How you can help yourself > Maintaining prostate health
Men's attitude towards their health has traditionally been 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'. These days, the thinking should be more along the lines of 'if you look after your body (and particularly your prostate), it has less of a tendency to go wrong'. In prostate health, regular checks allow disease to be detected at a stage when it can generally be resolved, while preventative strategies may reduce some of the risks of disease developing in the first place. It makes good sense to combine these with regular, more general health checks to exclude conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and to encourage a healthier lifestyle, particularly with respect to exercise and diet.
Selenium has been shown to reduce the incidence of all cancers, and prostate cancer in particular. It is found in grains, nuts and oily fish but, because the soil in the UK contains low levels of selenium, the average intake in this country is well below the recommended amount. You can increase your intake either by eating three or four Brazil nuts every day or by taking one of the many supplements that are widely available in a dose of 200 micrograms a day.
Zinc deficiency is unusual, but may be responsible for some prostate problems, as well as impotence. It is therefore important to include good sources of zinc in your diet, like meat, fish, whole grains and legumes, such as peas and beans.
These are thought to protect the body's cells against cancer-causing substances. The main antioxidants, which are found in fruit and vegetables, are vitamins A, C and E, and lycopene, which is found in tomatoes. The two most effective antioxidants are vitamin E and lycopene.
Vitamin E Taking a vitamin E supplement has been shown to reduce deaths from prostate cancer by about 40%. However, trials investigating vitamin E supplements showed an increase in deaths, possibly as a result of cardiovascular problems, in those taking a dose of more than 150 International Units (IU) per day. It has therefore been suggested that the daily dose of vitamin E be restricted to 150 International Units (IU) per day, which has not been associated with such problems.
Tomatoes contain abundant quantities of lycopene, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants. Research has shown that those people who eat a lot of tomatoes and tomato products have a lower risk of certain cancers, particularly prostate cancer. Tomatoes are more effective when they have been processed or cooked, because heating with a little oil helps to release the lycopene from the tomato skin and makes it easier to absorb.
Urinary tract infections are more common in men with an enlarged prostate gland. While such infections are not life-threatening or significant, they can have place a considerable financial and social toll on those affected. Although more research is needed, drinking one or two glasses of cranberry juice a day does seem to ward off urinary tract infections in some individuals. A word of caution: if you are taking warfarin, you should avoid cranberry juice as it can potentiate the effects of the drug. Blueberry juice is thought to have similar properties and is also an anti-oxidant. Highly coloured fruits such as strawberries are also recommended.
The herb saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a plant native to the south-east of the USA. It has been shown to inhibit the action of 5-alpha-reductase, growth factors and inflammatory substances responsible for the common symptoms of BPH. A recent study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine called into doubt its efficacy; however, some patients swear by it, so more research is needed.
A host of other complementary therapies are claimed to protect against prostate cancer, but sound evidence for their safety and efficacy is sparse. This includes soya products, green tea, apricot kernels, pomegranates and St John's wort. Cancer patients, in particular, are very vulnerable to hype about so-called 'alternative' therapies, many of which have no clinical or scientific basis. In some cases they may even be harmful as they can contain toxic substances or may interact with medicines prescribed by your doctor. It is therefore important that you seek advice from your doctor before embarking on any alternative therapy. Much more research is needed to provide better evidence that various foods, plant extracts and supplements are truly as safe and effective as the manufacturers would have us believe.