Contrary to popular wisdom, prostate difficulties need not be an inevitable part aging. Yet, if one looks at the statistics for the benign or malignant enlargement this life-giving male gland, one might come to that conclusion. By age 50, 20% of American men have an enlarge prostate; by 70, it's 50%; and by 80, over 80%.

That's the bad news. The good news is that prostate problems can be prevented in most cases through a healthy lifestyle which features a low-fat, nutrient-rich diet. Just as breast cancer is rare in countries where plates are filled with vegetables and whole grains rather than meat and dairy products, so too prostate problems are uncommon in non-western cultures.

Nutrition and growth

The prostate gland is about the size of a grain of wheat at birth and reaches mature chestnut size 20 years later. Then, as the male hormone testosterone begins to decline at about age 40, its growth spurt begins once again. How fast it enlarges and how seriously the enlargement, affects the flow of urine may well depend on the nutritional status of the individual.

The symptoms of an enlarged prostate can range from annoying (frequent nocturnal urges to urinate, dribbling, etc.) to serious and possibly life-threatening. The chronic failure of the bladder to fully empty can result in cystitis or inflammation of the bladder. This is in turn can cause an inflammation of the kidneys.

Conventional medicine offers die options of surgery and pharmaceutical drug therapy. Proscar, a new drug on the market, was dubbed "not impressive" by an editorial in the October 22, 1992 New England Journal of Medicine. Four hundred thousand prostate surgeries are performed annually; of these, about 20% will eventually need another resection.

Safe herbal remedy

However, there are many natural alternatives to try that carry no unpleasant side effects, are much less expensive, and improve overall health as they tone up the male reproductive system. Saw palmetto berries (Serenoa repens), a PAGE 76 Health News & Review, March 22, 1993

native American remedy which has been extensively studied in Europe, has been successfully prescribed by many doctors.

In his new book Herbal Tonic Therapies (Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, CT), herbalist Daniel Mowrey, Ph.D. summarizes research that shows that saw palmetto "dramatically reduces the size of the enlarged prostate and restores function."

In one double-blind, placebo-controlled study (J. Steroid Biochem. 20, 1984), saw palmetto was given to 110 patients suffering from benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Writes Dr. Mowrey: "The frequency of nocturnal urination decreased by over 45%, the rate of flow increased by over 50%, and the residual urine decreased by 42%. Those patients receiving the placebo experienced no significant change." Dr. Mowrey also cites a large body of research on the effectiveness of pygeum, which is derived from the bark of a tropical African evergreen tree.

Increased libido

Lendon Smith, M.D. author of Happiness Is a Healthy Life (Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, CT) explains that saw palmetto "inhibits the conversion of testosterone to the more potent dihydrotestosterone, thus slowing prostate cellular reproduction." According to Dr. Smith, this shrinkage "will reduce nocturia from five times a night to none or one." An added bonus may be an increase in male libido, quite the opposite result of Proscar, which in some cases causes impotence or decreased libido.

Prostate problems may also signal an increased need for zinc. Probably the most important nutrient for the overall health of the male reproductive system, zinc is stored in only two places: the retina and the prostate. Vitamin E and the essential fatty acids (EFA) are also crucial to a healthy prostate. All of these important nutrients can be found in whole grains, seeds and nuts. The best snack for men is raw pumpkin seeds, rich in both zinc and important oils. Eat a handful a day to keep the doctor away!

Copyright 1993 Information Access Company, a Thomson Corporation Company

ASAP Copyright 1993 Keats Publishing Inc. Health News & Review

SECTION: Vol. 3 ; No. 2 ; Pg. C; ISSN: 1056-1900

LENGTH: 663 words