Best Prostate Health

Difficulty urinating and reduced flow are common signs of an enlarged prostate. Equally common is waking multiple times in the night to urinate. Often men feel run down and they may or may not have reduced sexual desire or even impotence. An understanding of testosterone and your prostate is both important and can help you when you communicate with your health care provider.

Generally when you see your physician and complain of feeling decreased sex drive in addition to feeling no energy the first thing physicians turn to is a simple blood test to check testosterone levels.

Throughout a man's life his body produces testosterone. As a man ages, the amount of circulating testosterone begins to decline steadily after the age of forty. The decrease is relatively small and occurs at a rate of 1% or 2% per year. Virtually all men experience a decline in testosterone. There are a small percentage of men that have testosterone levels below what is considered normal for their age. Low testosterone is defined by the medical community as less than 300 nanograms per deciliter of blood. Only one-half to two-thirds of all men with low testosterone report symptoms. The symptoms include low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, mood problems, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. Generally the decline of testosterone in men occurs over years and the symptoms often go unnoticed. Some men may experience symptoms and yet not recognize the decline in their sex drive due to the fact that they still have a sex drive. The symptoms of low testosterone can significantly impair a man's quality of life.

Many in the medical community believe that low testosterone should be treated and it is becoming common for medical professionals to prescribe: a testosterone gel that is applied to the skin on a daily basis; a testosterone patch that is applied to the skin and worn throughout the day; oral testosterone tablets; or testosterone injections. There is some controversy to long-term testosterone supplementation in that when testosterone is supplemented the body will actually recognize all this testosterone and normal testosterone production by the testis will actually decrease or cease and the individual may experience testicle shrinkage. Infertility physicians commonly address decreased testosterone levels with an injectable hormone known as hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). hCG is not anabolic or androgenic however in men hCG increases the testosterone production in the testes very quickly and reliably. It may be beneficial to discuss intermittent testosterone supplementation with periodic hCG treatments with your physician to ensure that your normal testosterone production is not destroyed.

Uniquely many men do produce adequate levels of testosterone however a significant number of men may have reduced testosterone due to the increased activity of the natural enzyme 5α-reductace. When testosterone is subjected to the enzyme 5α-reductase it is converted into DHT (dihydrotestosterone). In adult males DHT acts as the primary androgen in the prostate and hair follicles. [1] In men DHT is the primary contributing factor in male pattern baldness.[2] In addition DHT plays a role in the development and exacerbation of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as well as prostate cancer, by enlarging the prostate gland.[3] Prostate growth or enlargement is dependent on the level of DHT.[4]

The actual cause of BPH is debated by the medical community. One school of thought believes that as men age and testosterone levels decline there is an increased amount of estrogen in the blood. All men produce small amounts of estrogen (female hormone) in addition to testosterone. Studies performed in animals suggest that this increased amount of estrogen within the prostate gland may increase the activity of substances that promote cell growth.[5] If this is true then men who consume additional sources of estrogen may wish to take note. Since the early 1960s soybean, which are high in estrogen, have become increasingly common as a human food source. Research shows that prior to the 21st Century soy was rarely if ever used in the production of food for human consumption. Even in the Asian culture soy usage was limited to times of extreme food shortages. When it was used Asians carefully prepared the soy by using a long fermentation process (6 to 9 months) to remove soy toxins. In 1998 soy consumption by Asians was validated and it was found that Asian men consumed 8.00 ± 4.95 g of soy/day and that Asian women consumed 6.88 ± 4.06 g of soy/day.[6] The soy products consumed were tofu (plain, fried, deep-fried, or dried), miso, fermented soybeans, soy milk, and boiled soybeans. Soy consumption today in English speaking countries is approaching 220 G of soy/day which far exceeds what Asians typically consume. Clinical research has shown that soy decreases testosterone levels. In one study a 76% reduction in testosterone production in men was documented.[7] Another study by Nagata C, et al. "Inverse association of soy product intake with serum androgen and estrogen concentrations in Japanese men." Nutr Cancer 2000; 36(1):14-8. This study in Japanese men showed that increased soy intake was related to decreased testosterone levels. An additional study in healthy adult males compared a diet containing soy to one using meat as a source of protein. Testosterone levels were significantly lower in the group with a soy diet. In addition the amount of "free" testosterone was reduced by 7% in the soy diet group. [8]

The other school of thought focuses on dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Most animals lose their ability to produce DHT as they age. Unfortunately this is not true in human beings. Research shows that even with a drop in the blood's testosterone level, older men continue to produce and accumulate high levels of DHT in the prostate. Accumulation of DHT may encourage prostate enlargement. Scientists have also noted that men who do not produce DHT do not develop BPH.

It is very important to tell your doctor about urinary problems. In eight out of 10 cases, these common symptoms (a hesitant, interrupted, weak stream, urgency and leaking or dribbling, more frequent urination, especially at night) suggest BPH, but they also can signal other, more serious conditions that require prompt treatment. These conditions, including prostate cancer, can be ruled out only by a doctor's examination.

Pharmacologic treatment of BPH is the most common. The FDA has approved six prescription medications to relieve the common symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate. These prescription medications are not natural and they are either semi-synthetic or synthetic in origin. All of these prescription medications have side effects associated with them. Recently in June 2011, the FDA issued a warning to physicians regarding prescription medications classified as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs). Per the FDA, "drugs in the 5-ARI class are finasteride and dutasteride. These drugs are marketed under the brand-names Proscar, Propecia, Avodart, and Jalyn." The FDA's review of two large clinical trials: "The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial "(PCPT) and "Reduction by Dutasteride of Prostate Cancer Events" (REDUCE) trial. Both trials showed an increased incidence of high-grade prostate cancer with finasteride and dutasteride treatment.

Outside North America, physicians and health care professionals rely more heavily on natural products, known in the U.S. as dietary supplements. Worldwide plant sterols or beta-sitosterol have been relied upon for the relief the symptoms of an enlarged prostate for decades. The efficacy of beta-sitosterol has been published in British Journal of Urology, The Lancet, and in the Cochrane Reviews. In the United States and Canada tens of thousands of men have discovered that the natural ingredient beta-sitosterol can actually address these symptoms without the side effects of prescription medications. For years the medical community recommended saw palmetto to address the symptoms of an enlarged prostate. However, in 2006 a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrated that taking saw palmetto for an enlarged prostate was no more effective than a placebo.

Is all beta-sitosterol equal? Well the most prevalent beta-sitosterol found in most Prostate Supplements is derived from soy. Soy (estrogen) does not make sense for use in a male prostate supplement. In addition 93% of all soy in North America is GMO. There is a non-soy beta-sitosterol prostate formula made by IMS (It Make's Sense) Supplements, Inc. The product Best Prostate uses a vegetable capsule with 310 mg of Non-soy, Non-GMO Beta-sitosterol (from Pine). In addition there is 15 mg of Zinc (as citrate), and 15 mcg of Selenium (as selenium chelate). Information about Best Prostate can be found at http://www.bestprostate.com.

1. National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) | The Effect of 5α-Reductase Inhibition With Dutasteride and Finasteride on Bone Mineral Density, Serum Lipoproteins, Hemoglobin, Prostate Specific Antigen and Sexual Function in Healthy Young Men

2. What Is DHT? What is its Role in Hair Loss? | Medical News TODAY

3. Prostate Enlargement (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia | ehealthMD

4. Prostate Size and Risk of High-Grade, Advanced Prostate Cancer and Biochemical Progression After Radical Prostatectomy: A Search Database Study, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 23, No 30 (October 20), 2005: pp. 7546-7554

5. Prostate Enlargement: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, kidney.niddk.nih.gov

6. Nagata C, Takatsuka N, Kurisu Y, Shimizu H; J Nutr 1998, 128:209-13

7. Zhong, et al. "Effects of dietary supplement of soy protein isolate and low fat diet on prostate cancer." FASEB J 2000;14(4):a531.11

8. Habito RC, et al. "Effects of replacing meat with soyabean in the diet on sex hormone concentrations in healthy adult males." Br J Nutr 2000 Oct;84(4):557-63



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6496737

Best Prostate Health

Making sense of prostate health and making the best choice. What causes an enlarged prostate? What role does testosterone play in prostate health? What is the best prostate supplement? Is Soy a concern for men and prostate health?

The article "Best Prostate Health" Health and Fitness: Mens Issues • Published: August 19, 2011

To see the article on Best Prostate Health visit: http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Prostate-Health&id=6496737



The purpose of this article is to help men understand prostate health. It is my intention to continue to provide additional men's health articles in the future to increase understanding of health issues that men face.

Prostate Prescriptions May Increase the Risk of Prostate Cancer

FDA warning: 5-alpha reductase inhibitors; is it time to consider natural alternatives for enlarged prostate symptoms?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/14/idUS118513+14-Jul-2011+PRN20110714

Prostate Massage

Prostate Massage was once a very popular therapy for prostatitis in the Western culture. This was prior to the predominence of antibiotic therapy. Today it is still practiced as a non-pharmacologic approach for chronic prostatitis throughout China. More information can be found at: http://www.bestprostate.com/prostate_massage.php

Before initiating any treatment modality such as prostate massage it is best to consult with your health care provider. There are health risks associated with prostate massage.

This blog and/or affiliated link(s) does not endorse the practice of prostate massage. The purpose is to provide relevant information on the topic that you can discuss with your medical doctor.

SOY Prostate and testosterone?

Here's my story. Five years ago my physician performed a simple blood test. Upon return of the results he informed me that I had the testosterone level of a field mouse. He was concerned so he prescribed testosterone which initially involved an injection of testosterone in his office. I left the office and I noticed a surge in my energy level in addition to a return in my sex drive. This lasted for about one week. In addition I experienced an increased level of aggression. I was told to return in a month and I explained the results to my doctor. He then said that he would use less testosterone and give me injections more frequently. I was given another injection and told to return in two weeks. Once again I experienced a surge in my sex drive and energy level though the duration of this did not last as long. Unfortunately I also experienced an increased amount of agression. I returned to my physician and he said that he would reduce the dosage and increase the frequency to weekly injections. This change did offer some benefit however it was short-lived due to the fact that my PPO insurance plan said that they would not cover weekly visits and injections at my physicians office. I was then prescribed a presciption gel to rub on my body every day. This went on for several months and the gel was everywhere including on my hands, on my clothes, and god forbid if I was allowed to come into contact with other people as they could possibly absorb some of this testosterone.

The icing on the cake was when I learned that using all of this exogeneous testosterone actually leads to a decrease or a shut down of natural testosterone production within the body. Concerned as I was I decided that the benefits of all this testosterone supplementation had drawbacks and was not the answer for me.

This is where the SOY comes in. Research shows that prior to the 21st Century soy was rarely if ever used in the production of food for human consumption. Even in the Asian culture soy usage was limited to times of extreme food shortages. When it was used Asians carefully prepared the soy by using a long fermentation process (6 to 9months) to remove soy toxins. In 1998 soy consumption by Asians was validated and it was found that Asian men consumed 8.00 ± 4.95 g of soy/day and that Asian women consumed 6.88 ± 4.06 g of soy/day (Nagata C, Takatsuka N, Kurisu Y, Shimizu H; J Nutr 1998, 128:209-13). The soy products consumed were tofu (plain, fried, deep-fried, or dried), miso, fermented soybeans, soy milk, and boiled soybeans. Soy consumption today in English speaking countries is approaching 220 G of soy/day which far exceeds what Asians typically consume. How did this happen and why be concerned? Well soy use in food production is now in almost everything so it seems. In addition clinical research has shown that soy decreases testosterone levels. In one study a 76% reduction in testosterone production in men was documented (Zhong, et al. "Effects of dietary supplement of soy protein isolate and low fat diet on prostate cancer." FASEB J 2000;14(4):a531.11). Another study by Nagata C, et al. "Inverse association of soy product intake with serum androgen and estrogen concentrations in Japanese men." Nutr Cancer 2000;36(1):14-8. This study in Japanese men showed that increased soy intake was related to decreased testosterone levels. An additional study in healthy adult males compared a diet containing soy to one using meat as a source of protein. Testosterone levels were significantly lower in the group with a soy diet. In addition the amount of "free" testosterone was reduced by 7% in the soy diet group (Habito RC, et al. "Effects of replacing meat with soyabean in the diet on sex hormone concentrations in healthy adult males." Br J Nutr 2000 Oct;84(4):557-63). No wonder unfermented soy is reserved for cheating spouses in the Asian culture. A visit to a food market in Tokyo you will not find shoppers loading up on soy milk, soy cheese, soy yogurt, soy burgers, soy chicken, soy chips, and or soy lasagna. I wonder why?

Testosterone levels and prostate enlargement. Well it is known that men produce both testosterone, an important male hormone, and small amounts of estrogen, a female hormone. When men age, the amount of active testosterone in the blood decreases, leaving a higher proportion of estrogen. Studies done on animals have suggested that prostate enlargement may occur because of the higher amount of estrogen within the gland actually increase the activity of substances that promote cell growth. Another theory from scientists suggest that dihydrotestosterone (DHT), derived from testosterone in the prostate, may help control prostate enlargement. Some research has indicated that even with a decrease in the blood's testosterone level, older men continue to produce and accumulate high levels of DHT in the prostate. This increased DHT may encourage the growth of prostate cells. This is important as scientists have also noted that men who do not produce DHT do not develop an enlarged prostate. DHT is a biologically active metabolite of the hormone testosterone. DHT is produced primarily in the prostate gland, testes, hair follicles, and adrenal glands.

In light of the above I started to look at my consumption of soy. Wow it's in everything these days. Cereal, salad dressing, non-dairy creamer, pancake mix, and even some breads. Shopping at local health food markets will not save you either. Somewhere these markets have no issue with soy. Despite the fact that 91 percent of soy grown in the US is genetically modified (GM) many health food markets actually ignore this ingredient when they offer it for sale on the shelves. I actually believed that so called "health food markets" did not allow GMO or genetically modified ingredients. This is obviously not the case. One store (un-named) carried eight prostate supplements all with soy as an ingredient. Obviously these prostate supplements were for men. And the chance that the soy used in manufacturing was or is actually fermented for 6 to 9 months is extremely remote.

Ironically and subsequently I have continued to have blood work performed by my physician and for some reason my testosterone levels are no longer on the radar screen or even mentioned in the results. He knows that I am not on testosterone prescriptions or he would be authorizing refills with my pharmacy. What are the changes - hmmmm well I have been making a real effort to reduce soy consumption. It's important for me to tell you that this article in no way suggests that it is authoritative and/or that it is giving or providing any type of medical advise. As always it is best to consult your medical or health care provider. However I do encourage you to research the facts about prostate health, soy, and testosterone. The following reference provides some information about soy in the USA from 1766-1900 . It seems that 1979 was the first introduction of soymilk into the United States reference . At present it is now estimated that 583,000 tons of soy is used each year for human consumption. Soy food sales have increased from $300 million to over $4 billion from 1992 to 2006. The goal is obvious and that is for food processors to use soy to produce more while spending less. Soy use offers benefits including extending shelf-life, reducing crumbling, whitening breads and browning pancakes, and has the added benefit of bringing down production costs. I often wonder if we will see a law firm advertisement in the future that is similar to all these prescription medication cases that are now known to have caused this or that years and years later. It really is up to you the consumer to determine your comfort with this wonder ingredient. It is also up to you the consumer to discern the related concerns to genetically modified ingredients in your diet. Food for thought?

http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2011/01/06/monsanto-returns-to-profitability/ato5m42/

Scam Prostate Reports by Institutes that do not exist.

Today the prostate supplement market is constantly being targeted by false non-accredited Institutes "Fischer Urological Institute" and / or Pill reports brought to you by organizations like MDhealthreports.com that literally portray themselves as credible sources. The fact is that these organizations are not accredited and these so called pill reporting agenecies are a fraud. Simple searches on the name of the organization, Better Business Bureau, and Dunn & Bradstreet webisites clearly shows that these so called expert agencies are nothing more that a false front to get the consumer to purchased their alleged highly rated product. We encourage consumers to report these to the Federal Trade Commission, the nation's consumer protection agency, collects complaints about companies, business practices, and identity theft. Complaints can be filed at: https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/

Not a Scam Best Prostate Label Change

We are aware that some companies find it necessary to market their prostate supplement by confusing the consumer with false claims of fraud and scam alerts. Not very professional nor ethical. This addresses the labelling of our product Best Prostate and the rational of why the label was changed.

You may notice that along time ago we changed our % daily value of Selenium from DRI (Dietary Reference Intakes), established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, 1997-2001, which replace previous RDAs, to RDI (Reference Daily Intake), which is the value established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The RDI was based initially on the highest 1968 Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for each nutrient, to assure that needs were met for all age groups. The % daily value was changed from 50% to 21.4% The 15 mcg Selenium content in Best Prostate has not changed in any way.

Initially we produced Best Prostate™ with the soybean based Vegapure®. When we discovered that US-sourced beta-sitosterol was pre-dominantly genetically modified (GMO) we ceased production and transitioned to Vegapure® FTE (non-GMO) however still soybean based. Our competitors claim that we have never procured or used the Vegapure® FTE product line from Cognis. This allegation is a lie and untrue. Cognis actually contacted our competitor with a Cease and Desist letter dated November 5, 2009 due to flagrant violation of their trademark(s) and claims. We learned that the Vegapure® FTE had to be imported from Germany due to the fact that most soybean products produced in the US were genetically modified. Despite this fact we felt that the benefit of a non-GMO product was in our customers best interest and we imported this product. Recognizing that men preferred a non-soy based product we again improved Best Prostate™ by transitioning to Vegapure® 867 G (non-GMO) derived from Pine trees. Despite increased raw material and production costs with each transition we have not passed these costs onto our customers. The decision rests with you the consumer a soy-based beta-sitosterol that is genetically modified or Best Prostate™.