UPDATE - Issue 13 - January 2003
Be full of beans to beat BPH
Men in Western countries have very much more prostate disease, benign as well as cancerous, than men from the orient.
Is that because of genetic differences? No. Immigrants from China to the US exhibit Western rates of prostate disease within one or two generations.
Is something in the Western diet harmful predisposing us towards prostate disease? Maybe. The usual suspects have been meat and animal fats. Despite extensive studies the jury seems to be still out on this theory.
A third option, that there is something in the Asian, vegetarian diet which inhibits the progression of latent prostatic disease into full blown disease is gaining credence. That something seems likely to be available from legumes, such as soya, beans, chick peas or lentils. A recent study found that Chinese men in Hong Kong (mainly vegetarians) had seven times higher levels of isoflavonoids, (the product of digesting legumes) in prostatic fluid compared to caucasian men in the UK.
If the option of switching to a 100% vegetarian diet does not appeal, one could take isoflavones in tablet form. But would that do any good? A Canadian trial reported two years ago significant improvements in the quality of life including nocturnal frequency of men with benign prostatic enlargement (BPH) after taking a supplement derived from red clover for a matter of just three months. One formulation of this supplement is marketed under the name Trinovin and is distributed in the UK by Novogen Ltd, Castle Hill House, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1PD. The product itself was researched and is manufactured in Australia by Novogen Laboratories Pty.
We would emphasise that by mentioning a supplier of Isoflavones, Prostate Research Campaign UK is not endorsing or recommending the product in any way.