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It’s been demonstrated scientifically that a common plant alcohol called beta-sitosterol is the most powerful nutritional supplement for prostate health. Beta-sitosterol is found in literally all vegetables, and is the most prominent plant sterol to exist in nature.
Traditionally, herbs such as saw palmetto, Pygeum species, nettles, star grass and others have been used to treat prostate problems. The problem with these is that they tend to contain only one part in three thousand of the beta-sitosterol complex. Analysis of saw palmetto, for example, indicates that it contains only a variety of fatty acids (capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, arachic and eicosenoic), and negligible traces of other plant chemicals. Obviously effective amounts of active ingredients aren’t contained by these herbal formulas. A person would have to consume about one pound of saw palmetto berries to obtain a mere 330mg of beta-sitosterol. Even with the best "10x" (10 times) extracts of these herbs, about 200 500mg capsules would have to be consumed to obtain 330mg of beta-sitosterol. The fact that herbs are less than effective is obvious, despite their continuous promotion by the so-called natural health industry. It’s important to understand that saw palmetto, Pygeum africanum and other herbs and their extracts are ineffective because they don’t contain prostate-beneficial active ingredients.
What about the herbal extracts that are available only on prescription in Europe? These, regardless of source, are standardized according to beta- sitosterol content. Whether purchasing Permixon in France, Harzol, Tadenan and Azuprostat in Germany or Prostaserene in Belgium, all are based on their beta-sitosterol content. Furthermore, they are very expensive: 60 Permixon tablets containing 30mg of beta-sitosterol per tablet will cost about US$50.00.
When beta-sitosterol is thoroughly researched it becomes obvious that herbs represent a completely uneconomic source, but soy beans, sugar-cane pulp and pine oil (tall oil) are all excellent, inexpensive sources. The valuable chemicals from the pulp are now extracted by many sugar processors after the sugar is pressed out.
Dozens of double-blind studies examining the effects of beta-sitosterol on benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH, or enlarged prostate). A few of these are discussed below to provide examples of the first-rate research that has been undertaken throughout the world.
At the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Rome,1, DiSilverio and his colleagues studied 35 BPH-suffering men for a period of three months, giving half of them a placebo (inert capsule). They concluded that: "On the basis of these considerations, monotherapy with S. repens extract (beta-sitosterol extracted from saw palmetto), may be more favourably accepted, on account of similar clinical results, when compared to the combination therapy cyproterone acetate plus tamoxifen."
At the Hospital Ambroise in Paris,2, Champault and two colleagues did a classic double-blind study on 110 men, half of whom received a placebo. They concluded: "Thus as predicted by pharmacological and biochemical studies PA 109 (four tablets of Permixon daily), would appear to be a useful therapeutic tool in the treatment of BPH."
At the Klinische Endokrinologie in Freiburg, Germany,3, Zahradnik and other doctors demonstrated that beta-sitosterols extracted from star grass, (sold as the prescription extract Harzol), reduced levels of prostaglandin. With regard to prostate enlargement, it was illustrated that high prostaglandin levels support tumour growth.
Doctors at the University of Padova, Italy,4, studied the effect of beta-sitosterol extract (from Pygeum africanum) on 27 BPH-suffering men. Dr Tasca and his associates measured urine flow and other parameters in men aged between 49 and 81 years, and compared them to the levels in men receiving a placebo. The men receiving beta-sitosterol demonstrated a notable improvement in urine flow.
At the Institute of medical Sciences in Madras, India,5, Dr Malini and Dr Vanithakumari studied the effects of beta-sitosterol on prostates in rats. It was noted in just six weeks that prostate metabolism improved and weight reduced. This was a unique and thorough study.
At the University of Dresden, Germany,6, a study of 177 BPH-suffering men was undertaken by Doctors Klippel, Hilti and Schipp for a period of six months. 50% were given a placebo while the other 50% were given the prescription extract Azuprostat, containing 130mg of beta-sitosterol. To substantiate their research, a full 32 references were cited. All the men tested extensively during the study were carefully screened. The conclusion was reached that: "These results show that beta-sitosterol is an effective option in the treatment of BPH."
At the University of Basel, Switzerland,7, Dr Vontobel and his colleagues studied a strong nettle extract containing a high concentration of beta-sitosterol in a double-blind study of 50 men for a period of nine weeks. They concluded that: “The use of beta-sitosterols from nettles, in the evaluation of the objective parameters, showed significant differences; the men who received the supplement improved significantly."
At the University of Bochum in Herne, Germany,8, Dr Berges and his associates used pure beta-sitosterol with 200 men over the course of a year, half of whom were given a placebo. They said that: "Significant improvements in symptoms and urinary flow parameters show the effectiveness of beta-sitosterol in the treatment of BPH." This is clearly one of the most important and well conducted studies on prostate ever published.
Doctor Bassi and others at the University of Padova,9, studied 40 men with BPH who were given an extract of Pygeum africanum with a high level of beta-sitosterol content. Half the men in the study were given a placebo, and many parameters were measured during the two-month study. They concluded that: "The preliminary results demonstrate a significant improvement of the frequency, urgency, dysuria (difficult, painful urination) and urinary flow in patients treated with the active drug."
At eight different urological clinics in Europe,10, a collective study conducted over a two month period covered 263 patients with BPH. They were given either Tadenan (a Pygeum africanum extract standardized for beta-sitosterol content) or a placebo. This very extensive study was coordinated among different clinics and different doctors who agreed that: "Treatment with the Pygeum africanum extract led to a marked clinical improvement; a comparison of the quantitative parameters showed a significant difference between the Pygeum africanum group and the placebo group, with respect to therapeutic response."
A study was made on 23 patients at the Urological Clinik of Krankenhauser in Germany,11. Dr Szutrely gave patients with prostate enlargement either Harzol (herbal extract standardized for beta-sitosterol content) or a placebo, over a two-month period. He measured their prostates with ultrasound equipment before and after the treatment. After the study he said: "Within the scope of a controlled double-blind study, to demonstrate the effect of conservative therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia with Harzol, ultrasonic examination of the prostate adenoma (enlargement) was carried out on 23 patients before and after therapy, with the trial preparation of a placebo. Within a two month treatment with Harzol there was a significant change in echo structure of the prostate adenoma. This is interpreted as a reduction in the interstitial formation of oedema (swelling)."
A unique review,12, of studies over a 31-year period used 18 different international trials involving almost 3,000 BPH-suffering men. They were treated with strong extracts of saw palmetto standardized for beta-sitosterol content. After reviewing all these studies, the researchers stated: "The evidence suggests that Serenoa re-pens (saw palmetto) extract improves urologic symptoms and flow measures."
Another unique review in a different manner was undertaken at the Department of Urology in Glasgow, Scotland,13. Dr Buck did a 12-page review of herbal therapy for the prostate, including Harzol, Tadenan, Permixon, Strogen and Sabalux (all European prescription herbal extracts standardized for beta-sitosterol content). His review is documented with 59 studies published worldwide, and discusses the biological basis of prostate illness. His conclusions of the efficacy of herbal treatment of prescription drugs and therapy are well founded.
Dr Braeckman performed a study at the University of Brussels, Belgium,14, using Prostaserene (an extract standardized for beta-sitosterol) for a period of six weeks. He came to the conclusion that: "Traditional parameters for quantifying prostatism, such as the International Prostate Symptom Score, the quality of life score, urinary flow rates, residual urinary volume, and prostate size were found to be significantly improved after only 45 days of treatment. After 90 days of treatment, the majority of patients (88%) and treating physicians (88%) considered the therapy effective."
Details of dozens more studies, undertaken in some of the most important urological clinics, have appeared in major medical journals throughout the world. This is evidence that beta-sitosterol is the active ingredient in herbs. American herbal products, even the most expensive extracts that claim "85% fatty acids and sterols", contain almost no beta-sitosterol. This is never mentioned on the label, as this suggests that every natural prostate remedy sold over-the-counter in the US has little, if any, genuine value.
Beta-sitosterol is the most important phytosterol in our diet and is the most important supplement for good prostate health. Its benefits are numerous, and it can be used by both men and women.
One of this supplement’s most important actions is the stimulation of healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Over 30 years ago studies demonstrated a positive effect with no changes to diet or exercise. Since then in excess of 50 articles have been published in international medical journals, covering studies on both humans and laboratory animals. To take advantage of the potential benefits, about 300mg of beta-sitosterol needs to be consumed daily, which can be split between morning and evening dosages. Lowering levels of fat intake and actively engaging in exercise encourages much more dramatic results. In these studies there were no changes to either fat intake or exercise levels. It’s common sense to reduce or completely avoid consumption of saturated animal fats, dairy products and especially unnatural hydrogenated fats, which so many processed foods contain. Surprisingly, vegetable oil consumption doesn’t raise cholesterol or triglyceride levels, but excess intake of vegetable oil does contribute to prostate disease.
Vegetable oils tend to contain high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. These are very different from healthful omega-3 fatty acids, and contribute to such conditions as arthritis and prostate disease. Given the overwhelming proof regarding the effectiveness of a safe, natural, inexpensive plant extract with only positive side-effects, doctors should be giving all their patients with high cholesterol levels beta-sitosterol. Instead, such patients are given prescription drugs that may result in negative side effects, and whose effectiveness in reducing cholesterol levels is questionable. Surprisingly, beta-sitosterol is rarely stocked by drug stores, health food stores and mail order vitamin catalogues, but in the future it’ll become much more popular and increasingly well known.
High cholesterol and triglyceride levels are believed to be the major causes of clogged arteries, or arteriosclerosis. At the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, the positive effects of beta-sitosterol on arteriosclerosis were reviewed. At McMater University in Ontario, arteriosclerosis was improved by simply giving sufferers beta-sitosterol supplements. At Sumitomo Chemical Company in Japan, rabbits with arteriosclerosis were given beta-sitosterol, and saw good improvements thereafter. At the Institute of Experimental Medicine in Leningrad, dramatic improvements were demonstrated in rabbits with clogged arteries as a result of beta-sitosterol supplementation.
Studies in other areas of illness suggest that beta-sitosterol may have great potential for the treatment of diabetes, blood clotting, ulcers, cancer prevention, tumours, immunity, inflammation and other conditions. Since beta-sitosterol exists in almost all vegetables, it makes sense that this really is an essential nutrient and will be recognized as such in the future.
The following studies are discussed for educational purposes, and are not intended to imply that beta-sitosterol can cure these conditions.
Doctors at the State University of New York have studied the effects on human prostate and human colon cancer cells of beta-sitosterol in test tubes. It was found to be a potent killer of cancer cells, but, so far this has only occurred in test tubes. This is a very promising step in the search to find effective natural supplements with cancer-fighting properties.
At the famous Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute, it was found that beta-sitosterol slowed the growth of colonic adenomas (tumors) when fed to rats. At the University of Frauenklin in Germany, men with prostate adenomas were given beta-sitosterol, which was found to slow tumour growth by decreasing prostaglandin content.
The chemo preventive properties of beta-sitosterol were studied by scientists at the National Institute of Health in Maryland. This means that the product helps to prevent cancer when laboratory animals are given known carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals). The same chemo preventive results were found when rats were tested at Wayne State University.
At Shiga in Japan, and the University of Valencia in Spain, high blood-sugar levels in hyperglycaemic rats were lowered when they were fed beta-sitosterol. Diamine oxidase (DAO) levels improved in diabetic rats fed beta-sitosterol orally. DAO levels are a basic marker in this condition. The same, desired results were demonstrated in another study, which saw the lowering of glucose-6-phosphatase levels.
Oral beta-sitosterol has also been shown to protect against stomach ulcers in rats. At West China University it was illustrated that beta-sitosterol could protect the stomach lining and prevent ulcer formation. In another study, stomach lesions were reduced 80% in test animals with oral beta-sitosterol. At the University of Texas, simply adding beta-sitosterol to food resulted in the same protection against stomach ulcers being achieved in rats. It’s surely more promising to study a beneficial, inexpensive substance found in all vegetables for reducing stomach ulcers, rather than toxic prescription medicines.
The number of studies on the anti-microbial properties – including anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral of beta-sitosterol abilities – are so numerous that counting them is difficult. Powerful synthetic anti-microbial drugs are often more harmful than helpful, and this is therefore a highly preferable route to take. At the Central Institute of Medicine in India, powerful anti-viral properties were shown, with powerful anti-fungal properties demonstrated at the Institute of Biotechnology in Peking. At the University of California at Berkeley, and the Federal University of Mato Grosso in Brazil, beta-sitosterol was even found to be fatal to the powerful Streptococcus bacteria. The Thapar Corporation in India found broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, meaning that most bacteria were killed. Broad-spectrum agents are obviously the best but the most difficult to find.
Intake of beta-sitosterol has been shown to improve blood parameters in a variety of ways. At the Efurt Medical Academy in Germany, beta-sitosterol fed to rabbits improved their fibrinolytic capacity and plasminogen activity. At the Tokyo Institute in Japan the same basic results were demonstrated in cows, while at Androgenetic Alopecia Khan University in Pakistan blood platelet activity was improved. The healthier cholesterol and triglyceride levels promoted by beta-sitosterol have been mentioned. The terms "fibrinolytic", "'Lasminogen" and "platelets" simply mean the blood functions more effectively.
There have been studies, especially at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, on the possibility of improving the immune system in humans simply through the addition of beta-sitosterol to the diet. Athletes’ performance was found to improve as a result of the consumption of this supplement. Blood T-cell was improved, lymphocytes grew more rapidly, and natural killer-cell (NK-cell) function also improved. In short, this means that the runners' immune systems were functioning more effectively.
This incredible substance has also demonstrated powerful anti-inflammatory properties. At the University of Stellen-bosch, doctors are working with rheumatism sufferers to try and establish whether their condition can be helped through the use of beta-sitosterol. This would certainly be more beneficial than the potentially dangerous synthetic chemicals that are regularly lauded as arthritis and rheumatism 'breakthroughs', but never seem able to deliver the promised results. At India’s King George Medical College, rats with arthritis were given beta-sitosterol and demonstrated good results with total safety. At the University of Napoli in Italy, arthritic rats saw significant improvements when given beta-sitosterol. Several relevant US and European patents have been granted for this purpose.
Both men and women can benefit from beta-sitosterol intake. At India’s ALM Institute and the Cairo University in Egypt, the metabolism of the uterus in female rats improved when the product was added to their diet. At Ein Shams University in UAR, the function of the uterus in female mice improved even when their ovaries had been removed. All of this is evidence that beta-sitosterol is a supplement beneficial to women’s health as well as that of men.
At Dhaka University in Bangladesh doctors found that when diabetic rats were fed beta-sitosterol their blood sugar levels were significantly reduced. This occurred through improvements to the liver function, which in turn normalized sugar metabolism. At the University of Valencia in Spain and Shiga University in Japan, it was found that the metabolism of insulin in diabetic rats was dramatically improved. Given this body of evidence it has to be asked why US researchers aren’t seeking to improve diabetics’ lives through natural means, instead of proposing to inject them with insulin for their entire lives.
It’s important to understand that many other studies of beta-sitosterol – conducted on both humans and animals – have demonstrated that there are a wide range of potential benefits to beta-sitosterol intake, including increases in SOD (superoxide dismutase) levels, which are critical in immunity and lifespan. Of the four anti-oxidant enzymes in the human body SOD is the most important, and levels fall as we grow older. People with certain illnesses also have low beta-sitosterol intake. Vegetarians tend to consume 50% more beta-sitosterol than their meat-eating counterparts, and are also known to be healthier, live longer, and are far less prone to suffering from cancer, a heart attack, diabetes or any of the other conditions that affect many US citizens. The elderly have also been shown to have extremely low phytosterol intake.
Topical uses have been studied for keratosis, acne, psoriasis and skin protein synthesis. Cattle with fat necrosis have also been treated with beta-sitosterol. Studies using this substance, instead of dangerous steroids and other unnatural drugs, may result in important relief to the skin problems suffered by so many people.
Why haven’t more studies been undertaken, and why isn't it more readily available? Why isn't information like this made available to all? The answer to these questions is simple: there is NO PROFIT in the marketing of a non-prescription plant extract that can cannot be patented, but can be cheaply extracted from sugar cane pulp, soy beans and pine oil.
A wholesome natural diet is the most important factor in ensuring overall well being. A traditional whole food diet can actually eliminate prostate infection, enlargement, or even cancer. If you have any doubts about this claim please read Dirk Benedict's book, Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy. Dirk was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his early 30s, and the doctors wanted to castrate him. As this was unappealing for obvious reasons he decided to adopt a 'macrobiotic' (from the Greek 'macro' or great, and 'bios' or life) diet of whole grains, beans and vegetables. He ceased consumption of red meat and dairy produce, stopped adding sweeteners of all kinds, and eschewed refined foods, preservatives and other such products. After only seven months he knew he was well. He is now 54, healthy, well, happy, youthful, vibrant, and the father of two young sons. If the doctors had prevailed he would almost certainly have been dead long ago.
A natural diet of whole foods is basic to wellness, with supplements, hormones and fasting very secondary. A good diet is the most important factor to ensure a rapid recovery from illness, and is often more important than any other single action.
Stories of people such as the Hunzas, Vilcabambas and others living very long lives and having very low disease rates are commonplace. A remote mountain home and avoidance of all the conveniences of the modem life aren’t essential to achieve this – the diet alone needs to be altered. These long-lived people all base their diets on whole grains, beans, vegetables, local fruits and very little, if any, meat or dairy products. They also have very low-calorie diets with fat intake of only around 10%, and tend to drink very mineral-rich water.
Most contemporary diet authors offer questionable advice on diet. Only a few are really informed and practice what they preach. John McDougall, Gary Null, Nathan Pritikin and his son Robert, Susan Powter, Dean Omish, Michio Kushi and others write fine books on eating well, as do the authors of macrobiotic books. To summarize their advice, for the maintenance of health diet should be based on complex whole carbohydrates from whole grains and beans. Most vegetables are fine, but many nutritionists recommend that the Nightshade family – potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants – and vegetables containing excess oxalic acid such as spinach, rhubarb, red chard, should be avoided. Any of the dozens of varieties of beans is fine. Local fruit may be consumed in moderation, as can seafood assuming no allergies. Avoid red meat, all kinds of dairy produce, especially milk, poultry, refined foods, processed foods, all sweeteners including honey, and tropical foods such as citrus, pineapples, mangoes and coconuts.
Dairy milk (including low-fat milk) contains large amounts of lactose, regardless of the fat content. Due to its high lactose content milk has repeatedly been shown to correlate with prostate disease,5. Yoghurt actually contains twice the amount of lactose as milk, since dried milk powder is added to thicken it. People of all races, especially Blacks and Asians, lose their ability to digest lactose after the age of three, as they no longer produce the enzyme lacatase which is necessary to digest dairy products. Adding lactase tablets to dairy foods won’t solve the problem, but soy or rice milk are effective and commonly available alternatives.
Surprisingly, no study has provided evidence of a correlation between prostate disease and levels of sugar consumption, despite the harmful effects of this when consumed excessively. However, annually US citizens consume about 125 pounds of various sugars in the food. Asians and Africans, with the lowest prostate disease rates, consume only a fraction of that amount. Sugar is sugar whatever its form, be it honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, "raw" sugar, molasses, sorgum syrup, cane syrup, dextrose, fructose, maltose, fruit syrup, amazake, fruit juice, fruit concentrate, invert sugar, corn syrup, dried fruit or any other form of sweetener, regardless of its name.
Also surprising is the fact that there is no evidence of a relationship between prostate disease and smoking, drinking alcohol or coffee. Oddly enough, alcoholics tend to have smaller prostates than teetotallers. Neither does exercise seem to correlate with prostate health. Does anything correlate positively with prostate health? Yes: grain, fibre and cereal intake does.
It’s equally important to eat less. The caloric and protein intake of US consumers are about twice the required amounts, while fat intake is four times the required amount. Caloric restriction is proven as the most effective way to extend lifespan. This has been evidenced through clinical studies with animals, including monkeys. It’ll be decades before this can be clinically proven in human studies, but it’s obviously equally true for humans. It seems that the only author of note on this subject is Roy Walford, who wrote The 120 Year Diet, and Maximum Lifespan.
A typical man needs only about 1,800 calories per day, and a woman only about 1,200 calories. A typical person could easily consume only two meals a day instead of three. Fasting – consumption of water only – for one day a week, by skipping breakfast and lunch on a specified day once a week is also effective. It’s advisable to consult a health practitioner before entering upon any extended fasting programme. Doctors at the University of Wisconsin,1, improved rats’ prostate gland immunity simply by lowering their caloric intake. Other doctors at the university,2, showed that lowering the caloric intake of mice also altered their entire genetic-aging profile, allowing them to live much longer and with greatly enhanced immunity. Researchers in Takatsuki, Japan,3, actually reduced the weight of prostates in rats by simply giving them less food. Doctors at the University of Umea in Sweden,4, gave rats with prostate cancer less food and inhibited the growth of their tumours. Monkeys are currently being studied for caloric restriction, and are demonstrating excellent preliminary results. This is the most effective means that can be used to increase longevity – in addition to eating the right foods.
The extensive use of soy-based foods has been suggested, since these are widely used in many Asian cultures. This is unrealistic for several reasons. Soy beans as such, just don’t taste very good. Tofu isn’t a whole food, nor is it particularly nutritious. Most people have never even heard of tempeh and have no interest in eating it. Soy sauce is merely a condiment. A little miso goes along way, and basically is used only in soup. How much soy flour can be added to your baked goods? Soy milk is high in calories (about 200 per cup) and should be limited to one cup a day at most.
It’s an undeniable fact that people love fatty foods of all kinds. This is because we are drawn to eat foods rich in both animal and vegetable fats. It’s particularly reassuring to eat a rich food full of fat, whether red meat, pizza, butter, creamy sauces, cheese, or ice cream.
The majority of us are aware that high fat diets are detrimental to our health. They cause obesity, clog our arteries, cause endless illnesses, and ultimately shorten our lives. The most popular diet of all is currently the high-fat high-protein "ketogenic" diet. It recommends avoiding carbohydrates and classes simple carbohydrates (sugars) with complex carbohydrates (whole grains and beans) as identical. The reason for the popularity of this diet seems to be that people seek an excuse to do what they want to do, which is eat a 40%-plus fat calorie diet. In the US and all European countries, the average diet contains about 40% fats, most of which are saturated animal fats. The more affluent a society is, the richer the diet is in animal foods, dairy products, and other saturated fats.
Study after study has illustrated that a high level of fat consumption is correlated with almost every known disease. This is especially true with prostate disease and prostate cancer. Too numerous to list are the studies demonstrating the relationship of fat intake, especially saturated animal fat, to prostate disease. Taking a look at the Prostate Cancer Mortality chart is surely sufficient to eradicate any doubt that fat intake is the major cause of prostate cancer deaths. This chart is based on the diets of billions of people, and simply cannot be contested. Men in countries such as Vietnam or China eat about 10% fat calories, most of which is derived from vegetables. These people have one 120th the number of prostate cancer deaths suffered by their US counterparts. That means if 200 men per million die from prostate cancer in a country such as Denmark, only about one and a half men per million die in Vietnam.
Asian or African men who maintain their diets upon moving to the US suffer almost no prostate disease. If they adopt the typical 40%-plus calorie diet of their US counterparts, they are as at risk of contracting cancer than the native population. This is called a “migration study†and the results are inarguable. Saturated fats come from red meat, dairy products and the hydrogenated oils found in countless processed foods sold in supermarkets. Hydrogenated oils are the worst because they don’t exist naturally, being manufactured in laboratories with hydrogen gas, high pressures, high temperatures and platinum catalysts. The body simply cannot deal with this artificially high level of fat, and so the arteries become clogged. Consumption of vegetable oils is simply a lesser evil, and the belief that there are 'good' and 'bad' fats is false. The less fat you eat the better. Lowering the level of fat intake extends life and improves health.
Countries like Italy and Greece, whose populations consume olive oil rather than butter, have a lower incidence of prostate disease than other European countries, but higher rates than Asian countries. The only exception to this fat 'rule' is when a supplement of one or two grams of flax oil is taken per day, which contains valuable omega-3 fatty acids and a mere nine calories per gram, an insignificant daily calorie intake.
The American Health Federation has illustrated well that a low-fat, high-fibre diet slows the development of prostate cancer. Native black South African men have very low prostate disease rates on their traditional diets. When fed a typical American diet, high in fat, testosterone levels fell, oestrogen levels rose (and thus their testosterone-to-oestrogen ratio worsened), and they got more prostate disease.1,2
The American Health Foundation in Valhalla, NY, reviewed the literature in-depth to show that omega-6 fatty acids stimulate prostate cancer growth, while omega-3 fatty acids inhibit it. The problem is that omega-3's are rare in foods, while omega-6's are all too common. Red meat contains arachidonic acid, while it’s basically non-existent in plant foods. This is considered the single most dangerous fatty acid known, and is a precursor of the inflammatory chemical, Prostaglandin E2. The same thing was basically illustrated at the Harvard Medical School, as well as a long list of other diseases clearly associated with levels of fat intake. The studies continue at the University of Tokyo, University of Wales, University of Michigan, National Cancer Institute, University of Ohio, and many other clinics around the world are coming to the same conclusion. Fat intake, especially animal fats, is obviously the biggest dietary factor influencing prostate disease. The higher the fat content of a person’s diet, especially more saturated fats, the greater the chances of their contracting BPH and prostate cancer. Which is preferable: eating red meat and dairy products and dying a painful, lingering, premature death, or changing dietary habits and living a healthier, happier, longer life? Fat consumption also raises oestrogen levels, as does being overweight. This is the main reason men over the age of 50 years in the US and Europe have oestrogen levels higher than women of the same age. The fact is that men aged over 50 generally have more oestrogen (estradiol and estrone) in their blood than their wives after menopause. Fat intake also increases the amount of damaging 'free radicals' in the body. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons, which adversely affect our health by damaging healthy cells attempting to balance the electrical charge they carry. This is called 'oxidative damage' and harms metabolism and shortens lifespan.
The ideal diet contains only 10% fat calories from vegetables (even seafood). The maximum is 20% fat calories, mostly from vegetables. Eating more than this is excessive and in no way beneficial. Lowering fat intake (from 40% fat calories to, say, 25%) is unlikely to be of much help.
It’s true: prostate cancer can be cured naturally, without the use of drugs, surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Diet alone may actually be able to cure prostate cancer. The best book on the subject is Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy, which should be re-titled and re-edited soon. Dirk Benedict, the actor (A-Team, Battlestar Gallactica), contracted prostate cancer in his 30s at the height of his career. Actress Gloria Swanson told him to adopt a 'macrobiotic' diet, stop eating meat, poultry, eggs, dairy produce, tropical foods, alcohol and sugars and sweeteners of any kind. Doctors wanted to castrate him, which meant he would die a little less quickly. Having considered this option he decided that the whole grain diet and the possibility of living another 50 years sounded better than dying a painful, lingering, premature death, his masculinity having been taken from him. He completely turned his back on the doctors and never looked back. Within seven months he knew that he was basically well and would soon be completely cancer free. Over 20 years later Dirk Benedict is happy, healthy, vibrant, youthful – and the father of two handsome sons.
The most important factor when trying to cure prostate or any other cancer is to change diet and lifestyle and cease consumption of fats, oils, dairy products, poultry, red meat, sugar and other sweeteners (even honey and maple syrup), tropical foods, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, chemicals, coffee, cigarettes and alcohol. A diet based on whole grains, beans, most vegetables, some local fruit and small amounts of seafood (barring allergies), is the best way to a cure and the return of good health. Dozens of wonderful books on the subject of the so-called 'macrobiotic' diet exist. Some fine authors have written excellent books on natural diet, such as John Mc Dougall, Susan Powter, Nathan Pritikin and his son Robert, Gary Null, Dean Ornish and others. Unfortunately, the vast majority of diet books aren’t very good at all, and following their advice and consumption of the recipes therein will lead to an early demise. The popular 'ketogenic' diet, where you may eat all the meat, dairy produce, fats, eggs and poultry you desire, while avoiding wholesome, healthy whole grains, is the most popular diet ever devised. It’s also the most deadly.
The popularity of this diet seems to be due to the fact that it gives people an excuse to eat all the rich, fatty foods they want. To class all carbohydrates as 'sugars', is equally harmful and completely without scientific foundation. Whole grains are literally the staff of life, and have been the basis of most cultures for thousands of years. Part of eating well is also to eat as little as possible, consuming as few calories as possible. The less you eat, the sooner your health will improve. According to research, men need only consume about 1,800 calories per day, and women only about 1,200.
After changing your diet the second most important thing to do is take all the proper supplements which have been shown to help. Please remember that supplements always remain secondary to a good overall diet, and nothing can offset the adverse effects of poor eating habits. The supplements recommended in this report are safe, natural, inexpensive, effective, and proven to support good prostate health in medical journals throughout the world.
The third step is hormone balancing. Saliva hormone testing is one of the greatest medical breakthroughs made in recent years, yet the public remains almost completely unaware of it, as are medical professionals. Doctors rarely test hormone levels, and when they do they use unnecessary, expensive and invasive blood testing techniques. Hormones are very powerful, shouldn’t be used casually, and shouldn’t be taken without first testing your own body’s levels. Hormone testing will become mainstream in the near future. DHEA, testosterone, pregnenolone, progesterone, melatonin and cortisol levels are critical to good prostate health. If your hormone levels are low or if you wish to maintain the levels you had in your 30s or 40s, a hormone supplement can be used, and your levels monitored every six months through saliva testing.
Fasting is very powerful in healing cancer, and even just one day a week (supper one day to supper the next day on water only) can literally change your health completely. Some of the most respected books on fasting (consumption of nothing but water) have been written by Paul Bragg, Joel Fuhrman, Lee Bueno, and Alan Cott. If you are in any way religious prayer can also be effective.
In recent times the theory of 'complementary medicine' has been popularised, using both traditional allopathic (treats only the symptom) and natural (treats only the cause) medicines. It’s impossible to go in opposite directions simultaneously, and similarly one cannot successfully employ opposing healing methods. The best way to get well is to use allopathic medicine initially, for its incredible diagnostic techniques. There is then the choice of completely avoiding radiation, chemotherapy, prescription drugs and surgery. These treatment methods merely treat symptoms and not the causes of an illness. Your alternate choice is to use natural treatments. However, if you have already had allopathic treatments you may still have time to use natural methods to get well, and overcome the negative effects of the previous medical treatments.
A particularly notable story of the healing of prostate cancer by natural means is that of Charles. Charles found out that he was suffering from the illness in his 50s. Verified by biopsy, the diagnosis was that he probably had less than five years to live. Medical treatment would not help him, his doctor said. In any case Charles had decided that death from cancer was preferable than undergoing such torture. However, Charles’ wife, Elizabeth, couldn’t face the thought of a future without her husband, and began researching natural methods of cancer treatment. She studied macrobiotics and insisted that Charles adopt a diet of whole grains, beans, most vegetables, local fruits and some seafood. Throughout his life he had eaten meat, eggs, poultry, dairy, sugar, butter, alcohol, coffee, and all manner of refined foods, and so this new regime represented something of a contrast to what he was used to. Despite this, he decided it was time to change, and embarked on his new diet. Elizabeth made his meals for him every day, and made sure he did not stray.
Charles bought all the recommended supplements and took them on a daily basis. He found it took no effort to take some tablets each night at bedtime. Furthermore, he took some pleasure in the fact that they cost a fraction of the price of the drugs he would have had to use had they been prescribed him by his doctor. He took melatonin, pregnenolone, and used transdermal progesterone cream each day. Through a saliva test he once discovered that his testosterone and DHEA levels were both low. Charles revisited the doctor, as it’s believed testosterone is bad for the prostate and increases cancer growth. He took DHEA, used over-the-counter androstenedione and monitored his levels every six months via saliva testing. He cut his androstenedione by 50% after six months in order to maintain a new higher testosterone level.
Charles had never fasted in his life, but began to do so for 24 hours on a weekly basis. He achieved this by not eating breakfast and lunch every Saturday. Occasionally he would even fast for two days. His friends and relatives worried about him and thought that all he was doing was denying that he was ill. Despite this and the scepticism of others, his health improved dramatically, and was evident to all who knew him. Charles’ began to look well again, became more energetic and vital, and felt increasingly healthy with each passing day. As Charles’ health improved he continued to refuse all traditional medical treatments. As a result his doctor became increasingly frustrated, and when Charles told him he had increased his testosterone and was taking four other hormones in addition, the doctor said that he could no longer treat him and referred Charles to a colleague.
In less than a year Charles was certain within himself that he was well. Never before had he felt or looked better. His PSA reading was down to 0.4 after being over 10.0 (a reading of about 3.0 is normal for a man of his age). The second doctor verified that evidence of cancer could no longer be found in Charles’ body. A 'mistake' was cited as the excuse for this turnaround, with the doctor stating that Charles couldn’t have had cancer at all. Charles showed him the laboratory biopsy sheet, which represented irrefutable evidence that he had indeed suffered from the disease. Today, however, Charles is a happy, thankful, healthy man. He has a hearty appetite and continues to take the majority of the supplements he adopted when embarking on the natural remedy plan. He still takes all his hormones and monitors his levels on an annual basis. Furthermore, he continues to fast once a week, just to celebrate the fact that he is still alive.
Prostatitis is merely an infection of the prostate gland, where the immune system becomes weak in that area. It can be caused by various factors, such as a*** intercourse (heterosexual or homosexual), urinary tract infections (urethritis), bladder infections (cystitis), or post-surgery complications. It can also happen for no reason. This can be either an acute or chronic condition, and can cause symptoms similar to BPH. In fact, prostatitis can temporarily raise PSA levels very dramatically, which causes some men to fear that they may have cancer. Prostatitis can cause frequent urination, painful ejaculation, pain in the genital area, varying with the individual, and incomplete emptying of the bladder. In acute forms, the illness can even result in flu-like symptoms with fever, chills, cold sweats, pain and nausea.
The urine is usually tested to see if specific bacteria can be found. If this is the case then an appropriate antibiotic may be prescribed. These medications can have some serious side effects, however, and the patient must be monitored while taking them. Again, this is a case of the doctor treating the symptom but ignoring the cause of the infection. The bacteria aren’t causing the problem – they are growing due to the low immunity and impaired metabolism of the gland. Treatment with antibiotics is generally very ineffective.
There is also a type of infection called non-bacterial prostatitis, where no specific harmful bacteria can be detected. Doctors may still attempt to treat this condition with a succession of antibiotics in the hope of finding one that will counter the infection. This is usually unsuccessful. Often, patients who receive no treatment at all recover just as quickly as those taking prescribed antibiotics.
Whether the patient is suffering from infection, enlargement, or cancer of the prostate, all are due to weak immunity. For the infection to take hold the immune system and the metabolism must be impaired. As a result all of these conditions can be treated through diet, supplements and hormone balancing. It must be emphasized that prostatitis doesn’t respond at all well to conventional medical treatment. Doctors have occasionally resorted to use of alpha-blockers, anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy and surgery in an attempt to deal with this problem. However, the very health of the prostate must be the main focus, supported by a good diet, taking supplements shown to help, and maintaining hormone balance.
It should be noted that the antioxidant quercitin has shown some benefit in cases of prostatitis, and is discussed in the chapter seven, Supplements – Giving the Body a Boost. At the Institute for Male Urology in California,1, 30 men with prostatitis were studied. Half were given quercitin 500mg twice daily, in a double blind study. In just one month two thirds of these men showed improvements of at least 25%. Taking an inexpensive, over the counter, natural food supplement which also has many other health benefits certainly seems preferable to prescription drugs. Other studies,2, have also shown the value of quercitin for infection of the prostate.
It’s always important to remember that improvements to the diet represent the most important thing we can do for our overall health. In a broader context, our diet and lifestyle may include smoking, drinking alcohol, engaging in exercise, drinking coffee and other such activities. While supplements are very secondary to diet they are nonetheless very important. Taking supplements in addition to improving your diet is more beneficial than changing your diet alone. All the supplements we are going to discuss are natural, safe, and inexpensive.
The most important supplement to take is beta-sitosterol. The prescription herbal extracts used by doctors in Europe are all standardized for beta-sitosterol content. They are taken from herbs like saw palmetto and Pygeum africanum, instead of inex- pensive sources such as sugar cane pulp and soy beans, which are weak and expensive. Harzol contains only 30mg and Azuprostat is the strongest at 120mg. We recommend taking a full 300mg of beta-sitosterol daily. The studies on beta-sitosterol are listed in chapter 1 Beta-sitosterol – The Scientific Position.
An important mineral for prostate health is zinc. The prostate contains 10 times more zinc than any other part of the body, and there are numerous studies on the importance of zinc in prostate metabolism. Low zinc levels have been correlated with low testosterone levels. In the Japanese journal Kitakanto Igaku, researchers found low levels of zinc in prostate cancer patients. Some other valuable results have been published in journals such as Journal of Nutrition, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, Endokri- nologiya, Prostate among many others. Zinc is generally deficient in our diets, and there are many beneficial reasons encouraging supplementation.
Flax seed is very good for prostate health, and is the best known source of omega-3 fatty acids. It’s been emphasized that a diet low in both vegetable and animal fats is important (see chapter three, The Importance of a Healthy Appetite), but omega-3 fatty acids can be eaten without reservation. Two articles in Anti-cancer Research have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids may have important protective properties for human prostate cells in vitro. When taking flax oil, take two grams daily, one in the morning, and one in the evening. This is a mere 18 calories of beneficial flax oil. The more research that is performed on flax oil the greater its benefits are found to be, and flax is by far the best source of flax oil. Flax seed oil is preferable to fish oil supplements, even though many of the earlier studies on omega-3 fatty acids were undertaken using fish liver oils. It’s important to keep flax oil refrigerated.
Soy isoflavones have recently received a lot of attention, but many people remain ignorant of their value in terms of prostate health. Studies on the effects of soy isoflavones on prostate health have been numerous, but have surfaced only in recent years. The main constituents in soy with which we are concerned are genestein and daidzein. These aren’t 'phytoestrogens' as there is no oestrogen (or testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, etc) in any plant. Studies on prostate health and isoflavones have been published in journals such as Prostate, Anti-cancer Research, Journal of Endocrinology, Nutrition and Cancer, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and many others. The proof is overwhelming. Purchase a good brand that lists the amount of genestein and daidzein on the label and take one in the morning and one in the evening. Soy foods can be a poor source of isoflavones, especially foods such as tofu. Soy isoflavone supplements are a much more practical means of soy intake.
The value of selenium is undeniable and this is a most important trace element. A mere 200mcg (one fifth of one milligram) is needed per day. Even if this is in your multivitamin and mineral tablet, it’s probably an insufficient amount. Take a 200mcg tablet a day of any brand. Selenium, like many minerals and trace elements, is often deficient in our diets due to food processing techniques. Studies have also shown that selenium supplementation has many other health benefits.
Vitamin D rarely occurs in our diets, and is basically made through our exposure to sunlight. It’s important to receive 800 IU of vitamin D each day, preferably 400 IU in the morning and a further 400 IU in the afternoon. It’s surprising that nearly all research on vitamin D and prostate has only emerged in the last five years. There are about a dozen clinical studies proving the importance of vitamin D to prostate function. These include studies in such journals as Cancer Research, Anti-cancer Research, Prostate, Clinical Cancer Research, Cancer Letters, Surgical Forum and other respected international journals.
It’s commonly known that vitamin E is a very beneficial nutrient, especially in relation to our cardiovascular health, and that modern diets are generally deficient in this vitamin. Whole grains represent the most plentiful source. Supplement with 400 IU daily, preferably in the usual dl-alpha tocopherol form. At East Carolina University, researchers discovered that vitamin E suppressed human prostate cancer cells in vitro. In Finland, a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Foundation demonstrated a 32% reduction in prostate cancer when vitamin E supplements were taken by sufferers. Other studies were published in the Journal of Urology and Nutrition and Cancer.
It’s well known that garlic is good for cardiovascular health, but the fact that it can held the prostate is relatively unknown. A good, dependable name brand is required, as some garlic extracts are almost useless, with brands differing widely in terms of actual content. Some people feel that aged garlic is a better source. In the book Nutraceuticals, by Lachance, the author lists 44 references in his study of the beneficial effects of garlic extracts on prostate health. Researchers at East Carolina University showed the beneficial effects of garlic extract on prostate health. In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1997, a very good study illustrated the value of garlic supplementation in relation to prostate health.
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 recommended antioxidant enzymes, and is critical for immunity and longevity. Taking glutathione alone is expensive as well as somewhat ineffective. Fortunately, an economical 600mg capsule of N-acetyl-cysteine can enhance your glutathione levels notably and safely. This is widely available and there is little to differentiate products, so buy any brand. You’ll gain many benefits from raising your glutathione levels, but particularly an increase in immunity and the ability to fight disease.
The value of green tea extract has been discussed in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and Cancer Letters. Doctor Paschka and others showed that the extract of green tea killed human prostate cancer cells in vitro. It’s recommended that you find a good brand that is organic and decaffeinated (most offerings contain caffeine).
Citrus pectin has also been shown to have value in the treatment of prostate cancer, and probably also has value in BPH. Studies were published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute and Biochemical Molecular Biology International showing the anticancer properties of citrus pectin. Expensive 'modified' pectin is promoted, but plain, inexpensive citrus pectin, especially grapefruit pectin, is perfectly acceptable. Take between three and five grams each day, either in caplets form or in fruit juice (it’s tasteless).
In Cancer Research, beta-carotene intake was shown to have a strong correlation with reducing the incidence of prostate cancer in Japanese men, backing up the results of many other studies. This is an important antioxidant, and 25,000 IU of any brand taken on a daily basis should prove beneficial.
Quercitin is a potent plant antioxidant, but isn’t particularly well known. Studies in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, Urology and the Japanese journal, Daizu Tanpakushitsu Kenkyu- kai Kaishi have illustrated that it’s able to promote prostate health. Between 250mg and 500mg of any brand taken daily is sufficient. Furthermore, this supplement is beneficial for many other reasons as well as being a good antioxidant.
Vitamin C has received too much attention in the media, especially regarding both the positive and negative effects of "mega doses", but not studies illustrating its importance in prostate function. Studies in Surgical Forum, Prostate, Cellular Biology International and many other journals have suggested that vitamin C has strong anticancer properties. However, we don’t recommend intake in excess of 250mg daily. High levels of vitamin C intake will acidify your blood, which is naturally alkaline, and may also cause numerous side effects if taken over an extended period.
As we grow older our human growth hormone (HGH) levels decline, and as they fall the possibility of developing prostate problems increases. Raising growth hormone levels strengthens our immunity and allows us to live longer. Unfortunately, actual HGH is very expensive, must be injected, and is known to result in severe side effects. Many products claim to increase levels of HGH, but whether they contain active ingredients able to achieve this is disputable. Fortunately, there is an easy, inexpensive, effective and safe way in increasing HGH: simply take one gram of L-glutamine in the morning, and one in the evening. An amino acid with many health benefits, L-glutamine is especially useful for strengthening intestinal function.
While there are no studies to suggesting that there is value in taking acidophilus and other probiotics to boost prostate health, this supplement is a recommended addition to your list. The digestive tract is generally in terrible condition as a result of overeating and the consumption of the wrong types of food. By consuming healthy foods, restricting the quantity, and taking a good brand of acidophilus twice daily, the health of the entire digestive system can be improved. A good brand should state that every tablet or capsule contained at least three billion live organisms at time of manufacture. Such products should be kept refrigerated. Take "FOS" (fructo-ligo-saccharides) at the same time. These are indigestible sugars extracted from various foods, and feed the good bacteria the exist naturally in our intestines.
It’s been shown that herbs such as saw palmetto and Pygeum africanum among others contain insignificant amounts of beta-sitosterol or any other active ingredient. However strong the extract, the results are nonexistent. The exception is rye pollen and other similar grain pollens, as these contain the active ingredient "DIBOA" (a hydroxamic acid). Unfortunately, pollen extracts contain very little DIBOA, and are also very costly. Unless someone synthesizes this effectively and makes it widely available, don't bother.
It is important to cover a very questionable promotion regarding benefits of Lycopene, which is a product of the world’s major ketchup manufacturer. Studies claim that the more pizza men eat the greater their prostate health. This kind of pseudo-science is particularly misleading. Furthermore, many other studies contradict this claim 1,2. Actual blood serum level studies of Lycopene have proved that there is no correlation whatsoever between Lycopene levels and prostate health 3,4. In fact, no matter how many fresh tomatoes or how great a quantity of tomato juice is consumed, Lycopene levels won’t be increased. Don’t be persuaded by such claims regardless of the amount of media coverage it may receive. Asian men, who have the lowest rates of prostate disease in the world, rarely eat tomatoes.
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Traditionally, herbs such as saw palmetto, Pygeum species, nettles, star grass and others have been used to treat prostate problems. The problem with these is that they tend to contain only one part in three thousand of the beta-sitosterol complex. Analysis of saw palmetto, for example, indicates that it contains only a variety of fatty acids (capric, lauric, myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, arachic and eicosenoic), and negligible traces of other plant chemicals. Obviously effective amounts of active ingredients aren’t contained by these herbal formulas. A person would have to consume about one pound of saw palmetto berries to obtain a mere 330mg of beta-sitosterol. Even with the best "10x" (10 times) extracts of these herbs, about 200 500mg capsules would have to be consumed to obtain 330mg of beta-sitosterol. The fact that herbs are less than effective is obvious, despite their continuous promotion by the so-called natural health industry. It’s important to understand that saw palmetto, Pygeum africanum and other herbs and their extracts are ineffective because they don’t contain prostate-beneficial active ingredients.
What about the herbal extracts that are available only on prescription in Europe? These, regardless of source, are standardized according to beta- sitosterol content. Whether purchasing Permixon in France, Harzol, Tadenan and Azuprostat in Germany or Prostaserene in Belgium, all are based on their beta-sitosterol content. Furthermore, they are very expensive: 60 Permixon tablets containing 30mg of beta-sitosterol per tablet will cost about US$50.00.
When beta-sitosterol is thoroughly researched it becomes obvious that herbs represent a completely uneconomic source, but soy beans, sugar-cane pulp and pine oil (tall oil) are all excellent, inexpensive sources. The valuable chemicals from the pulp are now extracted by many sugar processors after the sugar is pressed out.
Dozens of double-blind studies examining the effects of beta-sitosterol on benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH, or enlarged prostate). A few of these are discussed below to provide examples of the first-rate research that has been undertaken throughout the world.
At the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Rome,1, DiSilverio and his colleagues studied 35 BPH-suffering men for a period of three months, giving half of them a placebo (inert capsule). They concluded that: "On the basis of these considerations, monotherapy with S. repens extract (beta-sitosterol extracted from saw palmetto), may be more favourably accepted, on account of similar clinical results, when compared to the combination therapy cyproterone acetate plus tamoxifen."
At the Hospital Ambroise in Paris,2, Champault and two colleagues did a classic double-blind study on 110 men, half of whom received a placebo. They concluded: "Thus as predicted by pharmacological and biochemical studies PA 109 (four tablets of Permixon daily), would appear to be a useful therapeutic tool in the treatment of BPH."
At the Klinische Endokrinologie in Freiburg, Germany,3, Zahradnik and other doctors demonstrated that beta-sitosterols extracted from star grass, (sold as the prescription extract Harzol), reduced levels of prostaglandin. With regard to prostate enlargement, it was illustrated that high prostaglandin levels support tumour growth.
Doctors at the University of Padova, Italy,4, studied the effect of beta-sitosterol extract (from Pygeum africanum) on 27 BPH-suffering men. Dr Tasca and his associates measured urine flow and other parameters in men aged between 49 and 81 years, and compared them to the levels in men receiving a placebo. The men receiving beta-sitosterol demonstrated a notable improvement in urine flow.
At the Institute of medical Sciences in Madras, India,5, Dr Malini and Dr Vanithakumari studied the effects of beta-sitosterol on prostates in rats. It was noted in just six weeks that prostate metabolism improved and weight reduced. This was a unique and thorough study.
At the University of Dresden, Germany,6, a study of 177 BPH-suffering men was undertaken by Doctors Klippel, Hilti and Schipp for a period of six months. 50% were given a placebo while the other 50% were given the prescription extract Azuprostat, containing 130mg of beta-sitosterol. To substantiate their research, a full 32 references were cited. All the men tested extensively during the study were carefully screened. The conclusion was reached that: "These results show that beta-sitosterol is an effective option in the treatment of BPH."
At the University of Basel, Switzerland,7, Dr Vontobel and his colleagues studied a strong nettle extract containing a high concentration of beta-sitosterol in a double-blind study of 50 men for a period of nine weeks. They concluded that: “The use of beta-sitosterols from nettles, in the evaluation of the objective parameters, showed significant differences; the men who received the supplement improved significantly."
At the University of Bochum in Herne, Germany,8, Dr Berges and his associates used pure beta-sitosterol with 200 men over the course of a year, half of whom were given a placebo. They said that: "Significant improvements in symptoms and urinary flow parameters show the effectiveness of beta-sitosterol in the treatment of BPH." This is clearly one of the most important and well conducted studies on prostate ever published.
Doctor Bassi and others at the University of Padova,9, studied 40 men with BPH who were given an extract of Pygeum africanum with a high level of beta-sitosterol content. Half the men in the study were given a placebo, and many parameters were measured during the two-month study. They concluded that: "The preliminary results demonstrate a significant improvement of the frequency, urgency, dysuria (difficult, painful urination) and urinary flow in patients treated with the active drug."
At eight different urological clinics in Europe,10, a collective study conducted over a two month period covered 263 patients with BPH. They were given either Tadenan (a Pygeum africanum extract standardized for beta-sitosterol content) or a placebo. This very extensive study was coordinated among different clinics and different doctors who agreed that: "Treatment with the Pygeum africanum extract led to a marked clinical improvement; a comparison of the quantitative parameters showed a significant difference between the Pygeum africanum group and the placebo group, with respect to therapeutic response."
A study was made on 23 patients at the Urological Clinik of Krankenhauser in Germany,11. Dr Szutrely gave patients with prostate enlargement either Harzol (herbal extract standardized for beta-sitosterol content) or a placebo, over a two-month period. He measured their prostates with ultrasound equipment before and after the treatment. After the study he said: "Within the scope of a controlled double-blind study, to demonstrate the effect of conservative therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia with Harzol, ultrasonic examination of the prostate adenoma (enlargement) was carried out on 23 patients before and after therapy, with the trial preparation of a placebo. Within a two month treatment with Harzol there was a significant change in echo structure of the prostate adenoma. This is interpreted as a reduction in the interstitial formation of oedema (swelling)."
A unique review,12, of studies over a 31-year period used 18 different international trials involving almost 3,000 BPH-suffering men. They were treated with strong extracts of saw palmetto standardized for beta-sitosterol content. After reviewing all these studies, the researchers stated: "The evidence suggests that Serenoa re-pens (saw palmetto) extract improves urologic symptoms and flow measures."
Another unique review in a different manner was undertaken at the Department of Urology in Glasgow, Scotland,13. Dr Buck did a 12-page review of herbal therapy for the prostate, including Harzol, Tadenan, Permixon, Strogen and Sabalux (all European prescription herbal extracts standardized for beta-sitosterol content). His review is documented with 59 studies published worldwide, and discusses the biological basis of prostate illness. His conclusions of the efficacy of herbal treatment of prescription drugs and therapy are well founded.
Dr Braeckman performed a study at the University of Brussels, Belgium,14, using Prostaserene (an extract standardized for beta-sitosterol) for a period of six weeks. He came to the conclusion that: "Traditional parameters for quantifying prostatism, such as the International Prostate Symptom Score, the quality of life score, urinary flow rates, residual urinary volume, and prostate size were found to be significantly improved after only 45 days of treatment. After 90 days of treatment, the majority of patients (88%) and treating physicians (88%) considered the therapy effective."
Details of dozens more studies, undertaken in some of the most important urological clinics, have appeared in major medical journals throughout the world. This is evidence that beta-sitosterol is the active ingredient in herbs. American herbal products, even the most expensive extracts that claim "85% fatty acids and sterols", contain almost no beta-sitosterol. This is never mentioned on the label, as this suggests that every natural prostate remedy sold over-the-counter in the US has little, if any, genuine value.
Beta-sitosterol is the most important phytosterol in our diet and is the most important supplement for good prostate health. Its benefits are numerous, and it can be used by both men and women.
One of this supplement’s most important actions is the stimulation of healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Over 30 years ago studies demonstrated a positive effect with no changes to diet or exercise. Since then in excess of 50 articles have been published in international medical journals, covering studies on both humans and laboratory animals. To take advantage of the potential benefits, about 300mg of beta-sitosterol needs to be consumed daily, which can be split between morning and evening dosages. Lowering levels of fat intake and actively engaging in exercise encourages much more dramatic results. In these studies there were no changes to either fat intake or exercise levels. It’s common sense to reduce or completely avoid consumption of saturated animal fats, dairy products and especially unnatural hydrogenated fats, which so many processed foods contain. Surprisingly, vegetable oil consumption doesn’t raise cholesterol or triglyceride levels, but excess intake of vegetable oil does contribute to prostate disease.
Vegetable oils tend to contain high amounts of omega-6 fatty acids. These are very different from healthful omega-3 fatty acids, and contribute to such conditions as arthritis and prostate disease. Given the overwhelming proof regarding the effectiveness of a safe, natural, inexpensive plant extract with only positive side-effects, doctors should be giving all their patients with high cholesterol levels beta-sitosterol. Instead, such patients are given prescription drugs that may result in negative side effects, and whose effectiveness in reducing cholesterol levels is questionable. Surprisingly, beta-sitosterol is rarely stocked by drug stores, health food stores and mail order vitamin catalogues, but in the future it’ll become much more popular and increasingly well known.
High cholesterol and triglyceride levels are believed to be the major causes of clogged arteries, or arteriosclerosis. At the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, the positive effects of beta-sitosterol on arteriosclerosis were reviewed. At McMater University in Ontario, arteriosclerosis was improved by simply giving sufferers beta-sitosterol supplements. At Sumitomo Chemical Company in Japan, rabbits with arteriosclerosis were given beta-sitosterol, and saw good improvements thereafter. At the Institute of Experimental Medicine in Leningrad, dramatic improvements were demonstrated in rabbits with clogged arteries as a result of beta-sitosterol supplementation.
Studies in other areas of illness suggest that beta-sitosterol may have great potential for the treatment of diabetes, blood clotting, ulcers, cancer prevention, tumours, immunity, inflammation and other conditions. Since beta-sitosterol exists in almost all vegetables, it makes sense that this really is an essential nutrient and will be recognized as such in the future.
The following studies are discussed for educational purposes, and are not intended to imply that beta-sitosterol can cure these conditions.
Doctors at the State University of New York have studied the effects on human prostate and human colon cancer cells of beta-sitosterol in test tubes. It was found to be a potent killer of cancer cells, but, so far this has only occurred in test tubes. This is a very promising step in the search to find effective natural supplements with cancer-fighting properties.
At the famous Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute, it was found that beta-sitosterol slowed the growth of colonic adenomas (tumors) when fed to rats. At the University of Frauenklin in Germany, men with prostate adenomas were given beta-sitosterol, which was found to slow tumour growth by decreasing prostaglandin content.
The chemo preventive properties of beta-sitosterol were studied by scientists at the National Institute of Health in Maryland. This means that the product helps to prevent cancer when laboratory animals are given known carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals). The same chemo preventive results were found when rats were tested at Wayne State University.
At Shiga in Japan, and the University of Valencia in Spain, high blood-sugar levels in hyperglycaemic rats were lowered when they were fed beta-sitosterol. Diamine oxidase (DAO) levels improved in diabetic rats fed beta-sitosterol orally. DAO levels are a basic marker in this condition. The same, desired results were demonstrated in another study, which saw the lowering of glucose-6-phosphatase levels.
Oral beta-sitosterol has also been shown to protect against stomach ulcers in rats. At West China University it was illustrated that beta-sitosterol could protect the stomach lining and prevent ulcer formation. In another study, stomach lesions were reduced 80% in test animals with oral beta-sitosterol. At the University of Texas, simply adding beta-sitosterol to food resulted in the same protection against stomach ulcers being achieved in rats. It’s surely more promising to study a beneficial, inexpensive substance found in all vegetables for reducing stomach ulcers, rather than toxic prescription medicines.
The number of studies on the anti-microbial properties – including anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral of beta-sitosterol abilities – are so numerous that counting them is difficult. Powerful synthetic anti-microbial drugs are often more harmful than helpful, and this is therefore a highly preferable route to take. At the Central Institute of Medicine in India, powerful anti-viral properties were shown, with powerful anti-fungal properties demonstrated at the Institute of Biotechnology in Peking. At the University of California at Berkeley, and the Federal University of Mato Grosso in Brazil, beta-sitosterol was even found to be fatal to the powerful Streptococcus bacteria. The Thapar Corporation in India found broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, meaning that most bacteria were killed. Broad-spectrum agents are obviously the best but the most difficult to find.
Intake of beta-sitosterol has been shown to improve blood parameters in a variety of ways. At the Efurt Medical Academy in Germany, beta-sitosterol fed to rabbits improved their fibrinolytic capacity and plasminogen activity. At the Tokyo Institute in Japan the same basic results were demonstrated in cows, while at Androgenetic Alopecia Khan University in Pakistan blood platelet activity was improved. The healthier cholesterol and triglyceride levels promoted by beta-sitosterol have been mentioned. The terms "fibrinolytic", "'Lasminogen" and "platelets" simply mean the blood functions more effectively.
There have been studies, especially at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa, on the possibility of improving the immune system in humans simply through the addition of beta-sitosterol to the diet. Athletes’ performance was found to improve as a result of the consumption of this supplement. Blood T-cell was improved, lymphocytes grew more rapidly, and natural killer-cell (NK-cell) function also improved. In short, this means that the runners' immune systems were functioning more effectively.
This incredible substance has also demonstrated powerful anti-inflammatory properties. At the University of Stellen-bosch, doctors are working with rheumatism sufferers to try and establish whether their condition can be helped through the use of beta-sitosterol. This would certainly be more beneficial than the potentially dangerous synthetic chemicals that are regularly lauded as arthritis and rheumatism 'breakthroughs', but never seem able to deliver the promised results. At India’s King George Medical College, rats with arthritis were given beta-sitosterol and demonstrated good results with total safety. At the University of Napoli in Italy, arthritic rats saw significant improvements when given beta-sitosterol. Several relevant US and European patents have been granted for this purpose.
Both men and women can benefit from beta-sitosterol intake. At India’s ALM Institute and the Cairo University in Egypt, the metabolism of the uterus in female rats improved when the product was added to their diet. At Ein Shams University in UAR, the function of the uterus in female mice improved even when their ovaries had been removed. All of this is evidence that beta-sitosterol is a supplement beneficial to women’s health as well as that of men.
At Dhaka University in Bangladesh doctors found that when diabetic rats were fed beta-sitosterol their blood sugar levels were significantly reduced. This occurred through improvements to the liver function, which in turn normalized sugar metabolism. At the University of Valencia in Spain and Shiga University in Japan, it was found that the metabolism of insulin in diabetic rats was dramatically improved. Given this body of evidence it has to be asked why US researchers aren’t seeking to improve diabetics’ lives through natural means, instead of proposing to inject them with insulin for their entire lives.
It’s important to understand that many other studies of beta-sitosterol – conducted on both humans and animals – have demonstrated that there are a wide range of potential benefits to beta-sitosterol intake, including increases in SOD (superoxide dismutase) levels, which are critical in immunity and lifespan. Of the four anti-oxidant enzymes in the human body SOD is the most important, and levels fall as we grow older. People with certain illnesses also have low beta-sitosterol intake. Vegetarians tend to consume 50% more beta-sitosterol than their meat-eating counterparts, and are also known to be healthier, live longer, and are far less prone to suffering from cancer, a heart attack, diabetes or any of the other conditions that affect many US citizens. The elderly have also been shown to have extremely low phytosterol intake.
Topical uses have been studied for keratosis, acne, psoriasis and skin protein synthesis. Cattle with fat necrosis have also been treated with beta-sitosterol. Studies using this substance, instead of dangerous steroids and other unnatural drugs, may result in important relief to the skin problems suffered by so many people.
Why haven’t more studies been undertaken, and why isn't it more readily available? Why isn't information like this made available to all? The answer to these questions is simple: there is NO PROFIT in the marketing of a non-prescription plant extract that can cannot be patented, but can be cheaply extracted from sugar cane pulp, soy beans and pine oil.
A wholesome natural diet is the most important factor in ensuring overall well being. A traditional whole food diet can actually eliminate prostate infection, enlargement, or even cancer. If you have any doubts about this claim please read Dirk Benedict's book, Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy. Dirk was diagnosed with prostate cancer in his early 30s, and the doctors wanted to castrate him. As this was unappealing for obvious reasons he decided to adopt a 'macrobiotic' (from the Greek 'macro' or great, and 'bios' or life) diet of whole grains, beans and vegetables. He ceased consumption of red meat and dairy produce, stopped adding sweeteners of all kinds, and eschewed refined foods, preservatives and other such products. After only seven months he knew he was well. He is now 54, healthy, well, happy, youthful, vibrant, and the father of two young sons. If the doctors had prevailed he would almost certainly have been dead long ago.
A natural diet of whole foods is basic to wellness, with supplements, hormones and fasting very secondary. A good diet is the most important factor to ensure a rapid recovery from illness, and is often more important than any other single action.
Stories of people such as the Hunzas, Vilcabambas and others living very long lives and having very low disease rates are commonplace. A remote mountain home and avoidance of all the conveniences of the modem life aren’t essential to achieve this – the diet alone needs to be altered. These long-lived people all base their diets on whole grains, beans, vegetables, local fruits and very little, if any, meat or dairy products. They also have very low-calorie diets with fat intake of only around 10%, and tend to drink very mineral-rich water.
Most contemporary diet authors offer questionable advice on diet. Only a few are really informed and practice what they preach. John McDougall, Gary Null, Nathan Pritikin and his son Robert, Susan Powter, Dean Omish, Michio Kushi and others write fine books on eating well, as do the authors of macrobiotic books. To summarize their advice, for the maintenance of health diet should be based on complex whole carbohydrates from whole grains and beans. Most vegetables are fine, but many nutritionists recommend that the Nightshade family – potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants – and vegetables containing excess oxalic acid such as spinach, rhubarb, red chard, should be avoided. Any of the dozens of varieties of beans is fine. Local fruit may be consumed in moderation, as can seafood assuming no allergies. Avoid red meat, all kinds of dairy produce, especially milk, poultry, refined foods, processed foods, all sweeteners including honey, and tropical foods such as citrus, pineapples, mangoes and coconuts.
Dairy milk (including low-fat milk) contains large amounts of lactose, regardless of the fat content. Due to its high lactose content milk has repeatedly been shown to correlate with prostate disease,5. Yoghurt actually contains twice the amount of lactose as milk, since dried milk powder is added to thicken it. People of all races, especially Blacks and Asians, lose their ability to digest lactose after the age of three, as they no longer produce the enzyme lacatase which is necessary to digest dairy products. Adding lactase tablets to dairy foods won’t solve the problem, but soy or rice milk are effective and commonly available alternatives.
Surprisingly, no study has provided evidence of a correlation between prostate disease and levels of sugar consumption, despite the harmful effects of this when consumed excessively. However, annually US citizens consume about 125 pounds of various sugars in the food. Asians and Africans, with the lowest prostate disease rates, consume only a fraction of that amount. Sugar is sugar whatever its form, be it honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, "raw" sugar, molasses, sorgum syrup, cane syrup, dextrose, fructose, maltose, fruit syrup, amazake, fruit juice, fruit concentrate, invert sugar, corn syrup, dried fruit or any other form of sweetener, regardless of its name.
Also surprising is the fact that there is no evidence of a relationship between prostate disease and smoking, drinking alcohol or coffee. Oddly enough, alcoholics tend to have smaller prostates than teetotallers. Neither does exercise seem to correlate with prostate health. Does anything correlate positively with prostate health? Yes: grain, fibre and cereal intake does.
It’s equally important to eat less. The caloric and protein intake of US consumers are about twice the required amounts, while fat intake is four times the required amount. Caloric restriction is proven as the most effective way to extend lifespan. This has been evidenced through clinical studies with animals, including monkeys. It’ll be decades before this can be clinically proven in human studies, but it’s obviously equally true for humans. It seems that the only author of note on this subject is Roy Walford, who wrote The 120 Year Diet, and Maximum Lifespan.
A typical man needs only about 1,800 calories per day, and a woman only about 1,200 calories. A typical person could easily consume only two meals a day instead of three. Fasting – consumption of water only – for one day a week, by skipping breakfast and lunch on a specified day once a week is also effective. It’s advisable to consult a health practitioner before entering upon any extended fasting programme. Doctors at the University of Wisconsin,1, improved rats’ prostate gland immunity simply by lowering their caloric intake. Other doctors at the university,2, showed that lowering the caloric intake of mice also altered their entire genetic-aging profile, allowing them to live much longer and with greatly enhanced immunity. Researchers in Takatsuki, Japan,3, actually reduced the weight of prostates in rats by simply giving them less food. Doctors at the University of Umea in Sweden,4, gave rats with prostate cancer less food and inhibited the growth of their tumours. Monkeys are currently being studied for caloric restriction, and are demonstrating excellent preliminary results. This is the most effective means that can be used to increase longevity – in addition to eating the right foods.
The extensive use of soy-based foods has been suggested, since these are widely used in many Asian cultures. This is unrealistic for several reasons. Soy beans as such, just don’t taste very good. Tofu isn’t a whole food, nor is it particularly nutritious. Most people have never even heard of tempeh and have no interest in eating it. Soy sauce is merely a condiment. A little miso goes along way, and basically is used only in soup. How much soy flour can be added to your baked goods? Soy milk is high in calories (about 200 per cup) and should be limited to one cup a day at most.
It’s an undeniable fact that people love fatty foods of all kinds. This is because we are drawn to eat foods rich in both animal and vegetable fats. It’s particularly reassuring to eat a rich food full of fat, whether red meat, pizza, butter, creamy sauces, cheese, or ice cream.
The majority of us are aware that high fat diets are detrimental to our health. They cause obesity, clog our arteries, cause endless illnesses, and ultimately shorten our lives. The most popular diet of all is currently the high-fat high-protein "ketogenic" diet. It recommends avoiding carbohydrates and classes simple carbohydrates (sugars) with complex carbohydrates (whole grains and beans) as identical. The reason for the popularity of this diet seems to be that people seek an excuse to do what they want to do, which is eat a 40%-plus fat calorie diet. In the US and all European countries, the average diet contains about 40% fats, most of which are saturated animal fats. The more affluent a society is, the richer the diet is in animal foods, dairy products, and other saturated fats.
Study after study has illustrated that a high level of fat consumption is correlated with almost every known disease. This is especially true with prostate disease and prostate cancer. Too numerous to list are the studies demonstrating the relationship of fat intake, especially saturated animal fat, to prostate disease. Taking a look at the Prostate Cancer Mortality chart is surely sufficient to eradicate any doubt that fat intake is the major cause of prostate cancer deaths. This chart is based on the diets of billions of people, and simply cannot be contested. Men in countries such as Vietnam or China eat about 10% fat calories, most of which is derived from vegetables. These people have one 120th the number of prostate cancer deaths suffered by their US counterparts. That means if 200 men per million die from prostate cancer in a country such as Denmark, only about one and a half men per million die in Vietnam.
Asian or African men who maintain their diets upon moving to the US suffer almost no prostate disease. If they adopt the typical 40%-plus calorie diet of their US counterparts, they are as at risk of contracting cancer than the native population. This is called a “migration study†and the results are inarguable. Saturated fats come from red meat, dairy products and the hydrogenated oils found in countless processed foods sold in supermarkets. Hydrogenated oils are the worst because they don’t exist naturally, being manufactured in laboratories with hydrogen gas, high pressures, high temperatures and platinum catalysts. The body simply cannot deal with this artificially high level of fat, and so the arteries become clogged. Consumption of vegetable oils is simply a lesser evil, and the belief that there are 'good' and 'bad' fats is false. The less fat you eat the better. Lowering the level of fat intake extends life and improves health.
Countries like Italy and Greece, whose populations consume olive oil rather than butter, have a lower incidence of prostate disease than other European countries, but higher rates than Asian countries. The only exception to this fat 'rule' is when a supplement of one or two grams of flax oil is taken per day, which contains valuable omega-3 fatty acids and a mere nine calories per gram, an insignificant daily calorie intake.
The American Health Federation has illustrated well that a low-fat, high-fibre diet slows the development of prostate cancer. Native black South African men have very low prostate disease rates on their traditional diets. When fed a typical American diet, high in fat, testosterone levels fell, oestrogen levels rose (and thus their testosterone-to-oestrogen ratio worsened), and they got more prostate disease.1,2
The American Health Foundation in Valhalla, NY, reviewed the literature in-depth to show that omega-6 fatty acids stimulate prostate cancer growth, while omega-3 fatty acids inhibit it. The problem is that omega-3's are rare in foods, while omega-6's are all too common. Red meat contains arachidonic acid, while it’s basically non-existent in plant foods. This is considered the single most dangerous fatty acid known, and is a precursor of the inflammatory chemical, Prostaglandin E2. The same thing was basically illustrated at the Harvard Medical School, as well as a long list of other diseases clearly associated with levels of fat intake. The studies continue at the University of Tokyo, University of Wales, University of Michigan, National Cancer Institute, University of Ohio, and many other clinics around the world are coming to the same conclusion. Fat intake, especially animal fats, is obviously the biggest dietary factor influencing prostate disease. The higher the fat content of a person’s diet, especially more saturated fats, the greater the chances of their contracting BPH and prostate cancer. Which is preferable: eating red meat and dairy products and dying a painful, lingering, premature death, or changing dietary habits and living a healthier, happier, longer life? Fat consumption also raises oestrogen levels, as does being overweight. This is the main reason men over the age of 50 years in the US and Europe have oestrogen levels higher than women of the same age. The fact is that men aged over 50 generally have more oestrogen (estradiol and estrone) in their blood than their wives after menopause. Fat intake also increases the amount of damaging 'free radicals' in the body. Free radicals are molecules with unpaired electrons, which adversely affect our health by damaging healthy cells attempting to balance the electrical charge they carry. This is called 'oxidative damage' and harms metabolism and shortens lifespan.
The ideal diet contains only 10% fat calories from vegetables (even seafood). The maximum is 20% fat calories, mostly from vegetables. Eating more than this is excessive and in no way beneficial. Lowering fat intake (from 40% fat calories to, say, 25%) is unlikely to be of much help.
It’s true: prostate cancer can be cured naturally, without the use of drugs, surgery, radiation or chemotherapy. Diet alone may actually be able to cure prostate cancer. The best book on the subject is Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy, which should be re-titled and re-edited soon. Dirk Benedict, the actor (A-Team, Battlestar Gallactica), contracted prostate cancer in his 30s at the height of his career. Actress Gloria Swanson told him to adopt a 'macrobiotic' diet, stop eating meat, poultry, eggs, dairy produce, tropical foods, alcohol and sugars and sweeteners of any kind. Doctors wanted to castrate him, which meant he would die a little less quickly. Having considered this option he decided that the whole grain diet and the possibility of living another 50 years sounded better than dying a painful, lingering, premature death, his masculinity having been taken from him. He completely turned his back on the doctors and never looked back. Within seven months he knew that he was basically well and would soon be completely cancer free. Over 20 years later Dirk Benedict is happy, healthy, vibrant, youthful – and the father of two handsome sons.
The most important factor when trying to cure prostate or any other cancer is to change diet and lifestyle and cease consumption of fats, oils, dairy products, poultry, red meat, sugar and other sweeteners (even honey and maple syrup), tropical foods, hydrogenated oils, preservatives, chemicals, coffee, cigarettes and alcohol. A diet based on whole grains, beans, most vegetables, some local fruit and small amounts of seafood (barring allergies), is the best way to a cure and the return of good health. Dozens of wonderful books on the subject of the so-called 'macrobiotic' diet exist. Some fine authors have written excellent books on natural diet, such as John Mc Dougall, Susan Powter, Nathan Pritikin and his son Robert, Gary Null, Dean Ornish and others. Unfortunately, the vast majority of diet books aren’t very good at all, and following their advice and consumption of the recipes therein will lead to an early demise. The popular 'ketogenic' diet, where you may eat all the meat, dairy produce, fats, eggs and poultry you desire, while avoiding wholesome, healthy whole grains, is the most popular diet ever devised. It’s also the most deadly.
The popularity of this diet seems to be due to the fact that it gives people an excuse to eat all the rich, fatty foods they want. To class all carbohydrates as 'sugars', is equally harmful and completely without scientific foundation. Whole grains are literally the staff of life, and have been the basis of most cultures for thousands of years. Part of eating well is also to eat as little as possible, consuming as few calories as possible. The less you eat, the sooner your health will improve. According to research, men need only consume about 1,800 calories per day, and women only about 1,200.
After changing your diet the second most important thing to do is take all the proper supplements which have been shown to help. Please remember that supplements always remain secondary to a good overall diet, and nothing can offset the adverse effects of poor eating habits. The supplements recommended in this report are safe, natural, inexpensive, effective, and proven to support good prostate health in medical journals throughout the world.
The third step is hormone balancing. Saliva hormone testing is one of the greatest medical breakthroughs made in recent years, yet the public remains almost completely unaware of it, as are medical professionals. Doctors rarely test hormone levels, and when they do they use unnecessary, expensive and invasive blood testing techniques. Hormones are very powerful, shouldn’t be used casually, and shouldn’t be taken without first testing your own body’s levels. Hormone testing will become mainstream in the near future. DHEA, testosterone, pregnenolone, progesterone, melatonin and cortisol levels are critical to good prostate health. If your hormone levels are low or if you wish to maintain the levels you had in your 30s or 40s, a hormone supplement can be used, and your levels monitored every six months through saliva testing.
Fasting is very powerful in healing cancer, and even just one day a week (supper one day to supper the next day on water only) can literally change your health completely. Some of the most respected books on fasting (consumption of nothing but water) have been written by Paul Bragg, Joel Fuhrman, Lee Bueno, and Alan Cott. If you are in any way religious prayer can also be effective.
In recent times the theory of 'complementary medicine' has been popularised, using both traditional allopathic (treats only the symptom) and natural (treats only the cause) medicines. It’s impossible to go in opposite directions simultaneously, and similarly one cannot successfully employ opposing healing methods. The best way to get well is to use allopathic medicine initially, for its incredible diagnostic techniques. There is then the choice of completely avoiding radiation, chemotherapy, prescription drugs and surgery. These treatment methods merely treat symptoms and not the causes of an illness. Your alternate choice is to use natural treatments. However, if you have already had allopathic treatments you may still have time to use natural methods to get well, and overcome the negative effects of the previous medical treatments.
A particularly notable story of the healing of prostate cancer by natural means is that of Charles. Charles found out that he was suffering from the illness in his 50s. Verified by biopsy, the diagnosis was that he probably had less than five years to live. Medical treatment would not help him, his doctor said. In any case Charles had decided that death from cancer was preferable than undergoing such torture. However, Charles’ wife, Elizabeth, couldn’t face the thought of a future without her husband, and began researching natural methods of cancer treatment. She studied macrobiotics and insisted that Charles adopt a diet of whole grains, beans, most vegetables, local fruits and some seafood. Throughout his life he had eaten meat, eggs, poultry, dairy, sugar, butter, alcohol, coffee, and all manner of refined foods, and so this new regime represented something of a contrast to what he was used to. Despite this, he decided it was time to change, and embarked on his new diet. Elizabeth made his meals for him every day, and made sure he did not stray.
Charles bought all the recommended supplements and took them on a daily basis. He found it took no effort to take some tablets each night at bedtime. Furthermore, he took some pleasure in the fact that they cost a fraction of the price of the drugs he would have had to use had they been prescribed him by his doctor. He took melatonin, pregnenolone, and used transdermal progesterone cream each day. Through a saliva test he once discovered that his testosterone and DHEA levels were both low. Charles revisited the doctor, as it’s believed testosterone is bad for the prostate and increases cancer growth. He took DHEA, used over-the-counter androstenedione and monitored his levels every six months via saliva testing. He cut his androstenedione by 50% after six months in order to maintain a new higher testosterone level.
Charles had never fasted in his life, but began to do so for 24 hours on a weekly basis. He achieved this by not eating breakfast and lunch every Saturday. Occasionally he would even fast for two days. His friends and relatives worried about him and thought that all he was doing was denying that he was ill. Despite this and the scepticism of others, his health improved dramatically, and was evident to all who knew him. Charles’ began to look well again, became more energetic and vital, and felt increasingly healthy with each passing day. As Charles’ health improved he continued to refuse all traditional medical treatments. As a result his doctor became increasingly frustrated, and when Charles told him he had increased his testosterone and was taking four other hormones in addition, the doctor said that he could no longer treat him and referred Charles to a colleague.
In less than a year Charles was certain within himself that he was well. Never before had he felt or looked better. His PSA reading was down to 0.4 after being over 10.0 (a reading of about 3.0 is normal for a man of his age). The second doctor verified that evidence of cancer could no longer be found in Charles’ body. A 'mistake' was cited as the excuse for this turnaround, with the doctor stating that Charles couldn’t have had cancer at all. Charles showed him the laboratory biopsy sheet, which represented irrefutable evidence that he had indeed suffered from the disease. Today, however, Charles is a happy, thankful, healthy man. He has a hearty appetite and continues to take the majority of the supplements he adopted when embarking on the natural remedy plan. He still takes all his hormones and monitors his levels on an annual basis. Furthermore, he continues to fast once a week, just to celebrate the fact that he is still alive.
Prostatitis is merely an infection of the prostate gland, where the immune system becomes weak in that area. It can be caused by various factors, such as a*** intercourse (heterosexual or homosexual), urinary tract infections (urethritis), bladder infections (cystitis), or post-surgery complications. It can also happen for no reason. This can be either an acute or chronic condition, and can cause symptoms similar to BPH. In fact, prostatitis can temporarily raise PSA levels very dramatically, which causes some men to fear that they may have cancer. Prostatitis can cause frequent urination, painful ejaculation, pain in the genital area, varying with the individual, and incomplete emptying of the bladder. In acute forms, the illness can even result in flu-like symptoms with fever, chills, cold sweats, pain and nausea.
The urine is usually tested to see if specific bacteria can be found. If this is the case then an appropriate antibiotic may be prescribed. These medications can have some serious side effects, however, and the patient must be monitored while taking them. Again, this is a case of the doctor treating the symptom but ignoring the cause of the infection. The bacteria aren’t causing the problem – they are growing due to the low immunity and impaired metabolism of the gland. Treatment with antibiotics is generally very ineffective.
There is also a type of infection called non-bacterial prostatitis, where no specific harmful bacteria can be detected. Doctors may still attempt to treat this condition with a succession of antibiotics in the hope of finding one that will counter the infection. This is usually unsuccessful. Often, patients who receive no treatment at all recover just as quickly as those taking prescribed antibiotics.
Whether the patient is suffering from infection, enlargement, or cancer of the prostate, all are due to weak immunity. For the infection to take hold the immune system and the metabolism must be impaired. As a result all of these conditions can be treated through diet, supplements and hormone balancing. It must be emphasized that prostatitis doesn’t respond at all well to conventional medical treatment. Doctors have occasionally resorted to use of alpha-blockers, anti-inflammatory drugs, physiotherapy and surgery in an attempt to deal with this problem. However, the very health of the prostate must be the main focus, supported by a good diet, taking supplements shown to help, and maintaining hormone balance.
It should be noted that the antioxidant quercitin has shown some benefit in cases of prostatitis, and is discussed in the chapter seven, Supplements – Giving the Body a Boost. At the Institute for Male Urology in California,1, 30 men with prostatitis were studied. Half were given quercitin 500mg twice daily, in a double blind study. In just one month two thirds of these men showed improvements of at least 25%. Taking an inexpensive, over the counter, natural food supplement which also has many other health benefits certainly seems preferable to prescription drugs. Other studies,2, have also shown the value of quercitin for infection of the prostate.
It’s always important to remember that improvements to the diet represent the most important thing we can do for our overall health. In a broader context, our diet and lifestyle may include smoking, drinking alcohol, engaging in exercise, drinking coffee and other such activities. While supplements are very secondary to diet they are nonetheless very important. Taking supplements in addition to improving your diet is more beneficial than changing your diet alone. All the supplements we are going to discuss are natural, safe, and inexpensive.
The most important supplement to take is beta-sitosterol. The prescription herbal extracts used by doctors in Europe are all standardized for beta-sitosterol content. They are taken from herbs like saw palmetto and Pygeum africanum, instead of inex- pensive sources such as sugar cane pulp and soy beans, which are weak and expensive. Harzol contains only 30mg and Azuprostat is the strongest at 120mg. We recommend taking a full 300mg of beta-sitosterol daily. The studies on beta-sitosterol are listed in chapter 1 Beta-sitosterol – The Scientific Position.
An important mineral for prostate health is zinc. The prostate contains 10 times more zinc than any other part of the body, and there are numerous studies on the importance of zinc in prostate metabolism. Low zinc levels have been correlated with low testosterone levels. In the Japanese journal Kitakanto Igaku, researchers found low levels of zinc in prostate cancer patients. Some other valuable results have been published in journals such as Journal of Nutrition, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, Endokri- nologiya, Prostate among many others. Zinc is generally deficient in our diets, and there are many beneficial reasons encouraging supplementation.
Flax seed is very good for prostate health, and is the best known source of omega-3 fatty acids. It’s been emphasized that a diet low in both vegetable and animal fats is important (see chapter three, The Importance of a Healthy Appetite), but omega-3 fatty acids can be eaten without reservation. Two articles in Anti-cancer Research have suggested that omega-3 fatty acids may have important protective properties for human prostate cells in vitro. When taking flax oil, take two grams daily, one in the morning, and one in the evening. This is a mere 18 calories of beneficial flax oil. The more research that is performed on flax oil the greater its benefits are found to be, and flax is by far the best source of flax oil. Flax seed oil is preferable to fish oil supplements, even though many of the earlier studies on omega-3 fatty acids were undertaken using fish liver oils. It’s important to keep flax oil refrigerated.
Soy isoflavones have recently received a lot of attention, but many people remain ignorant of their value in terms of prostate health. Studies on the effects of soy isoflavones on prostate health have been numerous, but have surfaced only in recent years. The main constituents in soy with which we are concerned are genestein and daidzein. These aren’t 'phytoestrogens' as there is no oestrogen (or testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin, etc) in any plant. Studies on prostate health and isoflavones have been published in journals such as Prostate, Anti-cancer Research, Journal of Endocrinology, Nutrition and Cancer, Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and many others. The proof is overwhelming. Purchase a good brand that lists the amount of genestein and daidzein on the label and take one in the morning and one in the evening. Soy foods can be a poor source of isoflavones, especially foods such as tofu. Soy isoflavone supplements are a much more practical means of soy intake.
The value of selenium is undeniable and this is a most important trace element. A mere 200mcg (one fifth of one milligram) is needed per day. Even if this is in your multivitamin and mineral tablet, it’s probably an insufficient amount. Take a 200mcg tablet a day of any brand. Selenium, like many minerals and trace elements, is often deficient in our diets due to food processing techniques. Studies have also shown that selenium supplementation has many other health benefits.
Vitamin D rarely occurs in our diets, and is basically made through our exposure to sunlight. It’s important to receive 800 IU of vitamin D each day, preferably 400 IU in the morning and a further 400 IU in the afternoon. It’s surprising that nearly all research on vitamin D and prostate has only emerged in the last five years. There are about a dozen clinical studies proving the importance of vitamin D to prostate function. These include studies in such journals as Cancer Research, Anti-cancer Research, Prostate, Clinical Cancer Research, Cancer Letters, Surgical Forum and other respected international journals.
It’s commonly known that vitamin E is a very beneficial nutrient, especially in relation to our cardiovascular health, and that modern diets are generally deficient in this vitamin. Whole grains represent the most plentiful source. Supplement with 400 IU daily, preferably in the usual dl-alpha tocopherol form. At East Carolina University, researchers discovered that vitamin E suppressed human prostate cancer cells in vitro. In Finland, a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Foundation demonstrated a 32% reduction in prostate cancer when vitamin E supplements were taken by sufferers. Other studies were published in the Journal of Urology and Nutrition and Cancer.
It’s well known that garlic is good for cardiovascular health, but the fact that it can held the prostate is relatively unknown. A good, dependable name brand is required, as some garlic extracts are almost useless, with brands differing widely in terms of actual content. Some people feel that aged garlic is a better source. In the book Nutraceuticals, by Lachance, the author lists 44 references in his study of the beneficial effects of garlic extracts on prostate health. Researchers at East Carolina University showed the beneficial effects of garlic extract on prostate health. In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1997, a very good study illustrated the value of garlic supplementation in relation to prostate health.
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 recommended antioxidant enzymes, and is critical for immunity and longevity. Taking glutathione alone is expensive as well as somewhat ineffective. Fortunately, an economical 600mg capsule of N-acetyl-cysteine can enhance your glutathione levels notably and safely. This is widely available and there is little to differentiate products, so buy any brand. You’ll gain many benefits from raising your glutathione levels, but particularly an increase in immunity and the ability to fight disease.
The value of green tea extract has been discussed in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and Cancer Letters. Doctor Paschka and others showed that the extract of green tea killed human prostate cancer cells in vitro. It’s recommended that you find a good brand that is organic and decaffeinated (most offerings contain caffeine).
Citrus pectin has also been shown to have value in the treatment of prostate cancer, and probably also has value in BPH. Studies were published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute and Biochemical Molecular Biology International showing the anticancer properties of citrus pectin. Expensive 'modified' pectin is promoted, but plain, inexpensive citrus pectin, especially grapefruit pectin, is perfectly acceptable. Take between three and five grams each day, either in caplets form or in fruit juice (it’s tasteless).
In Cancer Research, beta-carotene intake was shown to have a strong correlation with reducing the incidence of prostate cancer in Japanese men, backing up the results of many other studies. This is an important antioxidant, and 25,000 IU of any brand taken on a daily basis should prove beneficial.
Quercitin is a potent plant antioxidant, but isn’t particularly well known. Studies in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry, Urology and the Japanese journal, Daizu Tanpakushitsu Kenkyu- kai Kaishi have illustrated that it’s able to promote prostate health. Between 250mg and 500mg of any brand taken daily is sufficient. Furthermore, this supplement is beneficial for many other reasons as well as being a good antioxidant.
Vitamin C has received too much attention in the media, especially regarding both the positive and negative effects of "mega doses", but not studies illustrating its importance in prostate function. Studies in Surgical Forum, Prostate, Cellular Biology International and many other journals have suggested that vitamin C has strong anticancer properties. However, we don’t recommend intake in excess of 250mg daily. High levels of vitamin C intake will acidify your blood, which is naturally alkaline, and may also cause numerous side effects if taken over an extended period.
As we grow older our human growth hormone (HGH) levels decline, and as they fall the possibility of developing prostate problems increases. Raising growth hormone levels strengthens our immunity and allows us to live longer. Unfortunately, actual HGH is very expensive, must be injected, and is known to result in severe side effects. Many products claim to increase levels of HGH, but whether they contain active ingredients able to achieve this is disputable. Fortunately, there is an easy, inexpensive, effective and safe way in increasing HGH: simply take one gram of L-glutamine in the morning, and one in the evening. An amino acid with many health benefits, L-glutamine is especially useful for strengthening intestinal function.
While there are no studies to suggesting that there is value in taking acidophilus and other probiotics to boost prostate health, this supplement is a recommended addition to your list. The digestive tract is generally in terrible condition as a result of overeating and the consumption of the wrong types of food. By consuming healthy foods, restricting the quantity, and taking a good brand of acidophilus twice daily, the health of the entire digestive system can be improved. A good brand should state that every tablet or capsule contained at least three billion live organisms at time of manufacture. Such products should be kept refrigerated. Take "FOS" (fructo-ligo-saccharides) at the same time. These are indigestible sugars extracted from various foods, and feed the good bacteria the exist naturally in our intestines.
It’s been shown that herbs such as saw palmetto and Pygeum africanum among others contain insignificant amounts of beta-sitosterol or any other active ingredient. However strong the extract, the results are nonexistent. The exception is rye pollen and other similar grain pollens, as these contain the active ingredient "DIBOA" (a hydroxamic acid). Unfortunately, pollen extracts contain very little DIBOA, and are also very costly. Unless someone synthesizes this effectively and makes it widely available, don't bother.
It is important to cover a very questionable promotion regarding benefits of Lycopene, which is a product of the world’s major ketchup manufacturer. Studies claim that the more pizza men eat the greater their prostate health. This kind of pseudo-science is particularly misleading. Furthermore, many other studies contradict this claim 1,2. Actual blood serum level studies of Lycopene have proved that there is no correlation whatsoever between Lycopene levels and prostate health 3,4. In fact, no matter how many fresh tomatoes or how great a quantity of tomato juice is consumed, Lycopene levels won’t be increased. Don’t be persuaded by such claims regardless of the amount of media coverage it may receive. Asian men, who have the lowest rates of prostate disease in the world, rarely eat tomatoes.
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