What Vitamins Are Good For Prostate

Five Foods To Protect Your Prostate

Good news if youre worried about your prostate health: What you eat can make a difference. There is plenty of strong evidence that good nutrition and an active lifestyle can reduce the likelihood of prostate cancer and slow its progression, says Mitchell Sokoloff M.D., Chair of the Department of Urology and Professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

There are a few categorical changes you can make to your diet that make a big difference in overall health, as well as prostate health. What you eat can potentially disadvantage your prostate health e.g. foods you might want to avoid or protect the prostate in various ways. The Science of Living Well, Beyond Cancer recommends a diet that is high in colorful vegetables, low in sugar and processed carbohydrates, and moderate in animal-based protein . Some might refer to this as a version of the Mediterranean Diet. PCF-funded epidemiologist Lorelei Mucci, M.P.H., Sc.D., at Harvard T.H Chan School of Public Health notes that people in Mediterranean countries not only eat more vegetables and fruits they also eat less fatty foods, processed food, and red meat categories that can increase insulin resistance, increase inflammation, raise cardiovascular risk and be a part of a dietary pattern that may increase obesity, as well.

Purpose Of This Summary

This PDQ cancer information summary has current information about the use of nutrition and dietary supplements for reducing the risk of developing prostate cancer or for treating prostate cancer. It is meant to inform and help patients, families, and caregivers. It does not give formal guidelines or recommendations for making decisions about health care.

What Vitamins And Minerals Are Good For Your Prostate

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia is extremely common in men over the age of 50 and the symptoms, such as frequent and urgent urination, can interfere with day-to-day life.

Diet provides a means of managing and even preventing these symptoms, but a few vitamins and minerals are particularly beneficial. These include:

Read on to find out why these vitamins and minerals are so helpful and how you can get more of them in your diet.

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Vitamin B6 Tied To Better Prostate Cancer Survival

By Amy Norton, Reuters Health

4 Min Read

NEW YORK – Men with earlier-stage prostate cancer may have better survival odds if they get a little more than the recommended amount of vitamin B6 everyday, a new study suggests.

The findings, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, do not prove that vitamin B6 improves prostate cancer survival. But they do point to an association between survival and amounts of the vitamin that are readily attainable through a balanced diet.

Researchers found that among 525 Swedish men with prostate cancer, the one-quarter with the highest B6 intakes were 29 percent less likely than those with the lowest intakes to die of the disease during the study period.

Men in the former group averaged 2.2 to 2.9 milligrams of vitamin B6 per day, while those in the latter group got 1.3 to 1.9 milligrams daily. The recommended vitamin B6 intake for men age 50 and younger is 1.3 mg per day, while older men are encouraged to get 1.7 mg.

The protective effect of B6 appeared confined to men whose tumors had not yet spread beyond the prostate at the time of diagnosis.

When the researchers considered only these men, they found that those who got the most B6 had only 5 percent of the risk of dying as their counterparts with the lowest intakes of the vitamin.

Cancer arises from the uncontrolled growth of genetically abnormal cells — which, in theory, means that the B vitamins could affect the development or spread of certain cancers.

Vitamin D And Prostate Cancer

Richard Martin and his team observed association between vitamin D and more aggressive cancers, which indicates the potential role for vitamin D manipulation to control the progression of prostate cancer

• Topic:Prostate cancer

Association of circulating vitamin D metabolite levels with incidence and progression of screen-detected prostate cancer.

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Supplementing Zinc For Maintaining Adequate Zinc Levels In Older Men: Not All The Sources Of Zinc Are Alike

Taken together, more than 50% of men over 60 suffer from BPH, and also have low zinc status. Thus, there is a strong case for establishing a program of zinc supplementation in men over 50 due to the endogenous and exogenous factors presented above. Several studies showed that the treatment of malignant prostate cells with zinc that will increase cellular zinc levels leads to the inhibition of cell proliferation, promotion of apoptosis, and inhibition of cell migration and invasion . However, there are many options available for supplementation, and choosing the correct supplement may be critical to achieving effects in prostate tissues.

The way of cellular uptake and the protection from sequestering by metallothionines, as well as slower excretion profiles may give organic zinc supplements such as ZnAAs an advantage that could be especially beneficial for older individuals. In particular, because older individuals may have restricted dietary habits with nutrients low in zinc or with high concentrations of uptake antagonists. In addition, medications that are taken and that limit zinc availability may be less disruptive for ZnAAs. Besides, metallic amino acid complexes have been used as human supplements and have a long history of safety and efficacy. They are frequently used as a mineral supplement for animals, where extensive research data shows their effectiveness and advantages over inorganic supplements.

Study Selection And Quality Assessment

The abstracts of the 31 identified papers were reviewed and 14 met our study design, exposure and outcomes criteria. We hand searched the references in these 14 articles and did not find any additional papers that met the search or selection criteria.

The full content of these 14 papers were reviewed independently by each of the two authors using the US Preventive Services Task Force Quality Rating Criteria . This quality rating system has specific features that are considered for each of the types of methodologies that were used in the articles. Using this system, each article is given an overall rating of good, fair or poor. After independently reviewing the 14 articles, the two authors met to discuss differences in their rating. Consensus was reached that all 14 articles were either fair or good and hence all were included in the systematic review.

There were four RCTs, eight cohort studies and two casecontrol studies included in the analysis. All four RCTs were blinded and placebo controlled. Concealed allocation was not specifically discussed in either of the RCTs although the process described suggests that they all used concealment. Details of the each of the studies are listed in including dosages of the vitamins used in the RCTs. The countries in which the studies were conducted are also listed. The content of multivitamins varied from study to study but generally contained a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

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Lycopene Selenium And Green Tea

In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of a supplement containing lycopene , selenium , and green tea catechins that was given for 6 months and targeted men with high-gradeprostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and/or atypical small acinar proliferation, a higher incidence of prostate cancer was seen on rebiopsy in men who received the supplement. Although the expected rate of progression to prostate cancer is less than 20% , more than 25.5% of this population of men had a diagnosis of prostate cancer at 6 months, which may be attributed to inadequate sampling and potentially missed cancers at baseline. A high percentage of positive biopsies raises the concern for cancers missed on baseline biopsy, and further study is warranted.

What Are The Top Prostate Health Vitamins

• Pomegranate Juice or Supplement: Research has shown that this heart-healthy drink has also been shown to protect the prostate. Either, you want to drink four to eight ounces of pomegranate juice a day, or take a 200 to 300 mg pomegranate supplement.

• Zinc: This vital mineral is one of the essential prostate health vitamins because it supports chromosome integrity. Studies show that for zinc, 20 mg daily is about right.

• Vitamin D: Not getting enough vitamin D has been linked with numerous diseases, including prostate cancer. This is one of the top prostate health vitamins and you want to get 1,000 to 2,000 IU a day.

• Vitamins B6, B12, and Folic Acid: All three B-vitamins help to minimize chromosomal breakage, reducing the risk of prostate cancer. For natural prostate health, you want to take 20 mg of B6, 100 to 200 mcg of B12, and 400 mcg of folic acid daily.

• Vitamin C works hand-in-hand with the B-vitamins. Together, these prostate health vitamins work to protect your chromosomes. Take at least 400 mg daily.

• Lycopene: Deficiencies of this critical nutrient have been shown to increase prostate cancer risk. You want to take 2 to 10 mg daily of this prostate health vitamin.

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Are There Any Side Effects Of Prostate Supplements

If prostate health supplements are manufactured by certain manufacturing standards and with proven and safe ingredients, they should cause no adverse effects. This is mainly because most prostate supplements contain natural and herbal ingredients that were found to be safe for most users.

However, because the FDA doesnt regulate dietary supplements, their safety can only be guaranteed and tested by the manufacturers, and product safety can be highly questionable under such circumstances.

According to a meta-analysis of saw palmetto studies, supplements in this category are associated with a lower rate of erectile dysfunction, but a slightly higher rate of gastrointestinal symptoms, when compared to finasteride.

Why Did They Look At Vitamin E In The First Place

Vitamin E functions as a powerful, fat-soluble antioxidant in our cells and tissues. Antioxidants neutralize the effects of free radicals, highly reactive species that oxidize DNA, proteins, and lipids inside our cells, potentially causing damage and contributing to disease. In particular, oxidative DNA damage may cause mutations and, hence, increase the risk of certain cancers, including prostate cancer. Free-radical exposure is an unavoidable aspect of our lives, as these radicals are produced as a natural by-product of many biological processes, such as cellular respiration and inflammation, in addition to coming from our environment, particularly cigarette smoke. Antioxidants produced in the body and ingested in the diet are essential to reduce oxidative stress and counteract the potentially harmful effects of free radicals.

Some studies support a beneficial role for vitamin E in cancer and cardiovascular disease prevention. For example, the Womens Health Study followed 39,876 women who took 600 IU natural vitamin E every other day for ten years. The investigators found that supplemental vitamin E decreased cardiovascular-related deaths by 24% but had no effect on cardiovascular events, overall cancer incidence, or cancer-related deaths. In general, studies have reported mixed results, and the impact of vitamin E supplementation on chronic disease risk remains controversial.

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Teraputics Pure Life Prostate Pro

Prostate Pro takes a shotgun approach to prostate health: if theres any indication that an herbal supplement or extract might be useful for prostate health, its in this supplement.

Youve got the mainstays like saw palmetto and beta sitosterol, but there are also things you wont find in pretty much anything else on the market, like cats claw bark, reishi mushroom, and green tea extract.

The inclusion of these other herbal extracts brings down the dosage of some of the better-studied ingredients, but Prostate Pro might be a good option if youve tried more mainstream prostate supplements without success.

Dairy Foods And Calcium

Some research has shown that men who have a diet high in calcium may have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. And men may be more likely to have prostate cancer that is more advanced or aggressive. But there is no evidence to say that excluding dairy foods and calcium from the diet will slow the growth of prostate cancer, or reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.

Men with prostate cancer should aim for a healthy balanced diet that includes adequate amounts of calcium. It plays an important part in the way our bodies work. For example it helps keep our bones strong and healthy and helps our muscle to work.

Adults need 700 mg of calcium each day, which most people can get from a balanced healthy diet. Choose low fat and low sugar dairy products.

Good sources of calcium include

• dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yoghurts
• tinned fish that contains the bones, for example, salmon or sardines
• green leafy vegetables
• nuts such as almonds and brazil nuts
• seeds such as sesame seeds

Its difficult to give examples of specific amounts. But a daily 700mg of calcium could include all of the following:

• a small tin of pilchards or sardines
• a 50g portion of broccoli
• 200 mls of milk

It is particularly important if you are having hormone therapy to have adequate amounts of calcium. This is because bone thinning is a side effect of this treatment.

Talk to your GP if you are struggling to eat a balanced diet and ask whether you need to take supplements.

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Questions And Answers About Selenium

• Vitamin E and selenium.
• Two placebos.

Early results of SELECT reported in 2009 found no difference in the rate of developing prostate cancer among the 4 groups. In the selenium alone group, there was a slight increase in the rate of diabetes mellitus. Even though this change was not clearly shown to be due to the supplement, the men in the study were advised to stop taking the study supplements.

A study of 1,434 men in SELECT suggested that changes in certain genes which control the way selenium is used by the body may have an effect on the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Supplements For Prostate Health

Diseases of the prostate gland normally produce urinary symptoms but may also cause pain, especially in the case of acute bacterial prostatitis and later stages of BPH. OTC analgesics such as acetaminophen and NSAIDs can be recommended to relieve pain in prostate disease. A working knowledge of the supplements utilized for prostate disorders will help the pharmacist field patients’ questions about their use. In general, the pharmacist should refer patients who develop obstructive urinary symptoms to a physician for management.

REFERENCES1. Berry SJ, Coffey DS, Walsh PC, Ewing LL. The development of human benign prostatic hyperplasia with age. J Urol. 1984 132:474-479.

2. Boon H, Westlake K, Stewart M, et al. Use of complementary/alternative medi cine by men diagnosed with prostate cancer: prevalence and characteristics. Urology. 2003 62:849-853.

3. Wiygul JB, Evans BR, Peterson BL, et al. Supplement use among men with prostate cancer. Urology. 2005 66:161-166.

4. Diefenbach M, Hamrick N, Uzzo R, et al. Clinical, demographic, and psychosocial correlates of complementary and alternative medicine use by men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer. J Urol. 2003 170:166-169.

5. Clark LC, Combs GF, Turnbull BW, et al. Effects of selenium supplementation for cancer prevention in patients with carcinoma of the skin. A randomized controlled trial. Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Study Group. JAMA. 1996 276:1957-1963.

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The Vitamin That Can Save Your Prostate

And how to make sure youre getting enough of it

Another reason to be thankful winter is over and theres some sunshine in your life: low levels of vitamin D could increase your risk of prostate cancer and the spread of the disease, a new Northwestern University study reports.

Researchers looked at vitamin D levels in the blood from 667 men between the ages of 40 and 79 with abnormal PSA or digital rectal exams of their prostate before undergoing their first biopsy. They found that severe deficiency of a measure of vitamin D25-hydroxyvitamin D was associated with later-stage, more-aggressive prostate cancer.

Vitamin D has been shown to slow the growth of prostate tumor cells in animal models of prostate cancer, says study author Adam B. Murphy, M.D. The vitamin also regulates the growth of new blood vessels, which is important for keeping cells in your body healthy, he says.

The healthy range of 25-OH D in your blood is 30 to 80 nanograms per milliliter for men. On average, levels appear lower among African-American men compared with European-American men in the study. When D levels were drastically lower than that, African American men were at nearly 5 times more risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

Ways To Improve Your Prostate:

Here are 12 key steps to follow in order to healthy prostate function. If you apply these principles and do not see a significant change in your prostatic health as well as your mood, energy, weight and libido than I would highly recommend working with a natural health care practitioner.

A good practitioner can run functional labs to assess for a chronic infection or environmental toxin exposure that may be holding you back from achieving your health goals.

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