All You Need to Know About Prostate Health

The prostate is a walnut sized male gland that surrounds the urethra. As men age for a large percentage this gland enlarges constricting the flow of urine so that urination is painful or difficult. This is termed ‘benign prostatic hyperplasia’ or BPH. Other prostate problems include infection—both acute and chronic prostatitis.Not all prostate enlargement is cancerous. In fact most enlarged prostates are benign.

There is continuing debate about what causes prostatitis but a long-term diet loaded with inflammatory insults is certainly a driving engine. In particular, chronic consumption of omega-6 oils such as corn or canola, trans-fats or margarine in the absence of anti-inflammatory oils like olive, fish or coconut oils is a major contributor. Another male age-related factor is ‘estrogen dominance’. As testosterone levels decline estrogens become dominant. Diet again, tends to make this so combined with xenoestrogens from our toxic environment.

Conventional medical diagnosis has long employed the Prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) to confirm BPH. However, this test is passing out of favour because of the high incidence of ‘false positives’. For most men, the symptoms of prostate enlargement or infection are so unpleasant that the condition is obvious.

If you want to make this go away stop pouring gasoline on the fire. Start with an oil change. Ditch the margarine, hydrogenated, trans and omega 6 oils. Switch to butter, olive, walnut and coconut oils with fish and flax oil on the side. How about a decent grass-fed steak? As opposed to ‘pepperoni’, fake bacon and bologna or ‘luncheon meats’. A luscious wild salmon – not the fish-farmed stuff.  Dump the industrial pasta, pizza, high sugar drinks. Garbage grains and uber-sugar will kill you anyways. You get the idea.

There are quite a few specific remedies that are known to favourably affect an enlarged prostate. Mostly, they have anti-inflammatory effects. Product manufacturers frequently combine several in one product for convenience. Here’s a summary:

Saw palmetto(Serenoa repens) and Pygeum Africanum: These two botanicals are the most widely used natural remedies to alleviate the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. Saw palmetto is not very effective for relieving inflammation but it also is a useful anti-infective against urinary tract bacteria. Additionally, Saw palmetto works by stopping the breakdown of testosterone into its by-product, called dihydrotestosterone.   Published studies have shown that pygeum can significantly reduce urinary frequency (the number of times patients need to wake up at night to urinate) and pain with urination in men who suffer from mild-to-moderate BPH symptoms. However, pygeum does not appear to reverse the process of BPH.

Lycopene: Lycopene is a carotenoid, a natural color pigment that contributes to the deep red color of tomatoes.  Studies have demonstrated that men who get more lycopene in their diet have less risk of prostate cancer. It is also an effective anti-oxidant.

Pumpkin seed oil: The phytosterols in pumpkin seed oil block the action of enzyme that converts the hormone testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) which fuels prostate swelling. Pumpkin oil is also rich in the mineral Zinc, a deficiency of which actively contributes to the worsening of prostate inflammation.

Stinging nettle(Urtica dioica): This botanical works by reducing a set of highly inflammatory prostaglandins whose increased presence provokes prostate symptoms.

Pollen extracts: This is not bee pollen but very specific flower pollen extracts. This interesting remedy works by reducing the levels of PSA (prostate-specific antigen). Pollen extracts complement other ingredients very well.

Available products

It is hardly practical for most people to acquire the various ingredients above and cobble them together into a therapeutic protocol. Canadian natural health product manufacturers combines these for convenience into commercial products. These are all Health Canada NPN licensed. What follows are the best and, usually leading products of their class. Often, the best route is to anchor in a multi-ingredient product to which, where applicable, a specialized separate one might be added. For example, a prostate multi with pollen extract on the side. Or added Lycopene. Or pumpkin seed oil. Feel free to discuss your options with Nature’s Source staff who know their business. If you have a health practitioner, you are well advised seek their counsel.

Prostate Perform by New Roots. Probably the most popular product on the market because people who buy it once are moved by its success to buy it again. This contains a wide range of ingredients – Saw palmetto, pygeum, Zinc, cranberry, selenium, Lycopene and quite a bit more.  New Roots also makes another prostate formulation in its professional NHF line called Prostate SAP. The ingredient line up is also extensive but different in composition.

Prostate 5LX by New Chapter. The ‘5LX’ hints at inflammatory prostaglandins. It features Saw palmetto and stinging nettle but adds rosemary, ginger root, green tea and pumpkin seed oil.

ProstatePro by CanPrev. Again, Saw palmetto, pygeum and stinging nettle but with added Maca to control testosterone and dihydrotestosterone. Free plant sterols, pollen extract and American ginseng are major ingredients as well in this product.

Prostaphil-2 by AOR. This is a single ingredient product featuring a very high quality pollen extract in a full therapeutic amount. An excellent product to add to other multiple ingredient products or to use as an alternative if other ingredients have not been delivering desired results.

At the end of the day, if you have a cranky prostate and don’t like it, keep in mind that you, yourself grew it. And, you can ‘grow’ your way out of it too. Stop eating food or drink that produces this condition. Change your diet to antidote what you have been doing. Weave natural health ingredients in, alongside to give you better relief – some traction.

And then, avoid this common mistake. When you feel better, don’t go back to your old ways or you will be punished for it!