Symptoms of prostate dysfunction:

• Difficulty urinating
• Increased urinary frequency
• Urgency and nocturia (nighttime awakening to urinate)
• Reduced force and caliber (speed of flow)
• Pain or fatigue in the legs or back
• Dripping after urination
• Lack of sex drive
• Painful ejaculation
• Hematuria (blood in the urine)

Prostatic carcinoma generally is slowly progressive and may cause no symptoms. Because prostate cancer is a relatively slow-growing cancer, the 5-year survival rate for prostate cancer diagnosed at all stages is 98%. The relative 10-year survival rate is 84% and the 15-year survival rate is 56%. Bone pain may develop if there is metastasis to the pelvis, ribs, or spine. Of course, the earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the greater the chances of survival. Men who are over 65, are of African descent, have a close family member (father, brother) who has had prostate cancer, eat a high-fat/processed-foods diet, and/or smoke have a higher than average risk of developing prostate cancer.

From epidemiological data it is known that diets high in animal fats play a role in the promotion and progression of prostate cancer. Traditionally, Japanese men have a very low incidence of prostate cancer compared to the men in the United States. However, second generation descendants from Japanese migrants who came to the United States developed a high incidence of prostate cancer. The Japanese traditionally consumed much less fat and hardly any saturated fat while they consumed high amounts of food products rich in isoflavones.

Hormone metabolism is well known to be a concern in the development of prostate issues. Specifically, multiple factors of estrogen activity, metabolism, and detoxification can impact overall male hormone balance. Certain nutrients such as vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and folic acid are necessary for proper stability of male hormones. A recent study reported on this correlation stating that the combined effect of high-folate (folic acid) and low-alcohol intake decreased prostate cancer risk up to 54%.

Men who have an altered metabolism of testosterone due to the excessive activity of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase have a much higher risk of prostate cancer than those who have a lower activity of this enzyme. Studies have indicated that the overproduction of the 5-alpha reductase form of testosterone, called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) can cause adverse health affects, including prostatic hyperplasia (enlarged prostate). Among other dietary factors, high fat diets increase DHT levels, while diets lower in saturated fat and higher in polyunsaturated fat from flax oil decrease them. Certain herbal concentrates have proven to have a positive influence on the level of the 5-alpha reductase enzyme.

One of the most valuable of these natural herbal concentrations is saw palmetto berry extract (serenoa repens). Like Proscar (a frequently prescribed drug for prostate disorders), saw palmetto extract appears to work by inhibiting production of DHT. In more than a dozen double-blind clinical studies, purified fat-soluble extract of the berries, containing 85-95 percent fatty acids and sterols, has been shown to improve signs and symptoms of BPH in nearly 9 out of 10 patients within four to six weeks. Proscar, on the other hand, may work for less than half of those who take it for as long as a year. Moreover, saw palmetto extract is significantly less expensive than Proscar and is without side effects.

Another phytonutrient that may be beneficial is called chrysin. Aromatase is an enzyme that functions by converting testosterone into estrogens. Individuals with overactivity of aromatase may have an abnormal ratio of testosterone to estrogen. To promote healthy levels of testosterone a natural flavinoid called chrysin helps to minimize the conversion of testosterone into estrogens by inhibiting aromatase.

Isoflavones are phytoestrogens, or more technically, “selective estrogen receptor modulators.” Isoflavones have demonstrated the unique ability to have an estrogenic effect on receptor sites in tissues absent of proper estrogen levels and have an anti-estrogenic effect on receptor sites in the presence of excess estrogen. Therefore, by targeting estrogen-sensitive tissues they promote a healthy hormone balance.

The hormone prolactin has been shown to increase the uptake of testosterone to DHT in the prostate. Zinc has been shown to inhibit prolactin secretion by the pituitary gland, as well as inhibiting the activity of 5-alpha reductase.

Oxidative damage of cholesterol is very carcinogenic to the prostate, which is likely the reason why antioxidants such as Vitamin E, selenium, green tea extract, quercetin, and curcumin have been shown to greatly decrease the risk of prostate cancer. Food sources of these antioxidants are various nuts and seeds, oats, whole wheat, Red Swiss chard, onions, asparagus, avocados, berries, green leafy vegetables (kale collards, spinach), tomatoes, and yellow and orange fruits and vegetables (apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, sweet potatoes, yams, and squash).

Furthermore, with regard to curcumin, a recent study reported that a prostate cancer group treated with curcumin had significantly fewer metastatic nodules than the untreated group. These results suggest that curcumin has potential as a treatment for the progression of prostate cancer, particularly the initial phase of metastasis.

Got Milk? You shouldn’t! Data from the Physicians’ Health Study indicate that men who consume 2.5 servings a day of dairy products had a 42% increased risk of developing prostate cancer compared with those who consumed less than one-half serving per day. Additionally, another recent study showed that high consumption of dairy products was associated with a 50% increased for prostate cancer.

Due to the variety of natural therapies studied and available, I would recommend a combination product called IsoProst™ which contains many of the ingredients discussed. Supplementation should only accompany a healthy diet that focuses on the foods listed above. Organic is always preferable to avoid synthetic hormones, pesticides, and other contaminants that can increase 5-alpha-reduction leading to hormone metabolism dysfunction.

As with any condition, it is important to keep in mind that the prostate is just one small part of a complex network of web-like interconnections. To have tunnel vision on just the prostate, while ignoring the entire rest of the body would be like only checking the fuel level if your car does not start. There could be a deeper underlying imbalance, somewhere else in the body. We are all biochemical individuals and we need to be treated as such. If you are experiencing any of the associated symptoms or you fall into any of the risk factors, please see you doctor immediately for proper diagnosis.