Friday, February 27, 2009

Prostate health

By Sam G. Simth

Sexual dysfunctions in men are often results of physical disability, especially spinal code injuries or multiple sclerosis. If you encounter these health issues, the last thing one need is to have sexual problems further aggravated by prostate disorders.

Fifty percent of men between the age of 40-59 years old and most elderly men will develop prostate disorders. Out of this, one fourth of 50-years old will have some cancerous cells.

Most common prostate disorders are 1) non cancerous enlargement of prostate 2) the most frequent male malignancy - cancer 3) inflammatory infection called prostatitis. Prostate disorders often affect urination because the gland surrounds the urethra that drains the bladder.

Testosterone declines after age 40 and a testosterone variant called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and the female-associated hormone estrogen increases. DHT stimulate cell growth and this will lead to prostate enlargement.

Food and Nutrient Supplement:

Prostate dysfunction is much more common in developed Western countries that emphasize animal-derived foods, such as red meat, dairy products and eggs. As a result, Prostate dysfunction is called a nutritional disease. Fruit and vegetable rich diets exert a positive effect.

Growing evidence suggest that milk may be bad for the prostate. The culprit appears to be calcium in the milk. Excessive calcium intake, regardless of the source, apparently suppresses the synthesis of a form of vitamin D that inhibits prostate cancer.

Some studies have shown that men who consume tomatoes or tomato based foods, watermelon, guavas and pink grapefruit are less likely to get prostate cancer. This because these foods contain a powerful antioxidant agent called lycopene that gives them their characteristic red color.

The sugar in fruit that is used to sweeten many foods, known as fructose, is also prostate protecting food. Fructose stimulates the production of a vitamin D form that inhibits tumors.

Several trace nutrients that are often deficient in our diet also enhance prostate health. For example, a lack of zinc especially affects the prostate because this gland uses it much more than any other body part. Zinc supplementation can reduce prostate enlargement.

Intake of selenium rich foods or supplements has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

Other nutritional factors that may inhibit prostate cancer include vitamin D; vitamin E, an antioxidant that inhibits cancer growth; soy-based foods, which contain the cancer-inhibiting agent genistein; and garlic, which possess cancer-fighting, sulfur-containing compounds.

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