Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common enlargement of the prostate gland as a man ages. Though the prostate continues to grow during most of a man’s life, the enlargement doesn’t usually cause symptoms before age 40, but more than half of men in their sixties, and as many as 90 percent in their seventies and eighties have some symptoms of BPH. These symptoms stem from obstruction of the urethra and gradual loss of bladder function, which results in incomplete emptying of the bladder. Imagine the prostate as a donut shaped gland, and as the prostate swells up and enlarges, the internal diameter of the donut hole gets smaller, squeezing the urethra. The symptoms of BPH vary, but the most common ones involve changes or problems with urination, such as:

• a hesitant, interrupted or weak stream
• urgency and leaking or dribbling
• more frequent urination, especially at night

The size of the prostate does not always determine how severe the obstruction or the symptoms will be. Some men with greatly enlarged glands have little obstruction and few symptoms while others, whose glands are less enlarged, have more blockage and greater problems.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over age 75. Prostate cancer is rarely found in men younger than 40. Men who are at higher risk include those who are older than 60, have a family history of prostate cancer, abuse alcohol, eat a diet high in fat (especially animal fat), have been exposed to cadmium, and are African-American. The symptoms listed below can occur with prostate cancer, usually at a late stage (although they may also be caused by BPH):

• Delayed or slowed start of urinary stream
• Dribbling or leakage of urine, most often after urinating
• Slow urinary stream
• Straining when urinating, or not being able to empty out the bladder
• Blood in urine or semen

Nutraceuticals for prostate health

There are a several nutraceuticals with research that support their use in promoting healthy prostate function. Five of these include beta-sitosterol, zinc, selenium, vitamin D and boron.

Beta-sitosterol
Beta-sitosterol, a natural plant sterol commonly found in some foods, has shown in research to effectively treat symptoms of BPH. For example, in a 6-month, multi-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the British Journal of Urology² 177 patients with BPH were treated using 130 mg beta-sitosterol daily, or placebo. Results showed significant (P < 0.01)a improvements over placebo in those treated with beta-sitosterol, as measured by the International Prostate Symptom Scoreb (IPSS) and the quality-of-life index. There were also significant improvements in peak urinary flow rate and bladder emptying. A similar 3-month study³ in a Japan using 180 mg of beta-sitosterol daily also found significant (p < 0.05) improvements in BPH symptoms.

In a 6-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multi-center study in the Lancet,⁴ 200 patients with BPH were treated with 60 mg beta-sitosterol daily or placebo. Results showed significant improvements in the modified Boyarsky score (a measurement of BPH symptoms) as well as a significant decrease in IPSS. Furthermore, there were improvements in peak urine flow bladder emptying, which remained unchanged in the placebo group (p < 0.01). In an 18-month follow-up study,⁵ 38 patients of the patients who continued beta-sitosterol treatment had stable values for all outcome variables. Of the former placebo group, 27 patients who started beta-sitosterol after the double-blind trial improved to the same extent as the treated group for all outcome variables.

Perhaps most significantly, a review⁶ and a meta-analysis⁷ examined the results of several randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials in which beta-sitosterol was used in treating BPH in 519 men. As with the aforementioned studies, these also demonstrated significant improvements in BPH symptoms. It should be noted that one of the studies⁸ reviewed in the meta-analysis found that beta-sitosterol decreased the number of times each night that men with BPH had to get up to urinate.

Zinc
Zinc plays important roles in the immune response, neurological function, and reproduction.⁹ This mineral’s importance to prostate health is easily demonstrated by the fact that the prostate has a higher concentration of zinc than any other organ of the body.¹⁰ Furthermore, there are higher concentrations of zinc in seminal fluid (much of which is secreted by the prostate) than in other body fluids.¹¹ This means that each time a man ejaculates he loses some zinc which—needs to be replaced. In addition, zinc levels have been found to decrease in the prostate tissue and prostatic fluid in men with prostatic carcinoma.^12,13

Selenium
Epidemiologic studies¹⁴ have shown that: 1) higher levels of the mineral selenium may slow prostate cancer tumor progression, 2) selenium seems to accumulate in the prostate, and 3) selenium protects against DNA damage and increases apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells.

Other research¹⁵ reported that selenium levels were significantly lower in those with prostate cancer. Furthermore, in a case-control study,¹⁶ 181 men with advanced prostate cancer and 181 matched controls were examined. The results were that individuals whose average dietary intake of selenium was 159 mcg/day had a 65 percent lower risk of advanced prostate cancer compared to those with an average intake of 86 mcg/day. Other research¹⁷ has found that the risk of developing prostate cancer was 50 percent less in men with higher serum selenium levels compared to those with the lowest intake. Similarly, a case-control study¹⁸ found that men with the lowest selenium intake were four to five times more likely to develop prostate cancer than those with the highest selenium intake.

Vitamin D
Epidemiological studies¹⁹ show correlations between the risk factors for prostate cancer and conditions that can result in decreased vitamin D levels. Furthermore, the active metabolite of vitamin D inhibits the growth of human prostate cancer cells. Other research²⁰ with prostate cells further support the idea that increasing vitamin D levels may be useful in preventing prostate cancer. In addition, a study²¹ of Finnish men found that low serum vitamin D levels were associated with earlier and more aggressive prostate cancer development.

Boron
Research²² has found that groundwater boron levels correlated with a decrease in prostate cancer incidence and mortality, and that a common form of boron in-vitro improves the anti-proliferative effectiveness of chemo-preventative agents. Furthermore, analyzed data²³ from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) compared boron intake of 95 prostate cancer cases with that of 8,720 male controls. After controlling for age, race, education, smoking, body mass index, dietary caloric intake, and alcohol consumption, increased dietary boron intake was associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer with a dose-response pattern.

Conclusion
There is no single magic bullet for guaranteeing a healthy prostate. However, the use of one or more of the nutraceuticals discussed in this article may help support healthy prostate function.

Endnotes:

a. A “P” value of 0.05 or less is considered statistically significant. The lower the number, the more significant.

b. The International Prostate Symptom Score is an eight question (seven symptom questions + one quality of life question) written screening tool used to screen for, rapidly diagnose, track the symptoms of, and suggest management of the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

References

1. Huggins C, Scott WM, Heinen JH. Chemical composition of human semen and of the secretions of the prostate and seminal vesicles. Am J Physiol. 1942;136: 467-473.
2. Klippel KF, Hiltl DM, Schipp B. A multicentric, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol (phytosterol) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. German BPH-Phyto Study group. Br J Urol 1997;80(3):427-32.
3. Kobayashi Y, Sugaya Y, Tokue A. Clinical effects of beta-sitosterol (phytosterol) on benign prostatic hyperplasia: preliminary study. Article in Japanese Hinyokika Kiyo 1998;44(12):865-8.
4. Berges RR, Windeler J, Trampisch HJ, Senge T. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Beta-sitosterol Study Group. Lancet 1995;345(8964):1529-32.
5. Berges RR, Kassen A, Senge T. Treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia with beta-sitosterol: an 18-month followup. BJU Int 2000;85(7):842-6.
6. Wilt TJ, MacDonald R, Ishani A.Beta-sitosterol for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a systematic review. BJU Int 1999;83(9):976-83.
7. Wilt T, Ishani A, MacDonald R, Stark G, Mulrow CD, Lau J. Beta-sitosterols for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1999;(3) Art. No.: CD001043; DOI: 10.1002/14651858. CD001043.
8. ibid.
9. Cousins RJ. Zinc. In: Bowman BA, Russell RM, eds. Present Knowledge in Nutrition. 9th ed, Vol. 1. Washington, D.C.: ILSI Press; 2006:445-57.
10. Bedwal RS, Bahuguna A. Zinc, copper and selenium in reproduction.Experientia 1994;50(7):626-40.
11. Kavanagh JP. Sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, citrate and chloride content of human prostatic and seminal fluid. J Reprod Fertil 1985;75(1):35-41.
12. Zaichick VYe, Sviridova TV, Zaichick SV. Zinc in the human prostate gland: normal, hyperplastic and cancerous. Int Urol Nephrol 1997;29:565-74.
13. Zaichick VY, Sviridova TV, Zaichick SV. Zinc concentration in human prostatic fluid: normal, chronic prostatitis, adenoma and cancer. Int Urol Nephrol 1996;28:687-94.
14. Taylor PR, Parnes HL, Lippman SM. Science peels the onion of selenium effects on prostate carcinogenesis. J Natl Cancer Inst 2004;96:645-7.
15. Brinkman M, Reulen RC, Kellen E, Buntinx F, Zeegers MP. Are men with low selenium levels at increased risk of prostate cancer? Eur J Cancer 2006;42(15):2463-471.
16. Yoshizawa K, Willett WC, Morris SJ, et al. Study of prediagnostic selenium level in toenails and the risk of advanced prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1998;90(16):1219-24.
17. Nomura AM, Lee J, Stemmermann GN, Combs GF, Jr. Serum selenium and subsequent risk of prostate cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2000;9(9):883-7.
18. Brooks JD, Metter EJ, Chan DW, et al. Plasma selenium level before diagnosis and the risk of prostate cancer development. J Urol 2001;166(6):2034-2038.
19. Blutt SE, Weigel NL. Vitamin D and prostate cancer. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1999;221(2):89-98.
20. Young MV, Schwartz GG, Wang L, et al. The prostate 25-hydroxyvitamin D-1{alpha}-hydroxylase is not influenced by parathyroid hormone and calcium: implications for prostate cancer chemoprevention by vitamin D. Carcinogenesis 2004;25(6):967-71.
21. Ahonen MH, Tenkanen L, Teppo L, Hakama M, Tuohimaa P. Prostate cancer risk and prediagnostic serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. (Finland). Cancer Causes Control. 2000;11(9):847-52.
22. Barranco WT, Hudak PF, Eckhert CD. Evaluation of ecological and in vitro effects of boron on prostate cancer risk (United States). Cancer Causes Control 2007;18(1):71-7.
23. Cui Y, Winton MI, Zhang ZF, et al. Dietary boron intake and prostate cancer risk. Oncol Rep 2004;11(4):887-92.

The post Naturally Improving Prostate Health appeared first on Total Health Magazine.

BPH is hardly the lone prostate and sex hormone related issue that can be troubling to men. Aside from prostate cancer, which for most men is so slow growing as to not be life threatening, many men are concerned about low testosterone, which has its own repercussions. Two of the repercussions of low testosterone are a low level of muscle-maintaining free testosterone and elevated levels of estrogen produced from testosterone by a pathway referred to as the aromatase pathway. Fortunately, there are a number of safe natural compounds that can help to regulate both sides of this equation.

Protective herbs and nutrients have counterparts that increase the risks of various conditions. Some of these potentially damaging compounds are prescriptions given for unrelated conditions and this provides a rationale for being cautious about prescription drugs. What you do not know definitely can hurt!

PROTECTIVE AND SUPPORTIVE NUTRIENTS AND HERBS

Omega-3s
In 2013, experts slammed a claimed fish oil/omega-3 fatty acid intake link to prostate cancer as “scaremongering.” The trial in question purported to find increased risks for total prostate cancer as well as increased risks of both low-grade and high-grade prostate cancer, an increase of 71 percent in this latter category.² The responses were quick and brutal. One nutritionist (Duffy MacKay, vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at the for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)) pointed out, quite correctly, that the findings of this study were based on blood level differences so small that “[t]his change [of 0.2%] literally could have occurred if somebody ate a fish sandwich on their way to get their blood drawn.”³ Both the consumers of the low and the high levels of long chain omega-3 fatty acids were within the normal blood range.

Others pointed out that the findings of the study clearly imply that men in countries with high levels of consumption of seafood, such as Scandinavia and Japan, should exhibit high levels of prostate cancer, yet the opposite is the case. Alan Ruth, PhD, CEO of the Irish Health Trade Association observed, “[i]n a 2010 meta-analysis of 31 studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the risks of prostate cancer diagnosis calculated for high fish consumption ranged from a 61% decrease in risk to a 77% increase in risk, and several showed no significant differences in risk at all…In the same meta-analysis, pooled data from four studies on fish consumption and death from prostate cancer (rather than diagnosis of prostate cancer) found a 63% decrease in risk for high fish consumption.”⁴

Especially interesting in this dust-up is the recent attempt to rehabilitate omega-6 fatty acids. In pre-modern times, the intake of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids in the diet typically was in the range of one-to-two, whereas today in the United States it regularly may be as low as one-to-twenty-five, with prostate cancer rates climbing steadily over the last 60 years. In this instance, a headline is revealing: “Corn oil, omega-6 could speed up prostate cancer.”⁵ Journal article titles are more prosaic, yet just as damning: “A high ratio of dietary n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer.”⁶

Barry Sears, who has written for years on the health effects of fatty acids, both good and bad, tartly comments in his blog, “Omega-3 fatty acids and prostate cancer? Oh, really?”⁷ Among other things, Sears demonstrates how easily a statistically significant blood reading of fatty acid profiles can be attached to otherwise clinically irrelevant findings. The take away message in this case is that the experience around the world repeatedly has been that prostate risks, especially death from prostate cancer, are lower in matched populations that consume more fish. There is nothing in recently published research that should make us doubt that improving the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio in our diets is a good goal at which to aim.

Grape Skin Extract & Resveratrol
In many areas in the US and the United Kingdom (Scotland has not yet opted out of the Union), one cannot visit a doctor without being queried about alcohol intake and then the required lecture on the evils of alcohol. The distinction as to the source of alcohol in the diet routinely drops out despite the fact that red wine has been recognized in Europe for centuries as exhibiting various health benefits and little downside as long as consumed in moderation. It turns out that red wine, often thought of in terms of the heart, may benefit the prostate, as well.

The trick to the studies is that the researchers must work vigorously to screen for the different sources of alcohol over the course of a man’s life. If this is done, then the research is likely to confirm that a glass of red wine per day may be protective against the risk of prostate cancer.⁸ Less clear is which compounds in red wine are protective. Perhaps many are. A recent study on grape skin extract and resveratrol identified several protective mechanisms of action.⁹ Some of the factors linked to resveratrol have been known for years, whereas other mechanisms and, similarly, the benefits of other red wine compounds, are being vigorously researched. Grape seed components (proanthocyanidins) are another example of a source of anti-cancer benefits.¹⁰ Given the huge volume of papers being published today on the health-protective benefits of red wine and its ingredients, it is a reasonable conclusion that most men may benefit from one or two glasses of red wine per day consumed with meals.

Quercetin & EGCG
The dietary bioflavonoid quercetin is well known to readers of this magazine, as is epigallocathechin gallate (EGCG). Both compounds are considered to be health protective and quercetin, in particular, is known to improve the uptake (bioavailability) and the benefits of many other compounds found in the diet and in herbs. Papers routinely show greater efficacy or even benefits where none initially were found, when quercetin is combined with resveratrol, with sulphorafane, with EGCG, etc. One of the more interesting recent findings is that these combinations sometimes not only can help to prevent the transformation of cells from precarcinogenic stages to active cancer, but also can interfere with or eliminate entirely cancer stem-cell characteristics. Cancer stem cells are the ultimate source of cancer self-renewal, so this action by the combination of quercetin and EGCG is a warm recommendation.¹¹

Bitter Melon
Bitter melon has received quite a bit of publicity recently with regard to pancreatic cancer. It would be unfortunate were the exploration to end there. Several researchers have reported that treatment of bitter-melon-related products in a number of cancer cell lines induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis without affecting normal cell growth.¹² Researches targeted specifically at prostate cancer have demonstrated that the impact of bitter melon extends to this area.¹³ Admittedly, bitter melon is not a staple at the American table. Perhaps that should change. See my earlier article, “Going WILD with Bitter Melon for Blood Sugar Support.”¹⁴

Pomegranate
Pomegranate is a fruit long associated with healing and medicine. Indeed, the pomegranate is on the crest-of-arms of the British Royal Society of Medicine and of many other ancient organizations devoted to healing. A quick look at the PubMed database shows that the keywords “pomegranate” and “prostate” bring up 60 studies. Many of these studies have been promising, especially when pomegranate was added to other ingredients with related and differing mechanisms of action. For instance, in 2013 the polyphenol rich whole food supplement Pomi-T® (pomegranate seeds, green tea, broccoli, and turmeric) was reported to have a direct anti-cancer effect in men with prostate cancer.15 These results were confirmed in a larger clinical trial published in 2014.¹⁶

Thymoquinone and Black Seed
Few Americans have heard either of black seed or thymoquinone (TQ). The former is famous for healing in the areas in which it grows naturally, meaning much of the eastern Mediterranean through the Near and Middle East all the way to India. Mohammed is reputed to have said that the seed cures every condition except death itself.

With regard to the prostate, black seed is useful for both BPH and in preventing prostate cancer induction. One of the important ingredients in black seed oil, thymoquinone, promotes healthy apoptosis in prostate cells and therefore helps the body to regulate the size and health of the prostate.^17,18 Similar effects have been found in, for example, breast cancer, so TQ has a broad spectrum of applications.¹⁹

Cactus Flower
A couple of decades back, the herbal extract chrysin was introduced to the athletics and body building world as an answer to improving free testosterone levels and reducing the pathway (aromatase) that transforms testosterone to estrogen. Chrysin has some benefits, as long as one does not expect too much and is willing to focus on the anxiolytic qualities of the compound (found in passion flower). However, much more successful compounds for this purpose of increasing free testosterone, and so forth, have been found. One of these is an extract of cactus flower (Opuntia ficus-indica).

I ran across this almost a decade ago being sold in Germany and Israel for BPH,²⁰ but at the time could not find a reliable source of supply. Since then, a friend with whom I was working took this item and continued to dig until he found a reliable source that he could market as increasing serum free testosterone levels and reducing aromatase (reducing estrogen production and inhibiting the binding of dihydrotestosterone/DHT.) As my friend writes at his website, based on preliminary laboratory research, “Opuntia flower extract (1 mg/ml concentration) inhibited over 80% of the activity of 5-alpha reductase in human prostate tissue homogenate and inhibited over 80% of aromatase activity in human placenta tissue homogenate.”²¹ This particular product also contains supporting ingredients, such as an extract of stinging nettle root.

Some Prostate-Questionable Foods and Pharmaceuticals Now for a few items that men may want to remove from their daily habits or environment.

• Non-and low-fat milk (but not whole milk or other dairy products) intake by men is linked to higher rates of prostate cancer²²
• Long-term use of statins increases the risk of prostate cancer²³
• Oral contraceptive use is associated with prostate cancer—this refers to these contraceptives getting into the environment at large and not to use by one’s partner²⁴

Conclusion
There are protective foods, nutrients and herbs of which men should take advantage to maintain and regain prostate health as well as improve other parameters of health and performance. Omega-3 fatty acids and the active compounds found in red wine (grape skin anthocyanidins and other compounds, resveratrol, grape seed proanthocyanidins, quercetin), green tea (EGCG) and bitter melon are on this short list. More exotic are black seed and thymoquinone as well as cactus flower extract. For the most part, these can be characterized as special foods since they can be consumed over the long term and have few or no downsides even when consumed chronically in large amounts. Indeed, this should be the goal—a little prevention is always worth a whole lot of cure.

References

1. 1. 1. F. Hinman, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy. New York: Springer-Verlag, 1983.
      2. Brasky TM, Darke AK, Song X, Tangen CM, Goodman PJ, Thompson IM, Meyskens FL Jr, Goodman GE, Minasian LM, Parnes HL, Klein EA, Kristal AR. Plasma phospholipid fatty acids and prostate cancer risk in the SELECT trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 Aug 7;105(15):1132– 41. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djt174.
      3. Experts slam omega-3 link to prostate cancer as overblown ‘scaremongering.’ http://www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/796071
      4. Ibid.
      5. http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/printNewsBis.asp?id=65537
      6. Williams CD, Whitley BM, Hoyo C, Grant DJ, Iraggi JD, Newman KA, Gerber L, Taylor LA, McKeever MG, Freedland SJ. A high ratio of dietary n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with increased risk of prostate cancer. Nutr Res. 2011 Jan;31(1):1–8. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2011.01.002.
      7. http://zonediet.com/blog/2013/07/
      8. A glass of red wine a day keeps prostate cancer away?
      9. Hudson TS, Hartle DK, Hursting SD, Nunez NP, Wang TT, Young HA, Arany P, Green JE. Inhibition of prostate cancer growth by muscadine grape skin extract and resveratrol through distinct mechanisms. Cancer Res. 2007 Sep 1;67(17):8396–405.
      10. Raina K, Singh RP, Agarwal R, Agarwal C. Oral grape seed extract inhibits prostate tumor growth and progression in TRAMP mice. Cancer Res. 2007 Jun 15;67(12):5976-82.
      11. Tang SN, Singh C, Nall D, Meeker D, Shankar S, Srivastava RK. The dietary bioflavonoid quercetin synergizes with epigallocathechin gallate (EGCG) to inhibit prostate cancer stem cell characteristics, invasion, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. J Mol Signal. 2010 Aug 18;5:14. doi: 10.1186/1750–2187–5–14.
      12. Nerurkar P, Ray RB. Bitter melon: antagonist to cancer. Pharm Res. 2010 Jun;27(6):1049–53. doi: 10.1007/s11095–010–0057–2.
      13. Ru P, Steele R, Nerurkar PV, Phillips N, Ray RB. Bitter melon extract impairs prostate cancer cell-cycle progression and delays prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in TRAMP model. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2011 Dec;4(12):2122–30. doi: 10.1158/1940–6207.
      14. TotalHealth Online: Going Wild With Bitter Melon for Blood Sugar Support
      15. Goodman A. High Marks for Nutritional Supplement in Patients with Localized Prostate Cancer. Value-Based Cancer Care. September 2013 Vol 4, No 7.
      16. Thomas R, Williams M, Sharma H, Chaudry A, Bellamy P. A doubleblind, placebo-controlled randomised trial evaluating the effect of a polyphenol-rich whole food supplement on PSA progression in men with prostate cancer-the UK NCRN Pomi-T study. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2014 Mar 11. doi: 10.1038/pcan.2014.6.
      17. Kaseb AO, Chinnakannu K, Chen D, Sivanandam A, Tejwani S, Menon M, Dou QP, Reddy GP. Androgen receptor and E2F-1 targeted thymoquinone therapy for hormone-refractory prostate cancer.Cancer Res. 2007 Aug 15;67(16):7782–8.
      18. Kumar AP, Sethi G, Tan KH. Thymoquinone: potential cure for inflammatory disorders and cancer. Biochem Pharmacol. 2012 Feb 15;83(4):443–51. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2011.09.029.
      19. Rajput S, Kumar BN, Sarkar S, Das S, Azab B, Santhekadur PK, Das SK, Emdad L, Sarkar D, Fisher PB, Mandal M. Targeted apoptotic effects of thymoquinone and tamoxifen on XIAP mediated Akt regulation in breast cancer. PLoS One. 2013 Apr 17;8(4):e61342. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061342.
      20. Palevitch D., Earon G., Levin I., Treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy with Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller. Journal of herbs, spices & medicinal plants. J. herbs spices med. plants 1993;2(1):45–49.
      21. http://cleanmachineonline.com/science/how-it-works/ drawing upon Jonas A, Rosenblat G, Krapf D, Bitterman W, Earon G, Neeman I. Efficacy of cactus flowers miller treatment in benign prostatic hyperplasia due to inhibition of 5a reductase activity, aromatase activity and lipid peroxidation. HerbaMed paper; undated.
      22. Park SY, Murphy SP, Wilkens LR, Stram DO, Henderson BE, Kolonel LN. Calcium, vitamin D, and dairy product intake and prostate cancer risk: the Multi-ethnic Cohort Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2007 Dec 1;166(11):1259–69.
      23. Chang CC, Ho SC, Chiu HF, Yang CY. Statins increase the risk of prostate cancer: a population-based case-control study. Prostate. 2011 Dec;71(16):1818–24. doi: 10.1002/pros.21401.
      24. Margel D, Fleshner NE. Oral contraceptive use is associated with prostate cancer: an ecological study. BMJ Open. 2011 Nov 14;1(2):e000311. doi:10.1136/bmjopen–2011–000311.

The post Supplements for Prostate Health and Testosterone Support appeared first on Total Health Magazine.

Focus on the Prostate

Pollen extract is a special mixture of both water-soluble and fat-soluble compounds derived from various pollens, chiefly rye, and often marketed under the name Cernilton. Most people know of pollen extracts in conjunction with prostate health. This generally is associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (formerly called hypertrophy), which involves a renewed growth in the number of prostate cells late in life.¹ Unfortunately, of men between the age of 40 and 59, nearly 60 percent can be shown to already be suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia. This usually does not present a noticeable problem until after the age of 50; by the age of 80, however, some 85 percent of all men suffer from one or more symptoms of BPH. The primary effect of BPH is a progressive decrease in the ability to empty the bladder as the prostate enlarges and applies pressure to the urethra. The American Urological Association Symptom Index is now a standard assessment for BPH severity.

Prostatitis is really a catch-all term for several types of prostate problems.² It always involves inflammation of the prostate and may also include considerable pain, whereas BPH may not involve any pain at all (as opposed to discomfort). Prostatitis is fairly common in adult males and has been classified into four types. Only at most five percent of all cases consist of either acute or chronic bacterial prostatitis, i.e., cases in which infection and the aftermath of infection are the main issues. Non-bacterial prostatitis comprises 64 percent of cases and Prostatodynia makes up another 31 percent.

Non-bacterial prostatitis is the most common of the prostatic conditions, but its cause has not been isolated. It is characterized by an unusually high number and activity of inflammatory cells in the prostate. The resulting inflammation resembles that found in chronic prostatitis, but there is no history of infection nor do cultures (for bacteria) prove positive. Conventional medical treatments do not yield good results. Abstaining from alcohol and spicy foods helps in some cases.

Prostatodynia, which is most common in young and middle-aged men, presents many symptoms similar to the above, but lacks the excessive number of inflammatory cells. Just as nonbacterial prostatitis has some symptoms that are peculiar to it, so, too, does prostatodynia. In particular, pain and/or discomfort in the groin, perineum, testicles, lower back and penis seem to characterize this condition. Smooth muscle spasms in the prostatic portion of the urethra and in the neck of the bladder are at work here. The subsequent reflux of urine into prostatic and ejaculatory ducts causes a chemically-induced inflammation. Fatigue in the muscles in the pelvic region and emotional stress appear to be powerful contributory factors in prostatodynia.

Of these three conditions, BPH is what concerns most men. Prostate enlargement is strongly related to normal aging. Some of the factors involved are quite well understood. Nevertheless, there also is substantial disagreement about other issues. BPH can be called an aspect of male menopause because an increased ratio of estrogen to testosterone is active in BPH just as, conversely, in women passing through menopause the ratio of testosterone to estrogen increases. Testosterone, the “male” hormone, is at its peak during adolescence. It decreases thereafter, and the rate of decrease sharpens by about age 50. The decline in testosterone production typically calls into play the compensatory release of other hormones, which are stimulants to testosterone production. These cannot prevent the decline in testosterone levels, but they can lead to an elevated rate of transformation of testosterone into 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and to the increased binding to and/or decreased clearance of DHT from prostate cells. Testosterone is converted to DHT by the enzyme 5-alphareductase. Ultimately, it is DHT’s actions that cause the enlargement of the prostate. DHT binds to specific receptors on the prostate cells, the alpha 1-receptors. It then is transported into the nucleus of these cells where it attaches to the DNA and ultimately turns on prostate growth.

How do pollen extracts work? Clinical trials with these extracts covering 12 weeks of treatment generally have produced improvements in cases of BPH and prostatodynia of between 60 and 88 percent when adequate dosages were administered and depending upon the severity of the starting condition. The first mechanism of action is smooth muscle relaxation, something that promotes the ability to urinate as spasms in the smooth muscle tissues are reduced. In animal studies, pollen extracts have been shown to inhibit urethral contraction, which facilitates the discharge of urine. Data in these studies is consistent with the observations that pollen extracts facilitate voiding of the bladder and reduce residual urine.

A number of clinical studies have shown that the pollen extracts reduce the size of the prostate in those individuals suffering from BPH. These data indicate that pollen extracts should either inhibit the formation of DHT by blocking the alpha-reductase enzyme, or act to block the binding of DHT to the alpha 1-receptor and thus improve the clearance of DHT from the prostate. Either mechanism could be effective in blocking the DHT-induced biological cascade that leads to prostate enlargement.

Inflammation, Immune Functions and the Liver

Inflammation underlies a large number of conditions, including several of those improved by pollen extracts. Evidence to support the anti-inflammatory action of the pollen extracts comes from both animal and clinical experience. Three animal studies indicated that pollen extracts exhibit anti-inflammatory activities. The first showed that pollen extracts inhibit the arachidonic acid cascade, a primary generator of free radicals in the tissues. The second indicated that orally administered pollen extracts counteract the inflammatory process found with artificially-induced liver damage in rats. The third showed that an induced inflammatory condition in rodents was significantly reduced by pollen extracts. It has been proven that pollen extracts are active in human subjects against inflammation. As noted already, several clinical studies also have shown that pollen extracts are an effective treatment for the inflammatory prostate conditions prostatitis and prostatodynia.

Mechanisms of action involving inflammation link pollen extracts to conditions that involve more than just the prostate. It has long been known that pollen extracts modulate the actions of the immune system. Many years ago, researchers showed that the water-soluble fraction selectively inhibits the growth of some prostate cancer cell lines. Later research was published, which showed that a compound found in the water-soluble fraction does not merely inhibit prostate cancer cell growth, but actually causes the death of these cells.³ These results were found in vitro studies (that is, in cultured cells), yet they provide promise for research to come.

The liver protective effects of pollen extract, which have been researched over the years, have received another boost from scientists in the Ukraine. In this case, the tests were in vivo, that is, with animals using a special extract of bee-collected pollen. First, it was established that small doses of x-ray radiation cause oxidative damage to fats in the liver (lipid peroxidation) and that this damage activates antioxidant enzyme protective systems. Next, it was discovered that the introduction of pollen extract into the animals’ systems normalized the activity of the glutathione enzyme system, one of the most important of the body’s in-built antioxidant systems.⁴

Immune Functions for the Heart and Recovery

Surprisingly, pollen extracts may possess the ability to protect the heart against certain types of assault. The ability of pollen extract to protect the cardiovascular system against free radical damage was demonstrated over a decade ago. Now, taking research in a quite different direction, it has been shown that the damage to the heart that can be caused by excess adrenaline also can be reduced by the use of the water-soluble fraction of the pollen extract.⁵ Researchers admit that they do not have a good explanation for how this cardio-protection is achieved; yet their findings open up the possibility for totally new uses for pollen extract in the future!

Similar to the cardiac protection afforded is general immune protection. Although primarily known as treatments for BPH, flower pollen extracts have been thoroughly studied for their anti-inflammatory properties and their abilities both to boost flagging immune functions.⁶ One of the findings of this research is that pollen extracts act as immuno-regulators and can reduce immune hyperactivity. The serious reader can work through the earliest literature on the development of pollen extracts in Europe and discover that the early uses of pollen extracts were a) for recovery during convalescence and b) recovery from sports exertions.

Conclusions
Pollen extracts have turned out to be surprisingly versatile in their range of health benefits. Along with the prostate benefits, there further are general immune benefits, effects on cancer, the liver, sports recovery and much more.⁷ Every man aged 50 and above probably should consider a pollen extract supplement as insurance against BPH and other prostate issues. However, given the range and variety of benefits associated with pollen extracts, there is a good argument to be made for men to supplement with pollen extracts for general protection against over-training and or supporting immune imbalance.

References

1. 1 F. Hinman, Benign Prostatic Hypertrophy. New York: Springer Verlag, 1983.
2. 2 E.M. Meares, Jr., “Prostatitis and Related Disorders,” in Campbell’s Urology, 6th edition, ed. by P.C. Walsh, et al. Philadelphia, PA: W.B. Saunders Company, 1992, pp. 807–22.
3. 3 Roberts KP, Iyer RA, Prasad G, Liu LT, Lind RE, Hanna PE. “Cyclic hydroxamic acid inhibitors of prostate cancer cell growth: selectivity and structure activity relationships.” Prostate 1998 Feb 1; 34(2):92–9.
4. 4 Bevzo VV, Grygor’eva NP. [Effect of bee pollen extract on glutath one system activity in mice liver under X-ray irradiation]. [Article in Ukrainian] Ukr Biokhim Zh 1997 Jul-Aug; 69(4):115–7.
5. 5 Polanski M, Okon K, Przybylo R, Frasik W. Cardioprotective properties of hydrophilic pollen extract (HPE). Polish Journal of Pathology 1998; 49(2):109–12.
6. 6 Samochowiec L, et al., “General immunological properties of fat soluble (Cernitin GBX) and water-soluble (Cernitin T60) pollen extracts,” European Journal of Pharmacology 183, 3 (1990) 906.
7. 7 Graminex_Clinical_Studies_Index found at http://www.readbag.com/pollenaid-pollenaid-file-graminex-clinical-studies-index.

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