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Men, Larger Is Not Always Better

July 22, 2010 by Layne Lowery

More than $62 billion a year is spent worldwide on over-the-counter painkillers, according to Psychological Science. Now scientists have discovered that popular nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—such as aspirin and ibuprofen—may be dangerous for your prostate. These drugs can reduce blood levels of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) marker doctors use to detect abnormal prostate cells.

This finding suggests that regular use of over-the-counter painkillers could reduce your chances of receiving an accurate diagnosis of prostate cancer risk. For the new study, researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York examined PSA levels of 1,319 American men—all over 40 years of age—who used NSAIDs and acetaminophen.

The researchers found that men who used NSAIDs regularly had PSA levels about 10 percent lower than men who did not use these drugs. The research group said this finding suggests that regular NSAID consumption may reduce serum PSA levels. But they remain unsure how this could impact the development of prostate cancer. Study results were published in the American Cancer Society journal Cancer.

How do you know if your prostate health is declining? If you get up at night for frequent bathroom visits or if your urine stream is often reduced to a few drops or dribbles then you may be seeing the early signs of a dangerous condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

What is BPH? It is a condition that causes an enlarged prostate.

Your prostate—which is located directly under the bladder and in front of the rectum—should be the size and shape of a walnut. It creates the milky fluid in semen, moistens the lining of the urethra—the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body—and protects sperm from the acidic environment of the vagina and cervix.

By the time men reach the age of 40 their bodies begin producing more of an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. This enzyme triggers the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestoterone (DHT).

Over time this causes the prostate to grow to the size of plum, then a lemon and finally… if left unchecked… to the size of a grapefruit. When this happens your swelling prostate puts pressure on your urethra. The more your prostate grows the more problems you begin to have with your urinary functions.

Besides frequent bathroom visits and weak urine stream, other symptoms of BPH include a burning sensation in your groin area… interrupted sleep that drains your energy the next day… pain in your lower back and hips… and low sex drive and soft erections.

Research shows that the berries from the saw palmetto plant can help maintain healthy urine flow and reduce an enlarged prostate. This herb can even help prevent male pattern baldness, under active bladder and acne. What’s more, it may even be useful in preventing abnormal cell growth that leads to prostate cancer.

So how does this nutrient work? Saw palmetto helps prevent testosterone from changing to the harmful form of the hormone DHT. It also blocks the effects of certain hormone receptors—which can halt abnormal cell growth.

All this comes without the side effects from many traditional treatments, including loss of libido. In a double-blind trial known as the Saw Palmetto Treatment of Enlarged Prostates (STEP), tests performed on 225 men with moderate-to-severe symptoms of BPH showed no lasting side effects from the saw palmetto supplements.

Other helpful nutrients that have been shown to improve the health of your prostate include:

Beta sitosterol—this nutrient can improve your urine flow, reduce prostate size and decrease your visits to the bathroom.
Selenium—this mineral helps protect your cells from abnormal growth by causing them to die off—a process called apoptosis.
Lycopene—this antioxidant has been scientifically shown to help lower your chances of developing prostate cancer by attacking the free radicals that cause abnormal cell growth.
Pumpkin seeds—these nutritious seeds can help stimulate the muscles you need during ejaculation and help reduce inflammation of the prostate glands.
Red clover—this flowering herb can help relieve prostate enlargement and also boosts liver, kidney, spleen and bowel functions.
Nettle—this nutrient has been shown to regulate the effects of swollen prostate.
Pygeum africanum—This unique herb has been used for thousands of years for urinary health and can regulate inflammation in the prostate gland, promote urination and clear out any cholesterol deposits in the area.

If left alone, BPH can often lead to abnormal cell growth, which is the main cause of prostate cancer. My recommended supplement for prostate health is Pros-Food™ from Health Resources™. It is available by clicking here.

–Layne Lowery