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The Natural Prostate Cure
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Chapter 3: Supplements ________________________________________________________________________________
It is important to remember that constantly making better food choices is the most vital thing we can do for our health. To put it more broadly, our diet and lifestyle includes stress, smoking, drinking alcohol, exercise, drinking coffee, prescription and recreational drugs, and other such factors. Supplements are important, but very secondary to diet. You receive far, far more benefits with both diet and supplements than with diet alone. All the supplements we are going to discuss are natural, safe, and inexpensive. They have extensive published clinical studies behind them showing their value to prostate health and our health in general. This chapter is not going to use extensive references however; please realize that all of these supplements are based on the last three decades of scientific research and are proven empirically to be effective.
A most important supplement to take is beta-sitosterol. The prescription herbal extracts used by doctors in Europe are all standardized for beta-sitosterol content which is taken from impractical sources such as saw palmetto and Pygeum africanum, instead of inexpensive sources such as sugarcane pulp and soybeans. They are, therefore, weak and expensive, costing about $50 U.S., for sixty 30 mg tablets. Harzol, for example, contains only 30 mg and is the most popular European brand. To benefit from beta-sitosterol, it is recommended that you take 300 mg to 600 mg a day. The studies on beta-sitosterol are listed in Chapter 5. It should be emphasized that American herbal products such as saw palmetto, Pygeum, nettles, etc., contain almost no (i.e. 1/30th of 1 percent, generally) beta-sitosterol — which is the active ingredient — and therefore are of no value. Saw palmetto and similar supplements are useless! Analytical testing has shown that there are simply no biologically significant amounts of active ingredients, even in the expensive extracts. Read the label to prove this to yourself and you will not find beta-sitosterol listed. There are no other active ingredients, and the fatty acids found in saw palmetto have no medicinal value. Saw palmetto is useless!
Flaxseed oil is very good for prostate health, and is the best known source of omega-3 fatty acids. We’ve emphasized that you should eat a diet low in both animal fats and vegetable fats, but 1 or 2 grams of omega-3 fatty acids should be consumed daily. A flaxseed oil supplement is good insurance. Two articles in Anticancer Research suggest that omega-3 fatty acids may have important protective properties for human prostate cells in vitro. “The Health Professionals Follow-up Study” of 51,529 men showed that omega-6 fatty acids were positively associated with prostate cancer rates, but not the omega-3 acids in flax oil and fish liver oils. Another human study was done at Duke University with prostate cancer patients. The men given the flax supplement slowed down their cancer growth in only thirty-four days. When self-appointed Internet authorities tell you that flax oil is “bad” for prostate health, you know they have no idea what they are doing. Two grams a day of beneficial flax oil is a mere 18 calories. The more research that is done on omega-3s the more benefits are revealed. Flaxseed is by far the best source. Flax oil supplements are preferable to fish liver oil supplements for many reasons. The many studies on omega-3 fatty acids that used fish liver oils, are equally applicable to flax oil. Buy it and keep it refrigerated to prevent oxidation. In general, there are many good reasons to take it daily, but it is especially beneficial for cardiovascular health.
Soy isoflavones have received a lot of attention recently, but who has bothered to tell you that they may have great value for your prostate? The studies on soy isoflavones for prostate health and many other health parameters have been numerous, but have surfaced only in the last ten years. The main constituents in soy that we are concerned with are genestein and daidzein. These are flavones, and not “phytoestrogens,” as there are no estrogen or other hormones (testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, etc.) in plants, nor do they have estrogenic effects. Studies on soy benefits for prostate health have been published in journals such as Prostate, Anticancer Research, Journal of Endocrinology, Nutrition and Cancer, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Cancer Letters, International Journal of Oncology and many others. The proof here is overwhelming. You may see Internet sites warning of the “dangers” of soy. This is simply propaganda from the dairy and meat industries. Get a good brand that lists the amount of genestein and daidzein on the label, and take about 40 mg of total isoflavones daily. Soy foods generally are an impractical source, especially refined foods such as tofu. Soy isoflavone supplements are a much more practical and realistic means of isoflavone intake.
Minerals are vital for prostate health, and we are woefully mineral-deficient. No matter how well you eat you just aren’t going to get all the minerals you need, because our farm and crop soils are in such poor condition and deficient in so many minerals. All minerals work together in concert, so you need all those known to be necessary. We have only begun to study the importance of minerals on prostate function. You will never have good prostate health as long as you are mineral-deficient. Find a mineral supplement that contains the needed amounts of boron, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, germanium, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, silicon, strontium, tin, vanadium, and zinc. The two most important minerals for prostate health are zinc and selenium. Zinc is the most important mineral for prostate health, as the prostate gland contains ten times more zinc than any other part of the male body. You need about 15 mg a day. Taking any more than 50 mg is inadvisable. Selenium is also a very important mineral for good prostate metabolism. You need a mere 70 mcg (micrograms) per day. The multi-vitamin and mineral supplements you see generally do have the vitamins you need, but not the minerals. Look for a mineral-only supplement that contains at least these 18 recommended minerals in the amounts you need. Search the Internet for “mineral supplements.” You do not need to supplement sodium, potassium, sulfur, or phosphorous. Avoid colloidal minerals, coral calcium, colloidal silver, and sea silver, as these do not contain any biologically significant amounts of minerals. Read the label to see which minerals are included, and in what amounts. It is important to realize that we need ALL the known minerals. In the future, science will surely show that we need others such as cesium, barium, europium, gallium, neodymium, praseodymium, thulium, samarium, yttrium, lanthanum, rubidium and lithium.
Vitamin D rarely occurs in our diets and is only contained in a few animal foods. Vitamin D3 is really a hormone that is produced in our bodies by our exposure to sunlight. This is THE most important “vitamin” for your prostate. It is important to take 800 IU of vitamin D a day (unless you’re out in the sun regularly). This is a safe amount especially in wintertime when we get little exposure to the sun. It is surprising that nearly all the research on vitamin D and the prostate has come in only the last eight years. There are over a dozen clinical studies proving the importance of vitamin D in prostate function. These include studies in such journals as Cancer Research, Anticancer Research, Prostate, Clinical Cancer Research, Cancer Letters, Surgical Forum, and other respected international journals. One study at Stanford University treated men with prostate cancer solely with vitamin D3 with very impressive effects and no other therapy.
We all know that vitamin E is a very beneficial nutrient, especially for our cardiovascular health, and that our American diets are generally deficient. This is the second-most important vitamin for your prostate. Whole grains are the best source. Supplement with 400 IU daily of mixed natural tocopherols. Don’t use the cheap brands that contain only d-alpha. At East Carolina University in North Carolina, researchers found that vitamin E suppressed human prostate cancer cells in vitro. In Finland, a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Foundation showed a 32 percent reduction in prostate cancer when vitamin E supplements were taken. Other studies on the value of vitamin E have been published in medical journals around the world.
It is well known that garlic is good for cardiovascular health, but who has ever told you that it may help your prostate? You need a good, dependable name brand, as some garlic extracts are almost useless and differ highly in their constituents. In the book Nutraceuticals, by LaChance, the author lists forty-four references in his study of the beneficial effects of garlic extracts on prostate health. Researchers at East Carolina University in North Carolina showed the beneficial effects of garlic extract on prostate health. In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, in 1997, a very good study showed the value of garlic supplementation for prostate health. Buy a reputable brand containing all the natural constituents or you will not get the benefits. An alternative is to use fresh garlic in your cooking daily.
The importance of glutathione levels for prostate health was described in a Chinese study, in the journal Shondong Yike Daxue Xuebo. Glutathione is one of our four basic antioxidant enzymes, and is critical for immunity and how long we live. Taking glutathione alone is expensive, as well as somewhat ineffective. Fortunately, you can take an inexpensive 600 mg capsule of N-acetylcysteine, or NAC, to enhance your glutathione levels very effectively and safely. NAC is widely available, so buy any good brand. You will gain many benefits by maintaining a youthful glutathione level, especially improving your immunity so you resist disease. In the last few years, there has been quite a bit of good research published on the value of NAC supplements.
The value of green tea extract has been shown in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and in Cancer Letters. Doctor Paschka and others showed that green tea extract killed human prostate cancer cells in vitro. Search for a good decaffeinated brand, as most contain caffeine. Green tea contains valuable and powerful polyphenols and cathechins. Yes, this is the same tea you see everywhere, before fermenting changes its color to black. Many inexpensive brands of 90-percent decaffeinated green tea are available. This is more practical than trying to drink it daily. You only need this for about a year since it is exogenous.
Fruit pectin has been shown to have value in actual prostate cancer, and probably has value in prostatitis and BPH as well. Studies have shown the effectiveness of fruit pectin in lowering cholesterol and improving digestion. It even has anticancer properties. Do not bother with the promoted and expensive “modified” pectin. Instead buy the plain, inexpensive regular kind, especially grapefruit that is very effective. The modified pectin has no advantage, but is heavily advertised and very overpriced. Regular fruit pectin is soluble, bio-available, and very beneficial in other ways besides lowering cholesterol levels. Take 3 to 5 grams a day in caplets, or as powder (it’s tasteless) in fruit juice. You only need to take this for one year.
Beta-carotene is a powerful and well-known antioxidant. In Cancer Research intake of beta-carotene showed a strong correlation with reduced prostate cancer in Japanese men. Many other studies, in other journals, have shown similar results. This is an important antioxidant with many other benefits; 25,000 IU daily of any brand is good. This is a better choice than vitamin A, since it is a precursor to vitamin A and you won’t overload your body, even with higher doses.
Quercitin is a potent and proven plant-derived antioxidant, but is not yet well known. You will hear more about this effective supplement. Studies in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, Urology, and the Japanese journal Daizu Tanpakushitsu Kenkyukai Kaishi show quercitin can help promote prostate health. A new study at the Mayo Clinic, published in Carcinogenesis, showed it may have real value against prostate cancer. A daily dosage of 100 mg of any brand is good as a normal diet only provides about 10 mg mostly from apples and onions. It is a beneficial supplement for many other reasons besides being an excellent antioxidant.
Vitamin C has received too much attention in the media, focusing on all the supposed benefits from taking megadoses of several grams a day. Studies do show its importance in prostate function, in far more reasonable amounts. We only need about 60 mg a day, which is supplied when eating normal amounts of fruits and vegetables. Studies in Surgical Forum, Prostate, Cellular Biology International and many other journals suggest strong anticancer properties. Taking more than 250 mg a day of vitamin C is NOT recommended and will, over time, acidify your blood (which is naturally alkaline) and cause numerous side effects. Long-term studies have shown eventual serious side effects from large doses of vitamin C. Megadoses of nutrients, even water-soluble vitamins, unbalance the body’s metabolism, and are very unnatural. DO NOT TAKE MORE THAN 250 mg OF VITAMIN C. All studies on vitamin C megadoses have been short term only.
Beta glucan is the most potent immune-enhancing supplement known to science, and has been studied for its power against tumors and cancer. It doesn’t matter whether beta glucan comes from yeast and mushrooms (1,3/1, 6 configuration) or oats and barley (1,3/1, 4 configuration), as all 1,3 configurations of true beta glucan polysaccharides have the same potency. Studies in such journals as Immunopharmacology, Chemical Pharmacy Bulletin, and International Journal of Cancer show beta glucan’s tremendous power to stimulate our immune system. It has only been in the last few years that advances in technology have allowed us to extract it easily and inexpensively. The power of beta glucan has been known for over ten years now, and there have been numerous animal studies showing its amazing ability to fight infections and ward-off illnesses. This is definitely a supplement to take regularly. Currently yeast is the least expensive source. Economical supplements in 200 mg dosages are available for under $10 per 60 capsules. There is a lot of advertising misinformation here about which is the best brand to take especially on the Internet. Please read my booklet, What Is Beta Glucan? to learn more about it.
Milk thistle is one herb that has been shown to have potential with human prostate cells in vitro (test tubes). It is a well-known and time-proven herb, with the active ingredient silymarin. Studies in such journals as Cancer Letters and Cancer Research have shown great promise. Two capsules a day of a good extract will give you about 200 mg of silymarin. After about six to twelve months you can stop using it, as all exogenous herbs tend to lose their effect after a while.
L-glutamine is an amino acid with many health benefits, especially in strengthening intestinal function. There have been good studies showing how it improves our intestinal health. It works well in concert with acidophilus and FOS. You should take at least 2 grams (four 500 mg tablets) of L-glutamine a day. This will also “spike” your growth hormone level. You may see three amino acids advertised for prostate health—glycine, alanine, and glutamic acid—but there is no science behind them, and they are merely promotional gimmicks. Good digestion is central to good health. L-glutamine works very well with acidophilus and FOS.
Acidophilus and other probiotics show no specific benefit for prostate health per se, but it is important to add this to your supplements list. Our bodies work as a holistic system and our digestion is obviously vital to our total health. Our digestive tracts are generally in terrible shape from overeating and from eating the wrong foods. By consuming healthy foods, eating lower calories foods, fasting one day a week, and taking a good brand of acidophilus daily you can improve your entire digestive system. A good brand should state that every capsule has at least 3-billion live organisms at the time of manufacture. Do not be misled by “per gram” counts rather than per capsule. Buy it and keep it refrigerated. You can also find the spore-form of acidophilus, called “lacto spore”, that does not require refrigeration and can be taken in addition to (not instead of) regular acidophilus. Take FOS (fructooligosaccharides, otherwise known as inulin) at the same time as your acidophilus. FOS is an indigestible saccharide that is extracted from various plants (such as chicory), and feeds the good bacteria in our intestines. This has been known for a long time, but it is only recently that the intestinal health benefits were discovered and good studies were published.
There are excellent human studies on indole-3-carbinol, or I3C, for its anticancer effects and lowering of serum estrogen levels. These have been published in Cancer Research, Journal of the National Cancer Association, Anticancer Research, Annals of the NY Academy of Sciences, and other major journals. I3C is found in cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower). It is less expensive to take the direct metabolite di-indolyl methane, or DIM: 200 mg a day. The studies on I3C apply equally to DIM, and the latter is a much better bargain and twice as powerful. High estrogen levels in our bodies cause many problems as we age, and this is an excellent way to reduce them and improve estrogen metabolism. If you test your levels of free estradiol and estrone and they are not high you do not need to take this.
Curcumin is an extract of the culinary herb tumeric and is a powerful anti-inflammatory. An important study of curcumin for prostate cancer, at the Comprehensive Cancer Center in NYC7 said it, “has the potential to prevent the progression of this cancer…” Other articles on cancer have been in Molecular Urology, FEBS Letters, Molecular Medicine, and other journals. This is a clinically-proven antiinflammatory, but should only be used for up to a year because it is exogenous and not found in our bodies or in common foods. Take 500 mg daily.
Coenzyme Q1O, CoQ10, is a powerful enzyme in our bodies whose level falls as we age. Studies have shown great value for various forms of cancer, especially prostate and breast. You must take at least 100 mg daily. If you have cancer, take 200 mg daily, divided into a.m. and p.m. doses for one year. Only recently has the price come down so that CoQ10 is reasonably priced and can now be taken in these doses economically. At Nagoya University in Japan,8 scientists found that CoQ10, when added to cells taken from BPH patients, had a very beneficial effect on their metabolism. CoQ10 has amazing benefits for our heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs, and should be a part of everyone’s supplements program. Remember to take at least 100 mg a day as taking less will not work despite any advertising claims. Most brands offer much less than 100 mg because this is so expensive, but claim “special delivery systems”. Find one with 100 mg.
Ellagic acid is a relatively new supplement that has shown good anticancer activity in many studies. Because it is commonly found in walnut hulls, it has been known to herbalists for years,. Most of the available brands are overpriced and their labels very misleading. They list the amount of extract, but not the actual amount of ellagic acid. Find one that states 50 mg, or more, of actual ellagic acid, and not a mere extract that doesn’t state the potency. Take this only for a year since it is not found in common food. You will hear more about the benefits of ellagic acid in the future.
There are some other supplements you can take for your general health that aren’t specific for prostate. PS, or phosphatidyl serine, is very important for brain function, memory, and for preventing senility and Alzheimer’s. PS is related to lecithin, or phosphatidyl choline. Take 100 mg a day of PS. Another good brain metabolism supplement is acetyl-L-carnitine; take 500 mg a day. To avoid inflammation in your joints, take 500 to 1,000 mg of glucosamine daily, but do not waste your money on chondroitin. Glucosamine is great, but needs a complete variety of minerals to work well. Chondroitin is simply too large a molecule to be absorbed by our intestines. “Studies” in medical journals are simply paid ads. It doesn’t matter how many millions of dollars of chondroitin are sold every year; it simply doesn’t work.
Herbs such as saw palmetto, Pygeum africanum, etc., have been shown to contain insignificant amounts of beta-sitosterol or any other active ingredient. No matter how strong the extract, or how powerful the claims of “85 percent sterols and fatty acids,” it simply doesn’t produce results. The exception would be rye pollen and other similar grain pollens, as they theoretically contain the active ingredient DIBOA (a hydroxamic acid). Unfortunately, pollen (other than bee pollen!) extracts contain very little DIBOA, are expensive, and the amount is never listed or even mentioned on the label. Unless someone synthesizes it, puts it on the market, and clearly states on the label its DIBOA content, don’t waste your money here either.
We must discuss a very misleading promotion regarding the benefits of lycopene, which is a product of a major ketchup manufacturer. Studies claim that the more pizza men remembered eating, the more prostate health they achieved! This kind of pseudoscience is asinine. Many other dietary studies contradict this.1,2,3,4 Actual blood serum level studies of lycopene prove there is no correlation at all between lycopene levels and prostate health.5,6 In 1974, at Johns Hopkins University,7 the blood of 25,802 men was analyzed for nutrients and matched with their medical records. No relation was found with lycopene content. In 1997, at the Cancer Research Center in Honolulu,8 the blood of 6,850 men was analyzed for nutrients, and no relation with lycopene levels was found either. Actual human blood level studies prove lycopene is useless. In fact, no matter how many fresh tomatoes you eat, or how much tomato juice you drink, you won’t raise lycopene levels at all; the tomatoes must be cooked in oil for their lycopene to be made absorbable. Don’t fall for this, no matter how much advertising you hear about it. Many of the so-called “studies” the media trots out in medical journals are merely advertisements, paid for by lycopene manufacturers. Look at the 2001 “study” at Wayne State University,9 that was so highly touted by the media. When you read the actual journal, it is clearly marked “Advertisement,” by federal law. Other “studies” use plasma lycopene levels when lycopene cannot be carried in plasma since it is fat soluble. Men in Asia and Africa who have the lowest rates of prostate disease in the world, almost never include tomatoes in their diets. Please be clear that actual blood studies on men show no relation at all between serum lycopene levels and prostate health. Don’t fall for any of this as lycopene supplements simply have no health benefits.
There are twenty-five supplements recommended in this chapter, all of which have been shown to be safe, effective, natural, and inexpensive. Take as many on the list as you possibly can, as they have many other health benefits. Poor health contributes to the prostate problem, which can result in surgery, radiation, and dangerous prescription drugs. You may end up wearing diapers, and losing your sexual ability before you die a tortuous, premature death.
Suggested daily supplements for first year: (in alphabetical order)
• acidophilus: 3-billion units • acetyl-L-carnitine 500 mg • beta-carotene: 10,000 to 25,000 IU • beta glucan: 200mg or more • beta-sitosterol complex: 300 mg to 600 mg • coenzyme Q10:100 mg or more, if you are ill • curcumin: 500 mg, for six months • di-indolyl methane (DIM): 200 mg (instead of I3C) • ellagic acid: 50 to 200 mg, for six months • flaxseed oil: 1,000 mg, once or twice daily • FOS: 750 mg • fruit pectin: 3 to 5 grams, for six months • garlic extract: 500 mg of a reliable brand • glucosamine 500 mg to 1,000 mg • green tea extract (decaf): 200 mg, for six months • L-glutamine: 1,000 mg, twice daily (a.m. and p.m.) • milk thistle extract: two 500 mg capsules, for six months • minerals: a good formula with at least 18 minerals, in the amounts you need, especially zinc and selenium • N-acetyl cysteine: 600 mg • phosphatidyl serine (PS) 100 mg • quercetin: 100 mg • soy isoflavones: 40 mg of daidzein and genistein • vitamin C: not more than 250 mg • vitamin D: 400 to 800 IU • vitamin E: 400 IU * The sixteen basic maintenance supplements you’ll be taking permanently are beta-sitosterol, beta glucan, CoQ10, lipoic acid, phosphatidyl serine (PS), vitamin D, vitamin E, a mineral formula, flax oil, acidophilus, FOS, soy isoflavones, glucosamine, L-glutamine, beta carotene and acetyl-L-carnitine.
References: 1. British Journal of Cancer 76 (1997), pp. 678-87 2. American Journal of Epidemiology 133 (1991), pp. 215-19 3. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 90 (1998), pp.1219-24 4. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 92 (2000), pp. 61-68 5. Journal of the National Cancer Institute 82 (1990), pp. 941-46 6. Cancer Epidem. Biomarkers and Preview 6 (1997), pp. 487-91 7. Prostate v.47 (2001), pp. 293-303 8. Igaku No Ayumi v.103 (1977), pp. 22-24 9. Cancer Epidem. Biomarkers and Prev. 10 (2001), pp. 861-68
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