The Prostate

The prostate, or prostate gland, is located at the base of the male urethra, wrapping around it. Its function is related to sex, where its task is to provide the (viscid) liquid which constitutes the main part of semen. A relatively large part of the prostate consists of muscular tissue (30%).

This gland is prone to three ailments.

- Prostatitis, various forms of inflammatory ailments, very varying as to their causes. We will not specifically target them here.

- Enlargement, or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), which is quite common, especially among elderly males, can be troublesome, but is not in itself life-threatening.

- Cancer. Prostate cancer is one of the forms of cancer increasing the most in frequency in the modern world. It gives symptoms similar to that of enlargement.

These are not by the mainstream medical profession considered to be linked to one another, but I am not so sure about that.

Enlargement, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Symptoms indicating this condition are often related to urination or sex. A weak urinary stream, frequent urination at night, urinary incontinence, blood in the urine, pain on urinating, a dropping interest in sex, impotence, etc. If you have such symptoms, you should get yourself examined.

An mild enlargement can go back spontaneously, and does so in about 30% of the cases. A small enlargement is often not treated at all. I think it should always be treated, but with natural substances, which can also be used preventively (more below) and to avoid recurrence. If possible, avoid surgery, which can cause cancer instead.

There is no clear understanding of why prostate enlargement occurs, although some probable risk factors can be listed (more below).

Prostate-Specific Antigen Blood Test (PSA)

PSA is a substance produced by the prostate gland which is present in the blood of males. It is held that its level in the blood rises with increasing age - which might be reversed causality applied. In any case it is held to be present in elevated levels if the male has prostate cancer.

Males with prostate enlargement mostly have their PSA tested. The problem with this is that the test is highly ineffective. Worse than that, it is not understood at all! Men without cancer can have elevated levels anyway, and some men with cancer have normal levels. Relying on this test would give the (false) diagnosis of cancer to some men, while some cases of genuine cancer will not be found.

Prostate Cancer

The symptoms are about the same as with enlargement, although blood or pain is rare.

Most forms of prostate cancer grow slowly and are slow to spread, especially in older patients. But occasionally more aggressive variants exist as well.

If it spreads, it mostly does so to the bones, and can give pain in bony areas.

Risk Factors

It can be of interest to discuss the known risk factors. Roughly they coincide for enlargement and cancer, unless otherwise stated, although there might be a difference in degree.

Age

Age is always mentioned as a major risk factor, but this should not be misunderstood. Age (calendric) itself is no risk. It is more that a general and gradual breakdown of health over a long time - which is common, but not caused by increasing age itself - increases the risk for all sorts of disease. This breakdown is a result of decades of lifestyle errors. Deficiency of oxygen and essential nutrients; oxidation; a slow build-up of accumulated waste, which gradually blocks the biochemical processes on the cellular level; accumulated toxins; etc. When it continues for 30, 40 or 50 years, everything finally breaks down, including all aspects of your health.

This is the main reason for why most diseases and ailments are more common among the 70 years old than among those of age 20. Ultimately it is the cause of most deaths in the modern world. Not to mention how it causes years of suffering and a reduced quality of life. And you are doing this yourself! A slow gradual suicide!

Family History

A family history of prostate or breast cancer. This is not surprising. Your genetics always plays a role.

Ethnicity

African men are more prone to prostate cancer. It is not yet clear why.

Obesity & Fat

Obesity or too much fat in the food. These two are not the same. You can be obese without eating a lot of fat, and you can eat a lot of fat without adding overweight. The latter depending only on your total calorie intake, no matter what you have eaten.

Too much fat in the diet, on the other hand, will give you too much fatty substance in the gastro-intestinal system, which is another matter entirely.

I have previously written about why fat is dangerous, and will not repeat it all here. But very briefly:

Deposits of surplus fat, as in obesity, produce estrogen, a female sexual hormone, which is closely related to the development of many serious diseases, like diabetes (type 2) and many forms of cancer.

Too much fat in the diet increases estrogen level in another way. It feeds intestinal hormone-producing bacteria.

Alcohol

Another factor is excessive alcohol consumption. It is harmful in a number of ways. It causes a high rate of oxidation, but it is interesting in connection with estrogen as well. Alcohol simply harms the liver, so its ability to rid the blood of estrogens is reduced. This is very serious, since the liver is responsible for ridding you of harmful hormones.

Certain Medical Drugs

Most medical drugs have undesirable side effects. That should be taken into account when choosing whether to use them or not.

Especially identified to increase the risk for prostate ailments are anti-histamines and certain drugs against high blood pressure.

Lacking Physical Activity

If you live a too sedentary life, with too little exercise or other physical activity, it affects all aspects of your health negatively. All tissues become weaker, and a bad blood circulation leads to an ineffective transport system (which is what your blood really is), so the cells are not properly fed with what they need - and the trash, the metabolic waste, is not properly removed.

Nutritional Deficiencies

This is rarely listed as a factor in its own right, but I think it should.

Carotenoids, especially lycopene (see below) are proven to protect the prostate. So is vitamin E.

Zinc seems to play special role. Studies have shown that men with prostate problems almost without exception have too little zinc in the prostate gland's liquids. Increasing the zinc level usually makes an enlarged prostate shrink back to normal size.

Getting optimal amounts of all vitamins and minerals is vital for the health. Saying that "this is important for the prostate, while that is not" would be the wrong approach. Everything affects everything, to some extent; everything is interconnected. A chain is not stronger than its weakest link, the body is not stronger than its weakest system. Whatever happens anywhere in the body affects all parts of it in some way. The study of a separate organ or a separate process produces a limited model of what is happening, yet this is the way a study must be made. Afterwards comes the thinking, the work to combine information from different studies and to create a picture of the whole. Unfortunately established science often fails in that step.

Sexual Inactivity

To stay strong and in good health, every function needs to be properly used. The prostate is no exception. Sex is good for it, and sexual inactivity - especially for the elderly male - is a definite threat to prostate health.

This factor rarely gets serious attention. Possibly this is due to the presumptions on the risk of testosterone in prostate disease, a risk that, in fact, is quite unclear.

Stagnation of glandular secretion in the prostate leads to oxidation, causes inflammation, and possibly cancer. It must get out regularly. That holds for all secretory glands, the testicles as well. The secretion must get out, lest the gland inflames. The next step is that production atrophies, falls or stops, because the body stops producing something that is not used, and then ageing promptly accelerates.

What Can Be Done Against It?

There are a number of substances, most of them natural, that have a proved effect against prostate ailments. Chances are good that they can cure an enlargement, and they are excellent for prevention!

For cancer, there are specific (generally) cancer fighting substances (not brought up here), but supplementing them with substances from this list might improve the result. Cancer is a very serious and difficult condition that might require a combination of different treatments. It does not mean that it can never be cured, but preventing is better than curing - and much easier.

Saw Palmetto Berry (EXTRACT)

This is a major substance in the fight against prostate ailments. The north American Indians have used it for centuries, against urinary or sexual dysfunctions. It is very, very powerful.

300mg per day is a suitable dose.

Pumpkin Seeds (Sometimes as Extract)

Several studies in France have shown that pumpkin seeds are effective against prostate disorders. They are a rich source of the mineral zinc.

Tomatoes

Many studies are confirming that tomatoes protect the prostate. It may surprise some of you that ketchup is even better than fresh tomatoes (in this respect).

The relevant substance here is the carotenoid, lycopene, which gives the tomato its colour. The concentration of lycopene in ketchup is very high, since many tomatoes are used for even a small amount of it.

In addition to that, carotenoids belong to the relatively few nutrients that keep their power well through heating and processing. But remember that ketchup contains many undesirable additives, like sugar and salt, and possibly artificial colouring and flavour. Be sure to choose one that contains real tomatoes!

Zinc Supplement

On the role of zinc, see above, the section of nutritional deficiencies.

A zinc supplement should contain at least 15mg zinc, but can safely be used up to 45 or 60mg per day. In doses of over 150mg per day, zinc is toxic.

Some good dietary sources of zinc are: pumpkin seeds, brewer's yeast, sunflower seeds, red beets, and carrots.

Aspirin

Aspirin is a common anti-inflammatory drug with many interesting properties. Studies have shown a reduced risk for prostate cancer in men taking aspirin regularly. The active ingredient in aspirin is salicylic acid.

Around 1mg salicylic acid per kg body weight each day is a suitable dietary supplement; there may be good reasons to consider salicylic acid a vitamin-like substance. (See "Salicylic Acid: Is Aspirin a Vitamin?")

Pygeum Africanum

This is the most common substance for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in some countries, for instance France. Statistically the results are very good.

Good for prevention as well.

Vitamin E Supplement

Apart from all its other benefits, which are very diverse, vitamin E has proved to protect the prostate. In addition to that, it can increase the effect of other natural substances, thus substantially improving their ability to cure and prevent.

A natural vitamin E supplement (tocopherol complex) should be a part of everyone's regimen. Up to 2000 I.U. daily can safely be taken. Less than 400 I.U. per day would be close to useless.

If you have any form of prostate disorder, you should take a minimum of 1000 I.U. per day.

Selenium

Selenium is another nutrient that has proved to protect the prostate. It is a very strong antioxidant. Its toxicity has been quite exaggerated. In any case you can take 200 mcg daily without any risk whatsoever.

[mcg = microgram = one millionth (1/1000000) gram.]

Panax Ginseng, Genuine Korean Ginseng

This form of ginseng contains a saponin that normalises chemical processes in the body, including those of the prostate. It should be used as a supportive substance, in combination with other natural treatments - not as a sole treatment.

Note that other forms of ginseng do not contain this special saponin. It must be the genuine Korean one.

Amino Acids

Several studies show a good effect on the prostate by some amino acids, namely glycine, alanine and glutamine. An enlarged prostate shrunk in 90% of the cases, and urinary incontinence ceased in about the same percentage.

Homeopathy

The prostate can also be treated homeopathically. It will become too long if I am to explain homeopathy as such here and now, and I don't think it should be used for self-medication unless the basic principles for its use are understood.

A more complete homeopathic treatment have to be designed on an individual basis, taking into account the total organism. That can only be done in a personal meeting with a competent professional.

Yet, some words here for those who understand them. Very, very briefly.

Prostate problems can be treated with "sabal D6" (which is Saw Palmetto), "Staphisagria D6", and "Populus D6". The same substances in a reduced dose (1/2-1/3) can be used as prevention, and ought to be used for a very long time afterwards, if there have been problems cured by these substances.

Muscular Exercises

Training the pelvic muscles and tissues has a strong effect on the urinary and sexual systems of both sexes. It keeps the area strong and elastic; improves the blood circulation, leading to better local nourishment and removal of waste. It generally helps to prevent disorders.

Hatha Yoga offers some very effective exercises for this purpose. If you are interested in that, I am sure you can find a teacher or a good book with clear instructions and pictures.

But exercises do not need to be complicated. Here is a simple one that anyone can use.

When you are urinating, stop while in full stream. Let it flow again, and stop a second time. Repeat 4-5 times.

Do this once daily. The first times it can be hard to stop completely, but you will develop control within a quite short time. When you have control, you can do this exercise at any time, without urinating if you prefer. Just imitate the stop urine muscular contraction.

This exercise strengthens and stimulates the prostate region and it helps to prevent urinary incontinence. It can be done by females too, with corresponding results. Urinary incontinence is a very common and often embarrassing female ailment.

Chemical or Surgical Castration

Castration is a common part of the treatment of prostate cancer. The patient are then given the choice of doing it chemically (with medicine) or surgically (cut away the testicles). The reason for castration is that testosterone stimulates tumour growth (that is, when a tumour is at hand, but it does not increase the risk to get cancer in the first place), so one wants to eliminate the production of this hormone.

In my opinion, this treatment is dubious, since it has so many negative side-effects and drastically reduces the patient's quality of life. Anyway, if you feel compelled to accept it, do it chemically - because medication can be stopped, while surgically removed testicles cannot be put back again. And who knows if a new medicine, one that can actually cure you, turns up when you are under treatment.

This article is based on material previously published in Meriondho Leo/TMA.)

Related articles:

Suicide is not Painless

The Feminisation of Nature

Testosterone: How to Keep Up the Level

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