Enemy of the Prostate

By Yew-Por Ng, M.D.

The Prostate is a gland the size and shape of a walnut that surrounds the upper portion of the male urethra just below the bladder. Urine has to pass through the prostatic urethral. Its main function is to produce part of the fluid that makes up semen.
As a man ages, the prostate can cause urinary difficulties by enlarging and putting pressure on the urethra. This condition is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
A more serious condition than BPH is cancer of the prostate, which is the second most common cause of death due to cancer in American. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 198,100 new cases of prostate cancer were discovered and 31,500 men died from the disease in 2001. Age, race and family history are important risk factors for prostate cancer. No association has been found between prostate cancer and socioeconomic status, education, occupation, or the presence of BPH.

Is there any way to reduce your risk of Prostate Cancer?

In the past, prostate cancer research has focused primarily on treatment. But as researchers learn more about the causes of prostate cancer, they are turning their attention to prevention. Growing evidence suggests that what you eat can affect your risk of prostate cancer.
Among the dietary factors, a high intake of vegetables is protective from prostate cancer, while a high consumption of fat, saturated animal fat, red meat, milk, and dairy products possibly increases risk. (Food, Nutrition and the prevention of cancer: A Global Perspective –American Institute for Cancer Research.)

Lower your risk

To reduce your risk of prostate cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends limiting high-fat foods (particularly those from animal sources) and eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables containing compounds (phytochemicals) that reduce cancer risk by preventing damage to DNA.
It is interesting to note that prostate cancer rates are lower in countries with low per-capita consumption of meat and dairy products. Insulin –like Growth factor I ( IGF-I), found in meat and dairy products, is a powerful bloodstream protein that acts as an important stimulator of prostate cancer.
Studies also suggest that nutritional supplements, in particular Vitamin E and selenium, may play a role in risk reduction. A recent study from Johns Hopkins found that men with the highest blood levels of Gamma-tocopherol, a type of Vitamin E found in the food but not in supplements, were five times less likely to develop prostate cancer than men with the lowest blood level (Journal of the National Cancer institute, Volume92, p 2018 December 20, 2000.)

Prevention Food

Other food components studied for their ability to prevent prostate cancer include
1. Lycopene - is an antioxidant found in tomatoes, tomato products, grapefruit, and watermelon. Several studies have shown that consumption of lycopene is associated with decreased risk for cancer of the prostate.
2. Isoflavones - is compound found in soy products, such as soymilk and tofu. Genistein, one of the isoflavones, inhibits abnormal cell growth and metastasis.
Lifestyle habits that lower the risk of developing prostate cancer are EXERCISE and SUNLIGHT. Exercise lowers the production of testosterone, a hormone involved in the development of prostate cancer.

Conclusion

LANCET, August 25, 2001 reported in a new study suggests that men with greater lifetime exposure to sunlight have a reduced risk of prostate cancer. They suggested that concentration of certain blood-borne factors that are altered by ultraviolet radiation might prevent some prostate tumors from becoming cancerous. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation increases the risk of skin cancer, however, regular check-ups with detection by PSA (Prostatic Specific Antigen) tests or digital exams is certainly important, but we should not be confused with true prevention which is a multifactorial lifestyle program to reduce prostate cancer risk by following God's 8 Laws of Health.