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Help! My Prostate is Enlarging, My Hair is Thinning!

Category: General Information | Permalink

Published: Monday, August 01, 2011

This up-to-date information is based on a multitude of studies, seminars I have attended and my discussions with men's health experts

The prostate gland is vital to male sexual health. Keeping it healthy is very important! An enlarged prostate is the most common problem a man will encounter. In the worst case scenario, the prostate can become cancerous but the cancer is usually very slow growing. As Dr. John Lee told me, "A man does not generally die of prostate cancer; he dies with prostate cancer."

WHAT IS THE PROSTATE

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in the male reproductive system located just beneath the bladder. It stores and secretes fluid which nourishes and maintains the appropriate acidity for semen.

BPH

The most common problem that can develop with the prostate is called benign prostatic hypertrophy (BHP) which affects many men over the age of 50. BPH refers to an increase in the size of the prostate due to an increase in the number of cells in the gland. When sufficiently enlarged, the prostate presses against the urethra and can cause some troublesome symptoms in the way the body releases urine. A man may need to urinate more often and more urgently or he may need to strain to urinate. If the bladder does not empty completely with urination, bladder infections can occur.

BPH is not cancerous. In fact, from the age of 50 prostate enlargement is relatively normal in men.

DIAGNOSIS

BPH is diagnosed by checking the patient's prostate gland with a rectal examination.

HOW IS IT TREATED?

Severe cases of BPH can be treated with medications such as alpha blockers (Cardura and Hytrin), which temporarily relieve symptoms. However, these medications do not treat the underlying cause of BPH, and do not stop progressive enlargement of the gland.

The main hormones that regulate prostate function are testosterone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and estrogen. DHT is the substance that causes prostatic enlargement. Good testosterone converts to DHT via an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. DHT also causes scalp hair loss in men.

In mainstream medicine a class of medications called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (Avodart, Proscar), is used to block the conversion of testosterone to DHT. 5-alpha reductase inhibitors also do not address the underlying cause for BPH. Also, these expensive medications can result in a decreased libido.

According to David Brownstein, M.D. "Diet plays a critical role in prostate health. The standard American diet contains too many refined foods, including refined sugar, flour, oils and salt. I have treated many men with prostate problems by simply cleaning up their diet and adding beneficial supplements".

What is Prostatitis? Is it different than BPH?

Yes, it is a different condition. Prostatitis is an inflammatory condition that can cause painful and difficult urination. It can be caused by bacterial infection of the prostate gland. Prostatitis can also be caused by an infection of the bladder, sometimes brought on by trauma or irritation from activities such as biking or horse back riding.

Rehydration can be extremely effective to combat prostatitis. Drink lots of water! To ensure you are getting enough water, take your weight in pounds and divide by two. That number is the daily amount of ounces of water you should drink..

Prostate Cancer

A certain percentage of men will develop prostate cancer at some time in their lives. As you age the percentage increases. Up to 70 percent of men age 80 and older have it. However, just 1 in 35 men die from prostate cancer. This shows that most prostate cancers are slow-growing.

What about testing?

There are certain factors to consider about prostate testing. First, the PSA level can be elevated for reasons other than cancer, including BPH and prostatitis. Second, biopsies may be used too often according to many experts. The biopsy procedure removes samples of prostate tissue. Even if certain areas of the prostate are suspected of being abnormal, accuracy of the biopsy depends on whether or not the urologist actually gets a sample of the diseased tissue. Also, the biopsy itself has the potential to spread cancer. Since the majority of prostate cancers are slow-growing it is possible that a biopsy will cause the abnormal cancerous cells to be released from the gland. Also, some men develop chronic inflammation of the prostate after a biopsy.

According to Dr. Brownstein, Dr. Michael Uzick (Board Certified in Naturopathic Oncology) and many other specialists, a biopsy of the prostate gland should be done only after careful consideration. Dr. Uzick advises that a biopsy in men older that 81 may be more harmful than helpful. Even in younger men, side effects of a biopsy can be infection and hemorrhage.

He stated that "50-60% of newly diagnosed patients have a favorable risk cancer" that will never progress to a more dangerous cancer and that 'Active Surveillance' can be a better treatment than a biopsy. He states that "approximately 75% of men with early prostate cancer are treated unnecessarily with radical therapies". Active Surveillance use is growing, but radical treatment is still the norm in the United States. Studies show that with Active Surveillance there is a 99.2% survival rate after 10 years.

With Active Surveillance, aggressive intervention is utilized only in those people at high-risk for progression based on PSADT (PSA doubling time determined by comparing successive PSA tests) or increased histological stage.

According to a study performed at Memorial Sloan-Kettering by Dr. Bertrand Suilonneau on men under the age of 75 with low risk of cancer, "It seems likely, for many of them, the prostate cancer will not ultimately develop and will not require any kind of active and therefore morbid treatment."

PSA Testing

If the PSA level is elevated, it may signal prostate cancer (but not always). Does every man over 50 need an annual PSA test? No, according to Dr. Brownstein.

In the U.K., PSA testing is not widely used. He says "A comparison of prostate cancer incidence in the U.S. and the U.K. found the intensive PSA screening in the U.S. resulted in dramatic increases in prostate cancer incidence without a significant change in mortality between the two countries."

Dr. Brownstein adds, "What mass PSA screening does is create a population of men who now have to undergo painful diagnosis and treatments without evidence of these therapies changing the final outcome". The annual age-adjusted death rates among males from 1930 to 2005 (the latest year available) shows the death rate for prostate cancer has not gone down; it has actually increased! This means that over the last 75 years U.S. therapies - radiation, chemotherapy, hormonal blockades, and surgery - have been ineffective for most people.

"Doctors are overusing the PSA testing to diagnose a relatively common illness (prostate cancer) that has a fairly low (3 percent) mortality rate".

Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer

Age is the single largest risk factor for prostate cancer; the older you are, the more likely you will develop it.
There is also a hereditary component; if you have a first-degree relative with prostate cancer, your risk goes up.
High testosterone is not a risk factor. If it was young men would have the most prostate cancer. In fact, the opposite is true; prostate cancer is more common in older men with low testosterone.
Elevated estrogen levels appear to be directly correlated to the development of prostate cancer. If estrogen levels are elevated, cleaning up the diet, and detoxifying estrogens, and taking supplements can help.

Natural Supplements to Fight Prostate Problems

Beta sitosterol Saw Palmetto: can be as effective as Proscar in blocking DHT. It also slows the growth of prostate cancer cells.
Lycopene: associated with an 83% reduction in prostate cancer
Pomegranate: inhibits inflammation leading to prostate cancer, helps stop PSA from increasing.
Selenium: Robert A. DiSilvestro, from Ohio State University enrolled healthy middle-aged men, each whom took a daily dietary supplement of 200 micrograms of selenium for a six-week period. The researchers found that the plasma prostate -specific antigen (PSA), a marker of prostate cancer risk, declined.
Progesterone Cream 5-15 mg daily helps stop the conversion of Testosterone to DHT. You can also rub some on the scalp where hair is receding
Vitamin D: 2,000 IU/daily helps decrease PSA
Flaxseed: decreases prostate CA cell proliferation
Boswellia- A recent study published in Cancer Research reported that boswellic acid inhibited human prostate tumor growth by interfering with angiogenesis (development of blood vessels that nourish tumors).
Pumpkin seed- Contains protective compounds called phytosterols, which may be responsible for shrinking the prostate
Pygeum africanum- promotes prostate health. As little as 100 mg daily provide support to prostate cells in their struggle to maintain the stability of their life cycles
Stinging nettle- Helps men urinate more easily and empty their bladder more fully.

These nutrients can make dramatic changes in the functioning of the prostate gland and inhibit growth of prostate cancer cells.

Brisk Walking:

Researchers have determined that men who walked briskly - at least three miles per hour - for at least three hours per week after diagnosis were nearly 60% less likely to develop biochemical markers of cancer recurrence or need a second round of treatment for prostate cancer.

Coffee Cuts Prostate Cancer Risk

According to a study at the Harvard School of Public Health, men who drank six or more cups per day had a 60 percent lower risk of developing lethal prostate cancer and an 18 percent lower risk of any type of prostate cancer compared to men who did not drink coffee. Drinking 1 to 3 cups per day was linked to a 30 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer. So don't be afraid of coffee!

Eliminate Soy

Soy has estrogen-like properties and its use can exacerbate/cause prostate problems

Diet

The Mediterranean diet is considered to be protective against prostate cancer. It

features a low animal-fat and meat content, with a high intake of fresh fruit, vegetables, pasta, tea and wine.

How?

Polyphenol compounds in these foods & beverages were shown to stop prostate cancer cells from proliferating and encouraged them to commit suicide, known as cell apoptosis

What about receding hairline?

DHT causes the immune system to re-act to the hair follicles as foreign bodies. Progesterone can help stop DHT production.

Hair loss in men can also be due to circulation problems. Stimulate your scalp daily by rubbing your scalp briskly to bring blood to the head and to open follicles.

Rinse your hair with cider vinegar or purchase a "stimulating" shampoo.

Supplements to Promote Hair Growth & Prevent Balding:

Essential Fatty Acids - encourage re-growth
B-12 sublingual - a deficiency causes hair loss
L-tyrosine - for strengthening
Saw Palmetto - studies show it can work like Propecia, the hair-loss drug
Glutatione (if you have mercury fillings) to detox chemical build-up
Iodine - deficiency causes hair loss
Gingko Biloba - encourages circulation
Folic Acid - my favorite - can decrease the thinning process AND promote hair growth. Can also help stop graying.