How Safe Are Prostate Supplements Made With Saw Palmetto And/or Beta
- Which saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol supplements passed or failed ConsumerLab.comâs testing and review
- What saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol can and cannot do for your health
- Which other ingredients in prostate formulas may or may not be helpful
- The dosages of saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol used in treating prostate enlargement
- Potential side-effects of saw palmetto and beta-sitosterol
Top Foods That Help Prevent An Enlarged Prostate
1. Salmon: Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Fatty acid deficiency could lead to prostate problems. You can also get your omega-3s from ground flax seeds, walnuts, kidney beans, and canola oil.
2. Tofu: A study that was published in The Journal of Urology revealed that Asian men have a reduced risk of developing BPH when compared to western men. One reason could be that Asian men consume more soy. According to a study published in The Prostate, soy isoflavones have been linked to lowering the risk of developing an enlarged prostate. You can get soy isoflavones in low-fat soymilk, roasted soybeans, and soy yogurt.
3. Bell peppers: Bell peppers have more vitamin C than any other vegetablevitamin C is said to play a role in fighting BPH. However, according to some studies, only vitamin C from vegetables can lower the risk of enlarged prostate. You can also try cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli.
4. Sesame seeds: Sesame seeds contain high levels of zinc, which is essential in maintaining a healthy prostate. Men who either have BPH or prostate cancer have low levels of zinc in their bodies. You can also try pumpkin seeds, adzuki beans, and almonds.
5. Avocadoes: Avocadoes are rich in the plant sterol beta-sitosterol. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews states that beta-sitosterol helps reduce symptoms associated with BPH. It can strengthen the immune system as well as reduce inflammation and pain. You can also try soybeans, pecans, and wheat germ.
Bph Drug Side Effects
When it comes to enlarged prostate medications, there is a long list of side effects.
The percentages of men who will suffer one or more side effects vary for each of those listed. These percenatages are understated by the drug companies and doctors. Enlarged prostate drugs can mess you up.
Now look at this: Finasteride is prescribed on the belief that it reduces the incidence of prostate cancer by 25%, yet the Norris Cancer Institute showed that patients taking Finasteride had an increased risk of getting the aggressive and fatal form of prostate cancer by 300%!
YIKES! You may pee better for a while, but end up with prostate cancer from these enlarged prostate drugs! No thanks!
Another study showed that Proscar/Finasteride increased the chance of getting male breast cancer by 34%.
The Food and Drug Administration panel of cancer experts voted 17-0 with one abstention stating that the risks of Merck’s Proscar outweighed its benefits. In a similar vote, the panel voted 14-2 with two abstentions against GlaxoSmithKline PLC’s Avodart. Both drugs are already approved to treat enlarged prostate.
Why are these BPH drugs allowed to be sold? Because they are profitable. Many people accept the risks and try these conventional procedures. It was not my choice. I decided it was much more important to address the causes and make changes so that my overall health improved. My prostate symptoms eased as a result.
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Avoid These Four Things If You Have An Enlarged Prostate
These are the four things you should avoid if you have an enlarged prostate.
The first one is dairy products. That includes:
- cheese
- sour cream
- and even butter.
Why? Because when men with enlarged prostates consume dairy, they have a difficult time going to the bathroom because their prostate swells up even more.
The prostate is kind of like a sponge for hormones. So, where does dairy come from it comes from milk a pregnant cow used to grow a calf.
So its growth hormones. So we want to avoid dairy if you have a prostate problem.
Even if you dont have a prostate problem, I think a high-quality dairy like in the form of grass-fed occasionally is going to be okay.
Questions To Ask Yourself About Enlarged Prostate Treatment
When you discuss the treatment options for an enlarged prostate with your doctor, keep these points in mind:
- How much are my symptoms bothering me?
- Do they keep me from doing things I enjoy?
- How long do I want to deal with them?
- Am I willing to accept small risks to improve my symptoms?
- Do I understand the risks?
- Am I ready to do something about this problem?
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How To Choose The Best Prostate Supplements
The best supplements for prostate are manufactured in an FDA-approved facility by renowned supplement companies. These supplements should be by the latest research on prostate health to ensure efficiency.
When searching for a prostate supplement, make sure to check manufacturer reliability, product safety, and ingredients list.
And speaking of ingredients, the more info provided, the better the chances you are dealing with a responsible manufacturer as clients deserve to know what exactly is in the bottle of supplements they are purchasing.
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New Vitality Super Beta Prostate
Super Beta Prostate uses a two-pronged approach to shrinking your prostate and improving urinary function. The first is making sure you dont have any deficiencies in trace minerals like molybdenum, copper, or manganese.
The second is using a high dosage of phytosterols, including their active ingredient, beta sitosterol, a proven supplement for prostate health.
It doesnt have the wide range of herbal extracts youll find in VitaBalance Prostate Plus , but for many men, trace minerals and beta sitosterol are enough to improve their prostate function and health.
Thanks to its high-quality ingredients and strong reviews, its a smart choice.
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A New Treatment Option For Bph
Experts at University Hospitals now offer a new, minimally invasive approach to treat BPH called UroLift®.
Instead of removing prostate tissue, this procedure implants a device that pulls the prostate away from the urethra on both sides and holds it in place. This widens the urethra and restores normal urine flow.
Its like opening a curtain, says UH urologist Irina Jaeger, MD.
This procedure is a nice alternative, because the side effects are very minimal, it can be done in the doctors office in 15 minutes or less and very little sedation is required, she says. And the results are pretty instant.
UroLift®has been in use for six years. Studies have shown that the procedure is safe, effectively relieves symptoms and does not affect sexual function.
The only side effects are a little irritation immediately after the procedure. Patients are typically back to their normal routines within a day or two.
Cancer Prevention Clinical Trials Are Used To Study Ways To Prevent Cancer
Cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Some cancer prevention trials are conducted with healthy people who have not had cancer but who have an increased risk for cancer. Other prevention trials are conducted with people who have had cancer and are trying to prevent another cancer of the same type or to lower their chance of developing a new type of cancer. Other trials are done with healthy volunteers who are not known to have any risk factors for cancer.
The purpose of some cancer prevention clinical trials is to find out whether actions people take can prevent cancer. These may include eating fruits and vegetables, exercising, quitting smoking, or taking certain medicines, vitamins, minerals, or food supplements.
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Medication For Urinary Problems
Your doctor may suggest various medications to help ease your urinary problems, including:
- medications to reduce the tone of the muscles of the urethra and prostate to minimise any constriction to urine flow caused when these muscles contract
- medication to reduce the size of the prostate gland. These medications work by blocking the action of male hormones produced by the prostate gland
- medications to relax the bladder, making unwanted contractions less likely and reducing the symptoms of urgency and frequency of urination
- the over-the-counter preparation âsaw palmettoâ is sometimes used. This may help some men, especially if frequent urination at night is a problem.
However, recent reviews of the evidence for using saw palmetto as a treatment for mild or moderate urinary symptoms did not show any improvement, compared to no treatment, in men with BPH.
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Current Therapies For Bph
At present, the primary goals of BPH treatment are to ameliorate LUTS, improve QOL, inhibit disease progression, and reduce complications. The treatment of BPH involves three different stages: watchful waiting, drug therapy, and surgical treatment . Watchful waiting is recommended by the AUA for patients in whom QOL has not been influenced by mild LUTS this strategy includes the implementation of dietary changes, exercise, education, and regular review . However, for patients with severe LUTS, watchful waiting is often ineffective and may delay optimal treatment such patients need to be administered appropriate medication. A range of drugs are currently available for the treatment of BPH, including 1-blockers, 5-ARIs, MRAs, PDE5Is, 3-adrenoceptor agonists, and plant extracts. Of these, the most commonly used drugs are 1-blockers, 5-ARIs, and a combination treatment featuring both 1-blockers and 5-ARIs .
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About Half Of Men Older Than 50 Have An Enlarged Prostate Here Are Some Of The Basic Facts You Need To Know About This Common Condition
As men age, many experience prostate gland enlargement. This condition is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia .
The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the hollow tube that carries urine out of the body. When the prostate gets bigger, it can squeeze or partially block the urethra, which leads to problems urinating.
BPH is quite common in older men. In fact, the condition impacts about 50% of men between the ages of 51 and 60. For men 80 and older, the prevalence of BPH is approximately 90%, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
While BPH can have serious complications, it is not a cancer and is generally linked to a mans aging process. Although the causes of BPH are not entirely understood, some researchers have investigated whether hormonal changes and cell growth as men age could be related to the development of the condition. If left untreated, BPH can lead to bladder, urinary tract or kidney problems.
What Medications Should I Avoid If I Have An Enlarged Prostate
Many popular nonprescription cold and allergy medications contain decongestants that can cause the bladder neck to contract. This restricts urine flow and can lead to the complete closure of the bladder opening and cause acute urinary retention. For this reason, these cold and allergy medications are labeled with warnings against their use if a person has benign prostatic hyperplasia — enlarged prostate. While short-term use of these medicines is unlikely to be a significant problem, chronic use should be avoided. Antihistamines also can cause problems because they may interfere with the ability of the bladder to contract. If you think you need medications for allergies, talk to your primary healthcare practitioner about prescription medications that do not cause urinary symptoms.
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How To Prevent Prostate Cancer
How to use?
- Take whole fresh ginger and cut it into 6-7 pieces
- Have one tablespoon of black peppercorn and one teaspoon of honey
- Heat the water until it begins to simmer
- Add the ginger pieces and peppercorn and close the pool with a plate
- Leave it to heat for 5-10 minutes
- Now strain and add the honey
- You can also just chew the ginger pieces daily
- Consume this mixture daily for useful results on prostate health
Benefits of Ginger:
Ginger is rich in anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. They help in inhibiting the prostate cancer cell growth and eventually promotes the death of prostate cancer cells. If you are thinking about the future on how to prevent prostate cancer, then ginger will be the best food remedy for preventing prostate cancer.
Precautions
Ginger and peppercorns help the body by giving warmth. Hence, if you are a person who feels very hot all the time, it may add to it so beware of this fact.
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Alpha Blockers: Risk And Benefits
These BPH medications work fast to address symptoms, but they are not without risk. These drugs work by lowering blood pressure and may contribute to dizziness, headaches, weakness, and other side effects. In addition, they may result in sexual performance issues, including difficulty ejaculating. The impact on your blood pressure will certainly need to be evaluated so that other health issues are not adversely impacted. Although these drugs do tend to lower cholesterol, there is some evidence of long term negative effects on heart health.
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How To Reduce Prostate Size
This article was medically reviewed by . Dr. Litza is a board certified Family Medicine Physician in Wisconsin. She is a practicing Physician and taught as a Clinical Professor for 13 years, after receiving her MD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health in 1998.There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 65,131 times.
The prostate gland is a part of the male reproductive system that can enlarge with age, putting uncomfortable pressure on the urethra. This can cause urinary difficulties, urinary tract infections , and even bladder stones. By making lifestyle changes and using medication, most men can reduce their urinary troubles. A few men, though, may need to consider minimally invasive or traditional surgery options to feel their best.
Traditional Treatments For Bph
Until recently, treatments for BPH were limited to medications such as alpha blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors or surgical procedures such as transurethral resection of the prostate . In TURP, a surgical instrument is inserted into the tip of the penis and then used to trim and remove excess prostate tissue.
There are pros and cons to both treatment approaches.
Medications can help relieve symptoms and reduce the size of the prostate. However, the medications can have unpleasant side effects, including chronic stuffy nose, lightheadedness and loss of libido.
In comparison, TURP surgery is better at improving symptoms more quickly. But in some cases, a prostate is too large to be removed through a TURP procedure. TURP also carries a risk of causing new problems such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction or retrograde ejaculation .
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Top 10 Considerations For Preventing Prostate Cancer
To understand how to prevent prostate cancer, one must first understand what causes it. There are four major factors that influence ones risk for developing prostate cancer.
Age: The average age at diagnosis of prostate cancer in the United States is 69 years and after that age the chance of developing prostate cancer becomes more common than any other cancer in men or women.
Race: African-Americans are more likely to develop prostate cancer and have more than twice the risk of dying from it. Conversely, Asian men who live in Asia have the lowest risk however when they migrate to the west, their risk increases.
Family history: A man with a father or brother who developed prostate cancer has a twofold-increased risk for developing it. This risk is further increased if the cancer was diagnosed at a younger age or affected three or more family members. You should discuss with your Doctor if you have a family history of not only prostate cancer, but also breast cancer, colon cancer, or pancreatic cancer.
Where you live: The risk of developing prostate cancer for men who live in rural China is 2% and for men in the United States is 17%. When Chinese men move to the western culture, their risk increases substantially men who live north of 40 degrees latitude have the highest risk for dying from prostate cancer of any men in the United States this effect appears to be mediated by inadequate sunlight during three months of the year which reduces vitamin D levels.
Diagnosis Of An Enlarged Prostate
The doctor will ask some detailed questions about the symptoms and by doing a physical exam. This will include:
- Urine test: The doctor will analyze the sample of your urine which can help to detect the infection or conditions which can cause the symptoms.
- Blood test: This will indicate kidney problems
- Digital rectal exam: The doctor here inserts a finger into the rectum to check for prostate enlargement
If the condition is bad, the doctor will recommend:
- Prostate biopsy: In transrectal ultrasound, needles are used to take some tissue samples of the prostate. By examining the tissue, the doctor can determine the problem.
- Cystoscopy: This is a lighted, flexible instrument which is inserted into the urethra, which allows the doctor to see the inside of the bladder. The doctor will give the anesthesia.
- Transrectal ultrasound: An ultrasound probe is inserted in the rectum to measure and examine your prostate.
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What To Do If You Have Mild Prostate Enlargement
If you have mild symptoms, you do not usually need immediate treatment, but youll have regular prostate check-ups. Youll probably also be advised to make lifestyle changes, such as: Medicine to reduce the size of the prostate and relax your bladder may be recommended to treat moderate to severe symptoms of an enlarged prostate.