Protecting your prostate

[Michaelangelica]

Beer protects your prostate

Fromhttp://www.abc.net.au/science/news/health/HealthRepublish_1661861.htm

Tuesday, 13 June 2006

 

cheers!

 

The good news is that beer may prevent prostate cancer. The bad news is that you'll destroy your liver if you drink enough to have any effect (Image: iStockphoto)

 

One of the main ingredients in beer appears to thwart prostate cancer, according to findings released by US researchers.

 

But you would have to quaff more than 17 pints to imbibe a medically effective dose of xanthohumol, the apparently cancer-fighting antioxidant found in hops, says researcher Emily Ho.

 

"From my studies, you would have to drink an awful lot of beer," says Ho, assistant professor of health and human science at Oregon State University

[Michaelangelica]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?tmpl=NoSidebarfile&db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=16192356&dopt=Abstract

--

 

 

1: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2005 Oct 11;102(41):14813-8. Epub 2005

Sep 28. Related Articles, Links

 

Pomegranate fruit juice for chemoprevention and chemotherapy of

prostate cancer.

 

Malik A, Afaq F, Sarfaraz S, Adhami VM, Syed DN, Mukhtar H.

 

Department of Dermatology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

 

Prostate cancer is the most common invasive malignancy and the

second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among U.S. males, with a

similar trend in many Western countries. One approach to control this

malignancy is its prevention through the use of agents present in diet

consumed by humans. Pomegranate from the tree Punica granatum

possesses strong antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties. We

recently showed that pomegranate fruit extract (PFE) possesses

remarkable antitumor-promoting effects in mouse skin. In this study,

employing human prostate cancer cells, we evaluated the

antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties of PFE. PFE (10-100

microg/ml; 48 h) treatment of highly aggressive human prostate cancer

PC3 cells resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth/cell

viability and induction of apoptosis. Immunoblot analysis revealed

that PFE treatment of PC3 cells resulted in (i) induction of Bax and

Bak (proapoptotic); (ii) down-regulation of Bcl-X(L) and Bcl-2

(antiapoptotic); (iii) induction of WAF1/p21 and KIP1/p27; (iv) a

decrease in cyclins D1, D2, and E; and (v) a decrease in

cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) 2, cdk4, and cdk6 expression. These data

establish the involvement of the cyclin kinase inhibitor-cyclin-cdk

network during the antiproliferative effects of PFE. Oral

administration of PFE (0.1% and 0.2%, wt/vol) to athymic nude mice

implanted with androgen-sensitive CWR22Rnu1 cells resulted in a

significant inhibition in tumor growth concomitant with a significant

decrease in serum prostate-specific antigen levels. We suggest that

pomegranate juice may have cancer-chemopreventive as well as

cancer-chemotherapeutic effects against prostate cancer in humans.

 

PMID: 16192356 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[Michaelangelica]

Some interesting new research:

 

Very Hot chillies help prostrate cancer in vitro and in animal studies

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4805190.stm

 

Ignore the stuff on chillies causing stomach cancer, It’s rubbish.

 

“Dr Soren Lehmann, who led the study, said: "Capsaicin had a profound anti-proliferative effect on human prostate cancer cells in culture.

 

"It also dramatically slowed the development of prostate tumours."

[Michaelangelica]

This is an interesting ethnobotanical interview about an Australian "de-tox" & anti-cancer plant.

http://www.abc.net.au/centralqld/stories/s1129664.htm

 

Gumbi Gumbi/cumbi cumbi AKA Berrigan, bitter bush, butter bush, cattle bush, cheesewood, locketbush, meemei, native apricot, native willow, poison berry tree, snotty gobbles, western pittosporum.

Botanical name is pittosporum phylliraeoides.

 

Picture?

http://www.alicesprings.nt.gov.au/council/services/plants.asp?id=120

[Michaelangelica]

Phytotherapeutics to Quench Excessive

Testosterone Function

http://www.douglaslabs.com/pdf/nutrinews/Endocrine%20Dysfunctions.pdf

Androgen excess, affecting up to 10% of women, places

these women at great risk for insulin resistance, diabetes,

dyslipidemias, cancers and cardiovascular disease.95,96

Phytoantiandrogens are a class of phyto-compounds that

decrease tissue sensitivity to androgens or decrease

androgen activity, often through 5-alpha-reductase

inhibition, which decreases conversion of testosterone to the

more androgenic dihydrotestosterone.

These actions are most likely due to the presence of free fatty acids such as

palmitic-acid and stearic-acid as well as the phytosterol

beta-sitosterol, all of which have 5-alpha-reductase

inhibiting activity.97,98,99

These three constituents are present

in Serenoa repens, Ocimum sanctum and Trigonella

foenum-graecum. Palmetic acid is also an active component

within Foeniculum vulgare and Urtica dioca. Foeniculum

vulgare and Pygeum africanum also contain betasitosterol.

98,99 Some phytoantiandrogens also have

antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, and antiinflammatory

properties, all of which greatly benefit women

with hyperandrogenism.

Saw Palmetto's (Serenoa repens) antiandrogenic

properties are attributed to inhibitory affects on 5-alphareductase

due to a high content in the free fatty acids and

beta-sitosterol.100,101 Anti-inflammatory properties have also

been noted in Serenoa repens.102

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), traditionally considered an

anti-androgen, has demonstrable anti-hirsutism and antiinflammatory

properties103,104 in part due to palmitic acid

and beta-sitosterol. The anti-androgen properties of

Nettles(Urtica dioica) may be due to palmitic acid, as well as other

free fatty acids such as oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic

acid.98,99 Antihyperglycemic and anti-inflmmatory effects

have also been demonstrated for Urtica dioica.105,106,107

Holy Basil (Ocimum sanctum) displays significant antiandrogenic

affect in androgen responsive tissues, an effect

that was reversible and returned to normal two weeks after

the withdrawal of treatment.108,109

Sedative properties have

also been identified in Ocimum sanctum, an adaptogen in

Ayurvedic medicine which demonstrates antistressor

properties to adverse stimuli as well as toxic

substances.110,111,112 Anti-inflammatory, antihyperglycemic

and antihyperlipidemic action have also been documented

in Holy Basil.113-118

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) has antiandrogen

activities, due to beta-sitosterol, palmitic-acid

and stearic-acid, and also has the ability to lower total

cholesterol, LDL, VLDL cholesterol and triglycerides

significantly.119-122 The anti-hyperglycemic and antiinflammatory

properties noted in fenugreek are of

additional benefit.123,124

The anti-androgen properties of Pygeum (Pygeum

africanum) may be due to beta-sitosterol and other sterols

that suppress the effects of dihydrotestosterone.99,125 Antiinflammatory

properties have also been documented in

Pygeum.

 

reply from urologist:

 

Serenoa repens is the botanic name for Saw Palmetto isn't it? The 5 alpha-reductase antagonism may explain its activity. There is a minor typo, it should be dihydroxytestosterone. We're using Saw Palmetto and Trinovin as well as epilobium in men already. Maybe we should be in some women.

[Dark Mind]

Bleh...

 

Too much reading all at once, and that second post was so dry... I don't know what 9/10 of that stuff is!

Immunoblot analysis revealed

that PFE treatment of PC3 cells resulted in (i) induction of Bax and

Bak (proapoptotic); (ii) down-regulation of Bcl-X(L) and Bcl-2

(antiapoptotic); (iii) induction of WAF1/p21 and KIP1/p27; (iv) a

decrease in cyclins D1, D2, and E; and (v) a decrease in

cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) 2, cdk4, and cdk6 expression.

What does that mean?? :confused:

 

I recommend posting a brief section of the article and a link to the rest if one wishes to continue it, unless you can help explain what stuff like "Androgen" (Mentioned in post 5, and seems to be the main topic jointly with testosterone... But I have no clue what "androgen" is...) is for those of us ignorant to such knowledge.

 

About the only things I got were that in order to save your prostate, your gonna have to drink enough beer to ruin your kidney, pomegranate juice consumed by nude mice fights off human prostate cancer cells introduced into the mouse, and "very hot" chili peppers ward off cancer cells as well as not causing stomach cancer...

[Jay-qu]

Beer protects your prostate

 

nuff said. Drink up :confused: :beer:

 

:hihi:

[Michaelangelica]

But I have no clue what "androgen" is...) is for those of us ignorant to such knowledge.

About the only things I got were that in order to save your prostate, your gonna have to drink enough beer to ruin your kidney, pomegranate juice consumed by nude mice fights off human prostate cancer cells introduced into the mouse, and "very hot" chili peppers ward off cancer cells as well as not causing stomach cancer...

 

Yeah you're right.

I'm doing a hydrogenbond

I really wanted to post the article about beer but had the others on file so let rip with them too.

The one on the Aussie plant is interesting try that.

Docs get worried about herbs that encourage testosterone production "androgens".

Androgen seem to promote prostate cancer, I think?

Androgen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

 

Androgen is the generic term for any natural or synthetic compound, usually a steroid hormone, that stimulates or controls the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics in vertebrates by binding to androgen receptors.

This includes the activity of the accessory male sex organs and development of male secondary sex characteristics.

Androgens, which were first discovered in 1936, are also called androgenic hormones or testoids.

Androgens are also the original anabolic steroids. They are also the precursor of all estrogens, the female sex hormones.

The primary and most well-known androgen is testosterone.

[Michaelangelica]

I forgot about all you youngans out there

OK how about Pumpkin seed?

Pumpkin soup is great. especially" Queensland Blue"

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/41/97.cfm

 

Prostate Enlargement

 

The prostate is a small gland that only men have. It sits just above the rectum and provides a good deal of the fluid in semen. Unlike most body parts, the prostate gland grows larger as men age, a condition known as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). By age 40, 10 percent of men have some degree of prostate enlargement. But at age 50, the figure is 50 percent, and it keeps increasing as the years pass. Why is this cause for concern?

 

The male urethra, the tube through which urine passes, is encircled by the prostate gland. As the prostate grows larger, it pinches the urethra, causing BPH symptoms. It becomes harder to urinate forcefully, and men with BPH have difficulty emptying the bladder completely. The hallmark symptom is having to get up at night to urinate.

 

Throwing Down the Gauntlet

 

I'm betting my own prostate gland that herbal treatments work better than the most commonly prescribed drugs or surgery for controlling BPH, also called noncancerous prostate enlargement.

 

The prescription drugs finasteride (Proscar) and terazosin (Hytrin) have become big moneymakers because they are the only pharmaceuticals that are approved to prevent prostatic proliferation, the growth of new prostate cells that causes BPH in men over 50.

 

I announced my intentions to challenge Proscar with the herbal alternatives, saw palmetto, licorice and pumpkin seeds, in the early 1990s, shortly after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug. I did it publicly at a conference in front of dozens of officials from the FDA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). I wanted all of the "magic bullet" proponents to see that not everyone thought that a prescription drug was the best answer for BPH.

 

I publicly bet my prostate gland that my mixture of saw palmetto, licorice and pumpkin seeds, which I blend into something I call Prosnut Butter (see page 370), would do the same thing that Proscar does. I also declared that it was cheaper and probably safer.

 

The other reason that I bet my prostate in public was that I wanted to make some progress toward fulfilling my life's ambition, which is getting the FDA to make the drug companies test their new synthetic drugs not only against an inactive substance (a placebo) but also against any known or suspected herbal alternative.

 

If the synthetic proves to be better than the placebo and the herbs, then, fine, approve the drug. But if the herbs prove to be better, or even reasonably close in effectiveness, then both should be approved. To recoup its investment in the research, the pharmaceutical firm could get some marketing privileges for the processed herb extract as well as its new synthetic. This way, people could have a choice between the pharmaceutical, which is always much more expensive, and the herbal alternative, which is always cheaper.

 

A year's supply of Proscar costs about $800. A year's supply of saw palmetto and licorice would be only a small fraction of that, and if you stocked up on pumpkin seeds around Halloween, you could get them dirt cheap, possibly even for free.

 

Until Proscar and Hytrin came along, the only medically recognized treatment for BPH was surgery. One procedure is known as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). TURP is the most common operation performed on men over 65. During a TURP, the urologist threads an instrument up the urethra and cuts away part of the prostate gland to enlarge the opening for the urethra, thus easing urine flow. TURP generally works well, but it is expensive and carries the usual risks of surgery, and recovery takes a week or two.

 

Proscar and Hytrin have been widely hailed as alternatives because they're cheaper and less traumatic than surgery. But herbs are cheaper still.

 

Herbs on Trial

 

The drugs keep prostate cells from proliferating by preventing the gland from converting the male sex hormone testosterone into a related compound, dihydrotestosterone, that stimulates prostate cell proliferation.

 

While the drugs do indeed prevent this process from occurring, the natural alternatives that I mentioned work at least as well. In fact, in my opinion, and in the opinions of many naturopathic physicians, the herbs work a whole lot better.

 

Proscar, especially, has definite drawbacks. Most men must take it for at least six months before any significant improvement becomes apparent. And it doesn't work for everyone. Fewer than half of men taking Proscar experience significant clinical improvement even after one year.

 

Proscar also has some disturbing side effects, among them decreased libido, ejaculatory problems and erection loss. In contrast, herbs like saw palmetto,licorice and pumpkin seeds are not reported to cause any of these problems.

 

Green Pharmacy for Prostate Enlargement

 

Here are the details about the herbs that I can say without reservation provide the best results.

 

PH_GP_3leaves Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra). Licorice contains a compound that prevents the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Taking very large doses of licorice for a long period of time can produce headache, lethargy, sodium and water retention, excessive loss of potassium and high blood pressure. Some 25 cases have been documented in the world medical literature, and the people who developed problems ate two to four ounces of reallicorice candy a day for years.

 

I doubt that the licorice extract in my Prosnut Butter would cause any problems. I've personally experienced no symptoms. But if you try the herbal approach to BPH, be alert to any symptoms and cu t down drastically on yourlicorice intake if you experience them.

 

PH_GP_3leaves Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo). Pumpkin seeds were the traditional treatment for BPH in Bulgaria, Turkey and the Ukraine. The recommendation was a handful of seeds a day throughout adulthood.

 

The fatty oil in pumpkin seeds is a powerful diuretic, a fact that has caused some nay-sayers to assert that any increased urine flow has nothing

to do with relief from BPH. Pumpkin seeds, however, also contain chemicals called cucurbitacins that appear to prevent some transformation of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone.

 

In addition, pumpkin seeds can contain as much as eight milligrams of zinc per half-cup serving. Naturopaths Joseph Pizzorno, N.D., president of Bastyr University in Seattle, and Michael Murray, N.D, co-authors of A Textbook of Natural Medicine, suggest taking 60 milligrams of zinc per day for treating BPH. (This is much more than the Daily Value, so be sure to check with a doctor before you begin taking this muchzinc.)

 

Zinc has been shown to reduce the size of the prostate, presumably by inhibiting the conversion process mentioned earlier. Pumpkin seeds are also high in certainAmino acids--alanine, glycine and glutamic acid. Dr. Murray and Dr. Pizzorno report that in a study of 45 men who were given supplements of these Amino acids (200 milligrams of each) every day, the regimen significantly relieved BPH symptoms.

 

A half-cup serving of pumpkin seeds can have 1,150 to 1,245 milligrams of alanine, 1,800 to 1,930 milligrams of glycine and 4,315 to 4,635 milligrams of glutamic acid. That's anywhere from 5 to 20 times the doctors' daily recommendation.

 

For all of these reasons, plus good flavor, I stress a good quantity of pumpkin seeds in Prosnut Butter.

 

There are some other seeds that contain these beneficial Amino acids. Buffalo gourd seeds contain generous amounts of all three, peanuts and sesame seeds are high in glycine, and almonds, butternuts and peanuts are high in glutamic acid.

 

5 PUMP Pumpkin

 

This orange fruit is more than a Halloween prop: Its seeds contain a substance that can help relieve prostate problems.

 

PH_GP_3leaves Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens). Shortly after Proscar was approved by the FDA, the agency banned all nonprescription drugs for BPH. The ban was imposed for two reasons, according to Varro Tyler, Ph.D., dean and professor emeritus of pharmacognosy (natural product pharmacy) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. First, the FDA said that no credible evidence was presented to show that any over-the-counter (OTC) products were effective. Second, the agency expressed the view that people who used the OTCs might delay getting proper medical treatment as their condition worsened.

 

"What the FDA overlooked," says Dr. Tyler, "was the considerable evidence in Western Europe that certain phytomedicinals (plant-based medicines) are effective in treating BPH and that people using them experience an appreciable increase in their comfort level. Perhaps the most popular of these is saw palmetto. . . . The beneficial effects include increased urinary flow, reduced residual urine and decreased frequency of urination."

 

Saw palmetto is a small palm tree that grows in the southeastern United States, particularly in Florida around the Everglades. Seminole Indians ate the saw palmetto seed as food; perhaps they noticed that it helped urinary problems. Whites adopted it as a diuretic to help flush excess water from the body, and over time it came to be used for BPH.

 

It works because it contains a compound that inhibits the action of the enzyme (testosterone-5-alpha-reductase) that turns testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. Preventing this transformation of testosterone is also the way Proscar works, butsaw palmetto does the job in a different and apparently more effective way.

 

To date, a half-dozen well-designed studies have shown the effectiveness of saw palmetto. In one study, a clinical trial involving more than 2,000 Germans with BPH, a daily dose of one to two grams of saw palmetto seeds (or 320 milligrams of its hexane extract) produced substantial easing of BPH symptoms.

 

Prosnut Butter

 

Do you like peanut butter and crackers? Do you think maybe you could munch a few every day as a snack? If your answer is yes, then you might even enjoy this "medicine" for benign prostate enlargement (BPH).

 

The three ingredients in this nutty spread, pumpkin seeds, saw palmetto and licorice, have all been shown to help prevent and relieve BPH.

 

To make the spread, place a half-cup or so of fresh pumpkin seeds in a blender or food processor. Open one saw palmetto capsule and pour in the contents, then add a few drops of licorice extract and blend until smooth. (You can add a few drops of Brazil nut oil if you need to make the mixture a little more spreadable.) All of these ingredients are available in most health food stores.

 

Use Prosnut Butter like peanut butter, eating a couple of tablespoonfuls every day. You can eat it on crackers or on bread, if you prefer, or try it with a little jelly. Since you want the ingredients to be fresh, don't mix up a big batch at once. Make just enough to last a couple of days.

 

PH_GP_2leaves Pygeum (Pygeum africanum). In one study, German researchers gave either pygeum or a placebo to 250 men with BPH. In the placebo group, 31 percent reported improvement, a typical response rate for a placebo. In thepygeum group, the figure was 66 percent.

 

The recommended dose is 50 milligrams of bark extract twice a day. Depending on the method and concentration of the extract, this could represent a gram or a kilogram of bark. Although the extracts are still available in health food stores, they are made from a species that could be endangered by overharvesting. So you might want to try the other alternatives listed in this chapter before resorting to this one.

 

PH_GP_2leaves stinging nettle (Urtica dioica). According to the results of another study, extracts of stinging nettle roots have successfully treated BPH. Researchers gave a few teaspoons of the extract daily to 67 men over age 60 with BPH and found that the herb significantly reduced their need to get up at night to urinate. The herb apparently has some inhibitory effect on the conversion of testosterone. German medical herbalists recommend two to three teaspoons of extract a day to treat BPH.

[Michaelangelica]

Prostate Cancer Risks Rise With Shift Work - Workers who routinely shift their hours from night work to day work quadruple their risks of getting prostate cancer.

http://www.mercola.com/2006/oct/7/prostate_cancer_risks_rise_with_shift_work.htm

[Boerseun]

Lotsa hot chillies and lotsa beer?

 

Seems like I'm safe, then...

[Michaelangelica]

Cellular Pathway Identified That Makes Prostate Cancer Fatal

 

ScienceDaily (Dec. 1, 2007) — Expanding evidence that tiny strands of RNA – called microRNAs – play big roles in the progress of some cancers, UC Davis researchers have identified one that helps jump start prostate cancer cell growth midway through the disease process,

. . .

Androgens, such as testosterone, are known to promote tumor growth. While androgen suppression treatments slow the progress of prostate cancer, they do not cure it.

 

“One of the most confounding things about prostate cancer is that after a period of success with androgen suppression therapy, the cancer starts to thrive again,” deVere White explained. “That’s when the disease becomes fatal. This particular microRNA supports the ability of prostate cancer cells to exist and grow in its androgen-independent state. And we currently have no effective treatments for the androgen-independent state of the disease.”

 

Now having identified a cellular link between the two phases of prostate cancer, . . .

Besides skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in American men. It is estimated that 218,890 men in the United States will be diagnosed with and 27,000 men will die of prostate cancer in 2007.

Cellular Pathway Identified That Makes Prostate Cancer Fatal

 

Related Stories

Soy Extract Reduces Prostate Cancer Growth In Mice, Cell Culture, UD Davis Study Finds (Jun. 4, 2001) — Studies performed by researchers at the UC Davis Cancer Center showed that genistein, a chemical found in soy, slowed prostate cancer growth in mice and caused prostate cancer cells to ... > read more

Popular Prostate Cancer Treatment May Encourage Spread Of Cancer, Study Suggests (Oct. 2, 2007) — A popular prostate cancer treatment called androgen deprivation therapy may encourage prostate cancer cells to produce a protein that makes them more likely to spread throughout the body, a new study ... > read more

Researchers Find Genetic Link To Prostate Cancer (Oct. 15, 2003) — Some men may be more prone to prostate cancer because a variation in a specific gene makes them more susceptible to the harmful effects of cancer-causing agents, a new study shows. The results of the ... > read more

Heavy Multivitamin Use May Be Linked To Advanced Prostate Cancer (May 16, 2007) — While regular multivitamin use is not linked with early or localized prostate cancer, taking too many multivitamins may be associated with an increased risk for advanced or fatal prostate cancers, ... > read more

Tomato Sauce May Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk (Dec. 24, 2001) — The adage "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" may be facing stiff competition from tomatoes. Recent research at the University of Illinois at Chicago suggests that lycopene, an antioxidant ... > read more

[questor]

While some these food theories may help or delay prostate cancer, don't let that stand in your way of having yearly prostate exams and a PSA test. If you are a man, the statistics show you WILL have prostate cancer if you live long enough. If you do and it metastisizes to your bone, it's a painful death. Do your checkups and eat a varied diet.

[Queso]

Prostate massage is also very good for you but this tends to gross some guys out.

[Michaelangelica]

A VERY large study, the findings were based on data from more than 11,000 men taking part in the EPIC Heidelberg cohort.

The Vitamin You Need to Prevent Prostate Cancer

 

forgotten vitamin, vitamin K, vitamin D, K1, K2, prostate cancer, cancer, prostateIncreased intake of vitamin K2 may reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 35 percent, according to the results of European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

More than 500,000 people, world-wide, are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and it is the direct cause of over 200,000 deaths. I find it helpful to view prostate cancer as the male equivalent of breast cancer.

. . .

I do not advise using the synthetic vitamin K3, but rather the plant-based vitamin K1 (phylloquinone, a.k.a. phytonadione) and bacterially produced vitamin K2 (menaquinone).

The Vitamin You Need to Prevent Prostate Cancer - Articles

Plants Containing PHYLLOQUINONE

Ordered by quantity

 

Species Part Quantity Reference

Vaccinium corymbosum L. -- Blueberry Fruit 300 ppm DUKE1992A

List of plants containing PHYLLOQUINONE

http://sun.ars-grin.gov:8080/npgspub/xsql/duke/chemdisp.xsql

[Monomer]

Lotsa hot chillies and lotsa beer?

 

Seems like I'm safe, then...

 

Better throw in some frequent sex too...

 

Frequent sexual intercourse and masturbation protects men against a common form of cancer, suggests the largest study of the issue to date yet.

 

The US study, which followed nearly 30,000 men over eight years, showed that those that ejaculated most frequently were significantly less likely to get prostate cancer.

 

Men of different ages varied in how often they ejaculated, so the team used a lifetime average for comparisons. Compared to the reference group who ejaculated four to seven times a month, "each increase of three ejaculations per week was associated with a 15 per cent decrease in the risk of prostate cancer", says Leitzmann.

 

"More than 12 ejaculations per month would start conferring the benefit - on average every second day or so," he says.

 

Leitzmann and Giles both agree that there are biologically plausible ways that ejaculating frequently might prevent prostate cancer.

 

"Increased ejaculation may allow the prostate gland to clear itself of carcinogens or of materials that form a substrate for the development of carcinogens," Giles told New Scientist.

 

Another theory is that frequent drainage of prostate fluid stops tiny crystalloid microcalcifications - which have been associated with prostate cancer - from forming in the prostate duct, says Leitzmann.

 

Giles notes that neither study examines ejaculation during the teenage years - which may be a crucial factor. But he says: "Although much more research remains to be done, the take home message is that ejaculation is not harmful, and very probably protective of prostatic health - and it feels good!"

 

Frequent ejaculation may protect against cancer - 06 April 2004 - New Scientist

[Michaelangelica]

Prostate cancer research

 

Listen Now - 21072008 |Download Audio - 21072008

 

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death among men. In this programme we take a look at some recent research and talk to specialists about their latest investigations into new treatment options for the disease.

 

Show Transcript | Hide Transcript

Transcript

 

This transcript was typed from a recording of the program. The ABC cannot guarantee its complete accuracy because of the possibility of mishearing and occasional difficulty in identifying speakers.

 

 

Norman Swan: Good morning and welcome to the program. This morning on the Health Report: the prostate and men's problems. There are all sorts of new ways for urologists to core out enlarged prostates from the inside and a recent review of the evidence for these techniques - mostly using lasers - has suggested that at the moment they might not be worth the added expense.

 

Dr Rob Pickard was involved in this analysis of the research on surgery for what's called benign prostatic enlargement. He's a urologist at Newcastle University in the UK.

 

Rob Pickard: All men have a prostate gland and its function is basically to produce the seminal fluid, so obviously when men's reproductive life is over it's a little bit redundant and unfortunately that coincides with its benign enlargement. This causes symptoms such as having to wait for the urine to come, poor urine flow, urinary frequency and having to get up at night.

 

Norman Swan: There has been a controversy about the usefulness of that operation to begin with, that many of the reasons for men's lower urinary tract symptoms are not closely related to the actual size of the prostate, they may be like women, due just to ageing of the bladder and the nerves that control our urinary flow.

Health Report - 21July2008 - Prostate cancer research