful urination
- Having to urinate often, especially at night, and feeling that you need to urinate even when your bladder is empty
- Not completely emptying your bladder, which may lead to dribbling of urine
- Decreased force of urine stream
- Blood in the urine
- Hip and back pain
When cancer has spread to other parts of the body, symptoms can include:
- Bone pain
- Weakness or paralysis caused by compression of the spinal cord
- Weight loss
- Anemia
- Kidney failure
Causes
Experts do not know what causes prostate cancer. There are several external factors that may play a role in influencing an individual’s genes, diet, ethnicity, hormones, and environment.
Some studies have found a connection between a diet high in fat and increased testosterone levels. Testosterone stimulates the growth of the prostate. Some doctors believe that testosterone replacement therapy could cause any existing prostate cancer to grow faster. They also think that men who use testosterone therapy may be more likely to get prostate cancer than those with lower levels of the hormone.
Prostate cancer is more likely to occur in men who have relatives who have also had the disease. This may be due to genes being passed down in families. In addition, thirty percent of prostate cancers that are passed down in families have been linked to a certain gene.
Asian men have a lower prostate cancer rate, while African American men have a higher rate.
Risk Factors
These factors may increase a man’s risk for prostate cancer:
- Age . Prostate cancer is most common in men over 55.
- Race. African-Americans have a greater risk of developing prostate cancer than Caucasians. Caucasians have a greater risk than Native and Latin Americans.
- Family history of prostate cancer. A man is 4.5 times more likely to get prostate cancer if his brother has it. If his father has it, he is 2.3 times more likely to develop prostate cancer.
- High-fat diet. Foods rich in saturated fat may raise testosterone levels, which stimulates the growth of the prostate.
- Lack of exercise. It may increase the risk in men who eat a high-fat diet.
Prostate cancer is a cancerous tumor in the prostate gland, which is a small-sized gland in men. This gland helps in carrying out seminal fluid, which eventually helps in carrying sperm out of the body. The prostate is located below the bladder, and it surrounds the urethra. The urethra is the tube that carries urine out of the body through the penis.
Prostate tumors can be benign or cancerous. With benign tumors, the prostate enlarges and puts pressure on the urethra, making it difficult to urinate normally. Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. This common condition is not usually life-threatening. One of the most common kinds of cancer in men, prostate cancer, can spread beyond the prostate gland and be life-threatening.
Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in all men and the most common cause of cancer death in men over the age of 75. Prostate cancer is not common in men under the age of 40. Certain groups of people are more likely to develop Prostate cancer; these groups include African-American men who are over the age of 60, farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men who have been exposed to cadmium.
Most cancerous tumors in the prostate grow slowly and stay local, not causing any harm for decades. If you are caught with prostate cancer early, there is a more than 90% chance that you can be successfully treated. If you are a man 50 years or older, you should discuss prostate cancer screening with your doctor.
Nutrients for Prostate Cancer Prevention
1. Flaxseed
The lignans and essential fatty acids in flaxseeds help keep the prostate healthy. Flaxseed is believed to contain lignans which may protect against chronic disease and cancer, including those that are hormone-dependent.
A study with a large sample size found that men who had higher levels of enterolactone were up to 72% less likely to get prostate cancer than those with the lowest levels.10 There have been other studies that show that flaxseed supplementation lowers PSA levels and significantly reduces the proliferation of both normal prostate cells and prostate cancer cells. This is a study done on men who have to have a prostate biopsy done again to see if taking flaxseed would help lower the PSA levels and prostate cell growth.
2. Boron
Boron has been shown in research to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Men who consumed the most boron were 54% less likely to develop prostate cancer than those who consumed the least.
Researchers found that giving animals various concentrations of a boron-containing solution orally led to reductions in tumor size of 25-38% and reductions in PSA levels of 86-89%. The idea that extra boron could help reduce prostate tumors and lower PSA levels is thrilling. PSA levels may contribute to cancer promotion, not just being a marker for prostate cancer.
Boron compounds inhibit the activity of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Boron levels that are higher than normal in the blood can help reduce the risk of prostate cancer by reducing the amount of calcium signals and storage that takes place within cells. Boron typically inhibits prostate cancer cell growth while allowing normal prostate cells to grow.
The average amount of boron people consume daily is 1-8 milligrams, but people who live in areas where boron is prevalent may consume much more than that. If studies done on animals can be replicated in humans, higher dosages of boron may become a treatment that is both effective and low-cost. Those who are a part of Life Extension® already receive boron in their supplement regimen (3-6 mg daily).
3. Cruciferous Vegetables
Studies that were recently released showed that three phytochemicals that come from cruciferous vegetables (vegetables such as broccoli) have the potential to slow down prostate cancer in experimental models. Indole-3-carbinol, 3,3’-diindolylmethane, and phenethyl isothiocyanate are best known by their chemical names: I3C, DIM, and PEITC, respectively.
I3C has several actions that help prevent and inhibit prostate cancer, including reducing the production of testosterone. It helps get rid of toxins, prevents cancer cell growth, makes cells die off, regulates the expression of genes, protects DNA from damage, and affects various cell signaling pathways.
DIM has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by inhibiting the phosphorus-transferring enzyme Akt and the master DNA-transcription regulator nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kB). This crosstalk between Akt and NF-kB is what allows cancer cells to grow and proliferate. The authors are discussing how the compound DIM targets cell growth and induces apoptosis or cell death. This is an effective way to prevent cancer, as it can target multiple stages of prostate cancer development.
Peitic was found to suppress PCAF, which in turn decreases androgen transcriptional activity in prostate cancer cells. You should take 14 milligrams of DIM each day and 80-160 milligrams of I3C. A suggested daily dosage of 200-600 milligrams of I3C is thought to help prostate cancer therapies. Dosages for PEITC are not well-established.
4. Vitamin D
Cancer is caused by the build-up of mutations in genes that control how cells reproduce. In other words, cancer is largely caused by the genetic mutations that happen throughout a person’s life. Vitamin D has a fascinating impact in that it protects against cancer by enabling us to regain control over the genes that regulate cell proliferation. Vitamin D affects at least 200 human genes. The genes mentioned are responsible for controlling three very important aspects of cells: how they reproduce, how they develop, and how they die.
A large number of studies in recent years have shown that having a higher level of vitamin D can reduce the risk of cancer by 50% or more. Vitamin D has been linked with a reduced risk of lethal prostate cancer as well as other cancers. Individual blood testing is necessary to determine the correct dosage for each person, which is usually between 2,000 and 10,000 international units (IU) per day for prevention. Based on the suggestion of Life Extension, it is optimal to have a vitamin D blood level of 50-80 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).
5. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Studies have shown that high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA in the blood correspond to a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. EPA essentially suppresses the formation of AA by inhibiting the enzyme delta-5-desaturase. One way EPA is thought to work against cancer is by inhibiting uPA, a substance that is believed to help cancer spread.
Pharmaceutical-grade fish oils that are commercially available can provide large amounts of EPA and DHA. Suggested dosages are 2-4 grams of fish oil concentrate supplying 700-1,400 milligrams of EPA and 500-1,000 milligrams of DHA daily with food. For cancer therapy, it is recommended to take 4-8 grams of fish oil concentrate, supplying up to 2,800 milligrams of EPA and up to 2,000 milligrams of DHA daily with food.
6. Curcumin
Curcumin strikes multiple targets in prostate cancer. It can kill cancer cells, stop them from spreading, and also help to control inflammation. It does this by affecting a protein complex called NF-kB, which controls the transcription of DNA. NF-kB inhibitors found in nature can help to reduce inflammation. For example, curcumin can reduce the expression of sex hormone receptors in the prostate, which is important because prostate cancer often relies on sex hormones for growth. Reactivity to testosterone is reduced in cancer cells when androgen receptors are degraded quickly.
Work in a laboratory (in vitro) and in living animals (in vivo) have shown that curcumin can prevent prostate cancer from becoming worse by preventing cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the prostate and by controlling enzymes that are needed for tissue invasiveness. Curcumin may help to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells by inhibiting the Akt enzyme. Research has demonstrated that curcumin can prevent the growth of new blood vessels in prostate cancer cells in a living organism. A new manufacturing technology has produced a patented curcumin formulation that is up to seven times more absorbable than conventional curcumin. If you’re looking to supplement with a highly absorbed curcumin formulation, BCM-95®, the suggested preventive dosage is 400 milligrams daily with food. The suggested dosage of this formulation for adjuvant cancer therapy is 800-1,200 milligrams daily with food.
Summary
This article discusses how various nutrients have been shown via scientific studies to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
The nutrients in question work to prevent prostate cancer in multiple ways, including slowing its development and causing cancer cell death.
Some nutrients are effective in treating prostate cancer, especially in men who have failed initial treatment, according to the latest research. This includes a controlled clinical trial that showed dramatic results. The efficacy of therapy is assessed by mainstream doctors through controlled studies of this kind.
As men age, their risk for prostate cancer increases, but they can reduce this risk by protecting themselves against other degenerative diseases.
