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Enlarged Prostate Gland
Enlarged prostate,
nowadays called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is
the gradual enlargement of the prostate. (For
more details also see Prostatitis and Enlarged Prostate at our website.
Click here to go there)
Most men don’t know where their prostate gland is
The London Times recently ran an article showing results of a survey,
which showed that 89 percent of the men who took part did not know where
their prostate gland was located. They also did not know the function of
the prostate, or the problems associated with it. And yet over sixty
percent of all men over the age of fifty, and three quarters of men over
seventy years of age have problems with enlarged prostate. If they live
long enough, virtually all men with have problems of this nature.
So where is this gland and what is its function?
The prostate is a small doughnut shaped male sex gland that surrounds the
neck of the bladder and urethra. Its major function is to make seminal
fluid.
What can go wrong with it?
There are several problems associated with prostate glands:
Inflammation, or prostatitis, is common in men of all ages. In younger men
the usual cause is bacterial infection by chlamydia or candida albicans
among others (investigate
Solgar Goldenseal, Echinacea and Cat’s Claw and
Nutriscene Uva Ursi). In older men it could be hormonal changes. The
inflammation can result in urine retention which in turn can cause
bladder, urethra and kidney infection.
Symptoms include:
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Pain, usually between the scrotum and rectum
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Difficulty in passing water
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Frequent urination with a burning sensation
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Dribbling after urination
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Feelings of fullness of the bladder
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Blood or pus in the urine
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Possibly lower back pain and impotence, with difficult urination
Enlarged prostate
The usual cause of enlargement is hormonal changes causing overproduction
of prostate cells. The symptoms are the same as inflammation described
above. The main hormone involved is testosterone which is converted in the
prostate gland to a more potent hormone called DHT. When too much is
converted to DHT, the prostate gland enlarges and blocks the urethra until
urination is impaired. For a fuller description see Prostatitis and
Enlarged Prostate.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is responsible for approximately 35000 deaths in America.
It is most commonly found in men over fifty and is the second most
prevalent form of cancer affecting men. Approximately 20 percent of
enlarged prostates are cancerous, but fortunately most of these cancers do
not spread and grow very slowly. It is not uncommon for there to be no
symptoms or warning signs, and it is therefore recommended that all men
over the age of 40 have a PSA (prostatic specific antigen) test once a
year. A physical rectal examination may also be advised by your health
professional.
What is the usual medical treatment for Enlarged
Prostate?
The main treatment has been a surgical procedure called a TURP
(trans-urethral resection of the prostate) which removes some of the
prostate tissue to increase the opening for the flow of urine. Medications
such as Proscar improve some of the symptoms as well, but can take up to
six months to become effective. The drug Proscar has been compared in
numerous studies to natural fatty acids and sterols found in saw palmetto
berries which have the effect of reducing the conversion of testosterone
to its more potent form, thereby reducing the size of the prostate.
Herbal and other nutritional remedies -
Enlarged Prostate
Often, a combination of supplements may help
in alleviating the symptoms of conditions but please read the comments
below alongside
this
important notice concerning supplement medical claims)
BioCare Prostate Complex: (Click here if you wish to see more details or
buy the product from the website)
This product typically contains per vegetable capsule:
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100mg Saw Palmetto 4:1 (Serenoa repens)
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100mg L-Glycine
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100mg L-Alanine
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60mg Beta Sitosterol
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50mg Zinc Ascorbate (providing 42.1mg vitamin C) and 7.9mg elemental
zinc
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50mg Celery Seed Extract 4:1 (Apium graveolens)
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40mg Lycopene Oleo Resin
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10mg Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride)
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2mg L-Selenomethionine (providing 100mcg elemental selenium)
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1.5mg Vitamin A 5000iu (retinol palmitate)
Contra-indications: This product is not suitable for
individuals with hormone related malignancies.
Saw Palmetto has been demonstrated to have significant benefits in
treating enlarged prostate (BPH). Saw Palmetto is widely used in Germany,
Canada, the United Kingdom and now the United States for the prostate and
urinary tract. Clinical studies have shown that 320mg per day is an
effective treatment for symptoms of BPH.
A
1998 study by Harvard researchers found that Saw Palmetto extract may be
helpful in alleviating the symptoms of BPH.
A
German study showed that taking 160mg of Saw Palmetto twice a day reduced
night time urination in 73% of the men tested.
Positive results with BPH usually take four to six weeks. Improved
prostate health requires continual use of Saw Palmetto. (see note 1)
Glycine and alanine
(This ingredient is included in Prostate Complex described above)
Have been shown in several studies to relieve many of the symptoms of BPH.
In a controlled study of 45 men, night-time urination was relieved or
reduced in 95 percent, urgency reduced in 81 percent, frequency reduced in
73 percent and delayed micturition alleviated in 70 percent. These results
have also been reported in other controlled studies. (see note 2)
Beta Sitosterol
(Included in Prostate Complex)
Beta Sitosterol has long been used to alleviate the symptoms of prostate problems in Europe. A
double-blind clinical study published in the British medical journal
Lancet found that among 200 men with BPH, those given Beta Sitosterol
(20mg three times a day for six months) showed considerable improvements
in urinary functions versus those men given placebos, who reported no
relief. No significant side effects or interactions have been reported
with Beta Sitosterol. (See Note 3.)
Zinc
(Included in Prostate Complex)
Zinc has been shown to reduce the size of the prostate (determined by
rectal examination, X-ray and endoscopy) and to reduce symptoms in the
majority of patients. This is probably due to its critical involvement in
many aspects of hormonal metabolism.
Zinc also reduces the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
and inhibits the take-up by cells of both these hormones, so that more are
excreted from the body.
Alcohol reduces zinc uptake and increases zinc excretion, leading to
relative zinc deficiency. In addition, alcohol reduces active vitamin B6
levels which may further reduce zinc stores. (Vitamin B6 enhances
absorption of zinc.)
Because zinc competes with copper, iron, calcium and magnesium for
absorption, when taking large amounts of zinc it is important to also take
a multivitamin and mineral containing these. (see note 4)
Celery Seed Extract
(Included in Prostate Complex)
Celery seed (apium graveolens) has natural soothing properties for the
tissues and promotes normal urinary flow.
Lycopene
(Included in Prostate Complex)
Is the primary carotenoid involved in maintaining the health of the
prostate gland.
It
is an anti-oxidant which may lower the risk of prostate cancer, especially
when combined with Vitamin E. A study at Harvard Medical School showed a
measurable relationship between lycopene and the reduction of prostate
cancer. (see note 5)
Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil has been shown to reduce symptoms associated with enlarged
prostate. A 1941 study by Dr William Cooper and James Hart took 19 men who
were given 2000mg of flaxseed oil per day for 3 days, and then reduced to
1300mg per day for several weeks. After that time, a maintenance dose of
less than 1000mg was used. All patients began retaining less urine; 63
percent had no residual urine at the conclusion of the testing. Night time
urination problems stopped in 68 per cent. All patients noted less fatigue
and leg pain along with an increase in sexual libido. Dribbling was
eliminated in 95 percent of the men. Urine stream was more forceful and
the size of the prostate was reduced.
Other studies have shown that essential fatty acid complex containing
linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acids result in significant
improvement in symptoms for many BPH patients. These effects appear to be due to the
correction of an underlying essential fatty acid deficiency, since these
patients’ prostatic and seminal lipid (fat) levels and ratios are often
abnormal. (See Note 6)
Investigate both
Higher Nature Omega Nutrition Flax Seed Oil and
Higher Nature Omega Nutrition Essential Balance Oils
Pumpkin Seeds
A German clinical study in 1997 showed that pumpkin seeds are beneficial
for the treatment of mild to moderately enlarged prostate glands. (see
note 7)
For dietary suggestions click here to see the section on Prostatitis and
Enlarged Prostate
Notes
(1)
-
Champlault, G., et al. ‘A double-blind trial of an extract of the
plant Serenoa repens in benign prostatic hyperplasia’,
Br.J.Clin.Pharmacol., 1984, 18, pp. 461-2
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Tasca, A., Barulli, M., Cavazzana, A., et al., ‘Treatment of
obstructive symptomatology caused by prostatic adenoma with an extract
of Serenoa repens. Double-blind clinic study vs. placebo’, Minerva Urol.
Nefrol., 1985, 37, pp.87-91
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Boccafoschi, C. and Annoscia, S., ‘Comparison of Serenoa repens
extract with placebo by controlled clinical trial in patients with
prostatic adenomatosis’, Urologia, 1983, 50 pp. 1,257-9
(2)
-
(Dumrau, F., ‘Benign prostatic hyperplasia: amino acid therapy for
symptomatic relief’. Am.J.Ger., 1962, 10, pp.426-30.
-
Feinblatt, H>M> and Gant, J.C., ‘Palliative treatment of benign
prostatic hypertrophy: value of glycine, alanine, glutamic acid
combination’. J.Maine Med.Assoc., 1958, 49, pp. 99-102.)
(3)
-
(Berges R.R., et al. Randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical
trial of beta-sitosterol in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Lancet; 345:11529-32, 1995).
(4)
-
Bush, I.M. et al. ‘Zinc and the prostate’ presented at the annual
meeting of the A.M.A. 1974.
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Fahim, M., et al. ‘Zinc treatment for the reduction of hyperplasia of
the prostate’, Fed.Proc., 1976, 35, p.361.
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Wallac, A.M. et at, ‘Effect of zinc on androgen metabolism in the
human hyperplastic prostate’, Biochem. Soc. Trans., 1975, 3, pp.540-2
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Lahtonen, R., ‘Zinc and cadmium concentrations in whole tissue and in
separated epithelium and stroma from human benign prostatic hypertrophic
glands’, Prostate, 1985, 6, pp. 177-83
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Sinquin, G., et al, ‘Testosterone metaolism by homogenates of human
prostates with benign hyperplasia: effects of zinc, cadmium and other
bivalent cations’, J. Steroid Biochem., 1984, 20, pp.733-80.
(5)
-
(Clinton SK, et al, Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston,
Massachusetts. Cis-trans lycopene isomers, carotenoids, and retinol in
the human prostate. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 5(10): 823-833,
Oct. 1996).
(6)
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Scott, W.W., ‘The lipids of the prostatic fluid, seminal plasma and
enlarged prostate gland of man’, J.Urol. 1945, 53.pp.712-18.
(7)
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Blumenthal M., et al. The Complete German Commission E
Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicine, Boston: Integrative
Medicine Communications, 193, 1998.
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