Prostate health

[Shelley]

Ok men I am inerested if anyone takes any supplements for prostate health. I was reading about lycopene and I started my DH on it.

[who moi]

*moi raising his hand...

I do...

been taking it for about a year now...can't say that I see a difference...but what was I supposed to see? LOL

I started taking it based on Doc's advice and about my more than normal trips to the stall...and that feeling of fullness...like I was 9 months pregnant (although I will contest that I wasn't carry octuplets vs. Octopii)

however, you may find this interest, I started taking tumeric supplements a couple of months ago and that along with the lycopene has helped me "lost that bloated feeling...whoa whoa oooh..."

now I need to go watch "Bottom Pun" :cool:

"yeah ice cube, I am...dangerous..."
"Great balls on fire..."

[who moi]

la bumpity bump...

[Koala77]

Well.... no!

Hubby doesn't take any medications for his prostate and until now I wasn't aware they were available.

Knowing how common prostate cancer is becoming, I did ask our long term GP to do a blood test for his prostate .... it's called a PSA....Prostate Surface Antigen.... but it was like I was asking for narcotics the moment I walked in the door to see a new doc! :confused:

I have no idea why the GP was so very much against hubby having that test. He wouldn't explain, except to say that having the blood test does more harm than good and he wouldn't order it. I can only imagine that it gives false negative or positive results.

Hubby was happy to have his prostate checked with a blood test, but other than that....... he really wasn't interested. :D

Six months later we moved states, and I asked again. The new GP ordered the test and the results were normal. :Hum:

[Jo*mar]

I've seen & heard these mentioned -

[Several trace nutrients that are often deficient in our diet also enhance prostate health. For example, a lack of zinc especially affects the prostate because this gland uses it much more than any other body part. By altering steroid hormone metabolism, zinc supplementation can reduce prostate enlargement. Interestingly, pumpkin seeds, a traditional folk remedy promoting male reproductive and prostate health, are rich in zinc.

Selenium is another often-deficient trace nutrient that is essential for prostate health. Increasing selenium intake, whether through supplements or selenium-rich foods (e.g., Brazil nuts), has been shown to reduce prostate-cancer risk.

Other nutritional factors that may inhibit prostate cancer include vitamin D; vitamin E, an antioxidant that inhibits cancer growth; soy-based foods, which contain the cancer-inhibiting agent genistein; and garlic, which possess cancer-fighting, sulfur-containing compounds.

Herbal Remedies:

In Europe, herbal remedies are widely used to treat prostate disorders. In America, however, a regulatory charade makes these remedies available by pretending that they are merely dietary supplements (insert link). Because of the extensive scientific base that often supports their use, they are much more than folk remedies.

Foremost among these herbs is saw palmetto, isolated from the berries of a small palm tree common to the U.S.’s southeastern coastal region. A traditional Native American remedy, saw palmetto reduces prostate enlargement by inhibiting the synthesis of growth-stimulating DHT and promoting DHT elimination by lowering estrogen levels.

Many clinical studies demonstrate saw palmetto’s effectiveness. In fact, the herb works better in treating prostate enlargement than the frequently prescribed drug Proscar. Specifically, saw palmetto was shown to be effective in nearly 90% of patients after 4-6 weeks, while Proscar works in fewer than a half the patients after a year. And since the drug is less effective, much more expensive, and its major side effect is erectile dysfunction, choosing saw palmetto seems self-evident.

Homeopathy is a popular alternative healing tradition that offers several remedies for prostate disorders. Although often confused with herbal and nutritional therapies that bear similar names, homeopathy is based on fundamentally different principles. With homeopathy’s like-cures-like philosophy, substances that cause symptoms of illness in healthy people can be used in exceedingly low doses to cure similar symptoms from illness. According to the “Consumer Guide to Homeopathy” (Dana Ullman, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1995), homeopathic remedies for prostate disorders include Chimaphilla umbellata, Pulsatilla, Clematis, Apis, Staphysagria, Selenium, Baryta carb, Kali bic, and Causticum.
]
Found many of the same things listed on various sites , but got the above info from this one-
http://www.healingtherapies.info/natural_prostate_health.htm

[mistiis]

Having a DRE is really the best way to detect prostate cancer in men. It is as important as women having a pap. The PSA can help but isn't fool-proof. I know so many men who refuse to have this done. And many of them end up with this cancer that can spread and kill. When it is detected early, it is much more treatable. If you are not going to have the test, you would be wise to watch your diet and add supplements for prostate health. Selenium is a good one. And a better source for it is brazil nuts. If anyone is interested I can go back and add what kind of diet is good for prostate health.
I feel pretty strongly about this since I have seen several family members and friends die from this or are still fighting this disease.
My dh just had surgery to remove a cancerous prostate, so I have done quite a bit of research on it.

Men, please please, for the sake of your family, have a check up!!!!! Go and have a DRE done.

[SandyC]

Jim takes a men's multi vitamin that has added benefits for the prostate. I'll have to bring this up to his doc and see if he has any ideas on further supplements that would help. He's had prostatitis several times along with uti's so it doesn't hurt to take extra to prevent problems right?

Thanks for the thread.

[Koala77]

Earlier I mentioned that our GP was against my DH having a PSA as a routine prostate check.
...I have no idea why the GP was so very much against hubby having that test. He wouldn't explain, except to say that having the blood test does more harm than good and he wouldn't order it. I can only imagine that it gives false negative or positive results....:
Today in our Health Headlines Forum there is an article about this very thing. Now I understand why our GP was reluctant.
....... high PSAs often signal a benign enlarged prostate. Of those who do have cancer, there's no proof yet that early detection saves lives — as most prostate tumors grow so slowly that had they not been screened, those men would have died of something else without the anxiety.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090310/ap_on_he_me/med_prostate_cancer

[MelodyL]

Earlier I mentioned that our GP was against my DH having a PSA as a routine prostate check.

Today in our Health Headlines Forum there is an article about this very thing. Now I understand why our GP was reluctant.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090310/ap_on_he_me/med_prostate_cancer

Alan is in the same boat with an enlarged prostate. He's saw his Dr. Fred today, who ordered YET ANOTHER TEST. He wants to see percentages. His PSA went down in two weeks from 4.38, to 3.79 but the uro guy wanted to do a biopsy and Dr. Fred said "whoa, where's the fire". Let's take a minute and breathe and let's do another test first".

He also told Alan he could take Saw palmetto and whatever herbal stuff he wants.

We don't know the dosages. We just went to the store and saw all different dosages and prices.


Any information would be most welcome.

And he's eating tomato sauce every night. Maybe THAT's why it went from 4.38 to 3.79 in two weeks????

lol

Melody

[neutro]

Hi everybody!
I took selenium, zinc and vitamin supplements for about ten years but that didn't prevent me from getting prostate cancer. I should add that I ate daily during years small smoked sausages coming home after work and these probably contained cancerous substances. Another point, my father and my brother also had their prostate removed but I don't know whether this was for cancer.
I was followed for a long period with an annual PSA test which stayed normal(about 3 to 4) then suddenly incresead to 7. I had then a special PSA test done, something like cholesterol, there is the good PSA and the bad PSA…the ratio of both indicates a cancer risk. A biopsy was done which indicated a couple of small tumors. After the surgery, a complete biopsy revealed a third tumor which was missed by the biopsy although 12 searches were done.
I still have the PSA test done annually and the results come out regularly at "below sensitivity limits"…
Maurice.

[Koala77]

It looks like you've been through quite a lot Maurice and I'm pleased that your operation was successful and that you're on the mend.

I too am a cancer survivor. I don't have a prostate to worry about because I'm a female, but I still have to be vigilant with my own checkups, and I also make sure that my husband keeps up to date with his own prostate checks.

Thank you for telling us your story. I hope it serves as a reminder for all our male members who've been a bit lax with their own prostate health.

[MelodyL]

Hi everybody!
I took selenium, zinc and vitamin supplements for about ten years but that didn't prevent me from getting prostate cancer. I should add that I ate daily during years small smoked sausages coming home after work and these probably contained cancerous substances. Another point, my father and my brother also had their prostate removed but I don't know whether this was for cancer.
I was followed for a long period with an annual PSA test which stayed normal(about 3 to 4) then suddenly incresead to 7. I had then a special PSA test done, something like cholesterol, there is the good PSA and the bad PSA…the ratio of both indicates a cancer risk. A biopsy was done which indicated a couple of small tumors. After the surgery, a complete biopsy revealed a third tumor which was missed by the biopsy although 12 searches were done.
I still have the PSA test done annually and the results come out regularly at "below sensitivity limits"…
Maurice.


Hi there:

There is obviously a genetic factor going on in your case. I hope everything is going well with you presently.

I have good news to share about my husband. His last PSA was 3.11 (down from 4.38.

So he now takes lycopene daily, and I give him Pomegranate juice every day. Full strength. As well as tomato sauce and anything else I can throw at him. No one else in his family had any kind of prostate problems.

So we just cross our fingers and do the absolute best that we can do.

I mean, what else can one do?? Right??

So you take care and KEEP TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF.

Melody