The Prostate Gland, BPH, & Prostate Control™
The prostate gland is a small organ located at the base of the urinary bladder behind the pubic bone and in front of the rectum. It encircles the urethra, the tube that takes the urine from the bladder outside the body. Normally, the prostate is about the size of a walnut. Its main functions are sexual and reproductive. It produces most of the fluids that go into semen including the substances that nourish and transport the sperm and keeps the sperm from sticking together. It also promotes a healthy flow through the urethra.
As men get older, they go through Andropause, the male form of menopause and the prostate enlarges. Enlargement of the prostate is called BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia). BPH is a nonmalignant enlargement. It is not cancerous.
There are 2 types of BPH symptoms:
- Obstructive symptoms (these usually require surgery, laser treatment, stents, or microwave therapy or drugs to reduce symptoms)
- Weak urinary stream and urine dribbling
- Hesitancy- difficulty in starting to urinate
- Incomplete bladder emptying
- Abdominal straining
- Irritative symptoms (enlarged prostate presses on the urethra)
- A need to urinate frequently, especially at night
- Wetting accidents
- Pain or burning with urination & blood in urine or semen
- Painful ejaculation
BPH can lead to irritative lower urinary tract symptoms (General pain in the lower back, hips or upper thighs) (Prostatitis- incomplete bladder emptying). (SEE NOTE #1, #2, #3)
NOTE #1 Men can also get UTIs from a urethral obstruction or a kidney stone obstruction, from a sexually transmitted disease, or from a congenital defect requiring surgical correction. Sometimes a man may not know he has any obstruction until he suddenly finds himself unable to urinate at all. This condition, called acute urinary retention, may be triggered by taking over-the-counter cold or allergy medicines. Such medicines contain a decongestant drug, known as a sympathomimetic. A potential side effect of this drug may be to prevent the bladder opening from relaxing and allowing urine to empty. When partial obstruction is present, urinary retention can be brought on by alcohol, cold temperatures, or a long period of immobility.
NOTE #2 Severe BPH can cause serious problems over time. Urine Retention (not fully emptying the bladder) and strain on the bladder can lead to urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney damage, bladder stones, and incontinence.
NOTE #3 Males are also protected from UTIs from secretions from the prostate gland that retard the growth of bacteria. A healthy prostate gland is one of the best defenses against UTIs in men. An enlarged prostate (BPH) can result in a UTI. Men develop UTIs as they become older because BPH will slow the flow or urine. Men also can't fully empty their bladders as a result of BPH enlargement. This urine can't remain sterile when it remains in the bladder for long periods of time and the prostate could become infected (prostatitis) which could require long term treatment. These infections are hard to cure and even antibiotics are unable to penetrate infected prostate tissue effectively. In older men, urinary retention of a liter or more is very serious and has to be drained with a catheter. The BPH must be treated to relieve lower urinary tract symptoms in the bladder, otherwise an overwhelming bacterial infection in the bladder, called Urosepsis will spread from the bladder into the bloodstream and could be fatal.
Prostate Control™ relieves these irritable symptoms with:
- Green Tea (EGCG)
- Pomegranate Extract, Tomato Lycopene
- Selenium, Zinc & Copper
THESE HERBS RELIEVE THE SYMPTOMS WHICH COULD RETURN AS SOON AS YOU STOP TAKING THEM SO THE ADDITIONAL HERBS IN PROSTATE CONTROL HELP TO INSURE THAT THE PROSTATE DOESN'T ENLARGE AGAIN AND BRING BACK ALL THE SYMPTOMS. BECAUSE OF THIS YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PROSTATE ENLARGES.
The male hormone, Testosterone, in the prostate is converted to Dihydrotestosterone, DHT, which causes prostate cell multiplication. The more DHT, the more it enlarges the prostate.
Testosterone in the prostate also converts to the female hormone Estrogen, which, in large amounts in the body, enlarges the prostate.
The enlarged prostate with its BPH symptoms must be treated to relieve the lower urinary tract. If the DHT and Estrogen levels are left untreated, a certain percentage of these cases will lead to prostate cancer.
Prostate Control™ HELPS PREVENT THE CONVERSION IN THE PROSTATE FROM TESTOSTERONE TO DHT and ESTROGEN, AND HELPS BREAKDOWN AND REDUCE THE DHT and ESTROGEN LEVELS ALREADY IN THE PROSTATE SO THE BODY MAINTAINS A HEALTHY LEVEL OF BOTH DHT and ESTROGEN.
PROSTATE CONTROL™ DOES THIS WITH THE FOLLOWING HERBS:
- Pygenum africanum
- Saw palmetto
As a result a healthier prostate then allows a reduction in frequency and urgency and a good night's sleep. Also, by reducing the symptoms of BPH, which are the same symptoms for prostate cancer, Prostate Control™ may lower the risk of getting prostate cancer, or, if the man already has prostate cancer, of spreading the prostate cancer to other areas of the body. Because of this similarity it is difficult to diagnose BPH or prostate cancer in the early stages. That's why approximately 40 percent of prostate cancers aren't diagnosed until they've spread beyond the prostate. Prostate cancer is one of the biggest fears of men because it may leave them incontinent or impotent.
Multiple studies have shown reduction in prostate size within 30 days
Things to Do For a Healthy Prostate
To help reduce getting the symptoms of BPH, men should:
- Get a yearly PSA blood test and a yearly digital rectum exam African Americans should have this done starting at the age of 40 because they are more prone to BPH and prostate cancer than other races. Others should have both tests performed yearly. Medicare covers both tests once a year for all men over age 50
- Take extra selenium and zinc and Vitamin D - 200mcg of selenium and 25mg of zinc daily help reduce odds of getting prostate cancer 69%
- Take Vitamin E - It can interrupt the progress of prostate cancer and the production of PSA (prostate-specific antigen). A PSA blood test above 4 usually indicates BPH or PC (prostate cancer) but the most common explanation for an elevated PSA test score is not prostate cancer, but BPH in men over 50 years old.
- Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains - especially those high in antioxidants such as pink grapefruit, watermelon, cooked tomatoes, and tomato sauce which also contain the richest source of the antioxidant lycopene rather than getting lycopene in supplemental form. Other fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants are strawberries, mangos, figs, grapes, olives, and green peppers which have lupeol in them. Lupeol intervenes in prostate cancer development and reduces PSA levels for a more correct PSA reading of prostate cancer. Green vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, rutabaga, turnips and bok choy are excellent for prostate health. Also blueberries inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells.
- Reduce animal fat and cholesterol in your diet - especially red meat.
- Alcohol - reduce or stop drinking alcohol beverages.
- Fish - The risk factors are 2-3 times more common if you don't eat fish.
- Sweets & Salt - limit them.
- Calories - Eat moderate portions and control calories. Obesity might affect levels of hormones and therefore reflect prostate cancer risks
- Folic Acid - Taking between 220-640 mcg daily of folate daily. A study of 5,158 men has shown that Folic acid will reduce the risk of developing advanced prostate cancer. Also eat leafy green vegetables every day.
- Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and flaxseeds - eat lots of them. Good for prostate health.
- Limit dairy products - Milk products are suspected of increasing the potential for prostate cancer.
- Coffee - Reduce or eliminate it. Drink green tea.
- Soybeans - Contain phytoestrogen which decrease levels of androgens (male hormones that stimulate the growth of prostate cancer). Also eat tofu, miso, and smoothies made with organic fermented soy powder.
- SEX and Exercise - Add more to your life.
Prostate Control™ consists of all natural substances that we have co- evolved with, while Prostate drugs are synthetic substances that our bodies consider foreign.
Incidence of BPH (nonmalignant enlargement of the prostate)
- BPH is found in 40% of men in their fifties.
- BPH is found in 90% of men in their eighties.
- BPH accounts for approximately 1.7 million physician office visits which results in more than 300,000 prostatectomies annually.
- One-third of all men with BPH who chose nonsurgical therapy for BPH use only natural herbs.
Medical Treatments for BPH
- DRE - Digital Rectal Exam.
- PSA - Prostate Specific Antigen Blood Test.
- Rectal Ultrasound - a probe is inserted into the rectum that directs sound waves at the prostate. The echo patterns of the sound waves form an image of the prostate gland on a display screen.
- Urine Flow Study - patient urinates into a device that measures how quickly the urine is flowing. A reduced flow suggests BPH.
- Cystoscopy - after BPH surgery, the tissue removed is routinely checked for hidden cancer cells.
CAUTION - may cause erection problems, high blood pressure, running nose, dizziness and problems with eye surgeries.
- Proscar (finasteride) - now also has label warning: “causes undesirable sexual side effects even after you've stopped taking the drug, including decreased libido, and poor semen quality.”
Specific Warning Signs of Prostate Trouble
- Urinary changes: Increased frequency, especially at night
- Slow or weak stream
- Pain or burning when urinating
- Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet
- Pain in hips, back, or chest
- Blood in the urine
- Erection problems
- Painful ejaculation
Newest prostate cancer detection method
Dogs can be trained to sniff out evidence of prostate cancer in human urine with 98% accuracy by detecting organic chemicals that are released into urine by prostate cancers according to the American Urological Association in Orlando, Florida.Risk factors and Warning Signs for Prostate Cancer
If you have these characteristics, your risk of getting prostate cancer is higher than if you had none of these characteristics.
- Age - being older than 50 and having biopsies which could lead to unnecessary treatment
- Race - African-American men are at increased risk
- Genetics - Risk is higher if any family members have BPH
- Prostate Prescription Drugs - can increase your risk for prostate cancer
- Estrogen - Too much estrogen can cause a chronically enlarged prostate
- Iodine Deficiency - Know your iodine levels and avoid bromines whenever possible but do get iodine levels checked
- Over-Weight - Being overweight and the additional weight pressures on the prostate can encourage prostate problems and prostate cancer
- Unhealthy eating habits - Eat a healthy diet and replace bad fluids such as sodas and coffee with good foods and drink plenty of fresh pure water to flush toxins out of your body
Incidence of Prostate Cancer
- American men face 1 in 6 risk of Prostate Cancer
- Men age 40 to 59 - .2% will get prostate cancer
- Men age 60 & over - .12.5% will get prostate cancer
- Only 3% of all American men will die of Prostate Cancer. They may die with it, but not because of it.
Please note: A debate is currently raging over whether prostate cancer has become over-detected and over- treated, given that most men develop the cancer late in their life and end up dying of other causes. Those who are treated for prostate tumors often suffer problems such as impotence and incontinence, leading health professionals to argue that it might be better to leave prostate tumors undetected. There has been recent research that diets containing 10% tomato and 10% broccoli can reduce prostate tumor weight by as much as 50% or by approximately 40% if 10% of the diet is either just tomatoes or just broccoli.
Prostate Cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US (Lung cancer is #1)
Drugs for Prostate Cancer
- Casodex - $6000 yearly cost
- Taxotere - Attacks prostate cancer cells even beyond the prostate. Used with Prednisone will prolong life for only two and one-half months.
Alternative Medical Surgery for Prostate Cancer
- Theraseed - seed implants
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
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