Take Control of Your Health and Your Prostate by Mark Rosenberg, MD Top

The first time my patients ask me about their prostate health is when they notice they are getting up more than once in the night to urinate. If I discover that it’s not their evening liquid intake of large amounts of coffee, alcohol or soft drinks (all very good diuretics) that produce these symptoms, I will proceed with a digital rectal exam (DRE). Many times this routine examination will indicate some prostate enlargement and a PSA blood test will be necessary.

A high PSA score isn’t always bad news. It simply means that your prostate is enlarged for some reason. You could have an infection, inflammation, or a noncancerous enlargement.

In fact, according to the National Cancer Institute, about one-fifth of men in the United States are diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Yet only 3% will die of the disease. Most prostate issues are due to natural enlargement of the gland and many men live comfortably with this condition for years under a doctor’s active surveillance.

The key to the PSA number is the yearly rate of change and the velocity of change. A normal increase as we age is less than 30% per year.

Here is a list of normal age-related PSA levels (in nanograms of PSA per milliliter of blood, or ng/mL).1
Age Level
40-49 0 to 0.25
50-59 0 to 3.5
60-69 0 to 4.5
70-79 0 to 6.5


If you are headed toward an enlarged prostate, here are some diet and lifestyle tips that may help reduce your risk.

Cut down on red meat. Diets high in red meat and fat have been linked to the onset of many types of cancer and are detrimental to your overall health. Instead, eat foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids found in cold-water fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel.2

Get the flour out. Replace white flour foods with whole-grain foods such as brown rice and whole-wheat bread.

Limit your alcohol consumption. Don’t consume more than two drinks a day.
Include healthy plant oils. Make sure your diet contains phytosterols from vegetable oils (flax, corn, cottonseed, rice bran, and wheat germ), nuts (almonds, cashews, pecan, pistachio, and walnuts) and legumes (kidney beans, peas). Phytosterols have been found to aid in blocking 5-alpha reductase, the enzyme that turns regular testosterone into a potent form called DHT that causes the prostate to swell.3

Take adequate amounts of vitamin B6 and zinc. Vitamin B6 supports the absorption of zinc which is known to promote prostate health. A study by Oregon State University’s Linus Pauling Institute states, “Zinc functions as an antioxidant and is involved in many critical biochemical reactions. It also helps to protect DNA from damage and assists in its repair. Zinc is especially important in the prostate and may protect it from early damage.” 4

Take a saw palmetto supplement daily. There is scientific evidence that an extract of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) can be beneficial to prostate health.5

After I’ve examined my patients, I discuss their diet and lifestyle, even if they have no prostate problems. I recommend a healthy low-fat diet, exercise and a good supplement containing zinc, vitamin B6, saw palmetto and phytosterols.

No matter what age you are, you need to be proactive to ensure a healthy prostate in the years to come.

References
1. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/PSA.
2. http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/prostate.htm.
3. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/prostate-cancer-prevention/MC00027.
4. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/ss05/zinc.html.
5. http://www.naturescorner.com/news5_14_05.html.

[Ed. Note: Mark Rosenberg, M.D. is director of the “Institute for Anti-Aging” in South Florida. He is a highly sought-after speaker for lectures on topics such as integrative cancer therapy and anti-aging medicine. Dr. Rosenberg is avidly involved in supplement research and is nutritional consultant for VitalMax Vitamins.]

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