Over the Counter Natural Cures (17 page)

• Your enlarged prostate squeezes the tube (urethra) that carries urine from the bladder to the toilet. Therefore, you can't pee as easily, leaving the bladder filled with urine. As the urethra narrows, the bladder has to contract more forcefully to push urine through the body.
  
• Over time, the bladder muscle may gradually become stronger, thicker, and overly sensitive. It begins to contract even when it contains small amounts of urine, causing a need to urinate frequently. Eventually, the bladder muscle can't overcome the effect of the narrowed urethra, so urine remains in the bladder and it is not completely emptied.
  

EARLY SYMPTOMS OF PROSTATE ENLARGEMENT

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, most prostate problems start when men are in their forties, and by age fifty, prostate problems become very common. By age sixty, 50 percent of all men have enlarged prostates. The number jumps to 90 percent for men in their eighties and nineties.
⁹⁹
So even if you don't have prostate problems now, statistics say you probably will.

As your prostate continues to grow, so will the symptoms. You'll notice a weak urine flow, a sudden urge to urinate, difficulty emptying your bladder, increased frequency of urination, dribbling after urination, pain during urination, and getting up several times a night to urinate. Don't ignore the symptoms because once they start, they often don't stop—and they might even get worse.

WHAT CAUSES PROSTATE ENLARGEMENT

As men grow older, their hormone intelligence is thrown out of whack. But more than men getting old, this is the result of various lifestyle habits finally catching up to them. The end results are that their testosterone is lower than that of a thirteen-year-old girl; their estrogen has surged; and at the same time, the prostate has become more sensitive to testosterone metabolites like DHT (dihydrotestosterone). This causes swelling.

NORMAL PROSTATE GROWTH

The prostate gland is an unusual organ in that it increases in size in an uneven fashion at several distinct stages during a man's life. The first growth phase is completed before or at birth, when the average prostate weighs about 1.5 grams. The second growth phase occurs early during puberty, when the weight of the prostate gland increases to around 11 grams. The third growth phase occurs during the mid-twenties, when the weight of the prostate gland increases to approximately 18 grams.

Another, often troublesome, growth phase begins when a man is in his fifties. By the time a man is in his seventies, the prostate gland has enlarged to a maximum weight of around 31 grams. This is likely due to years of excess sugar consumption and not enough nutrient logic, rather than to any sort of natural degradation of the aging body.

THE DREADED EXAM

Raise your hand if you think
Deliverance
is one of the scariest movies of all time. Let's face it: most men don't want anyone fooling around with their ass cheeks. And this includes gun-toting mountain boys, wives, girlfriends, and
especially
doctors. What's a rectal exam? The examining physician inserts.… Forget it; you know what I'm talking about. The mere thought makes me nauseous.

The main advantage of a digital rectal exam could be in knowing that it's time to make some changes in your life. The results may indicate that you need to learn to take care of your prostate (and the rest of your body) properly, something you may not have been doing for the past few decades. In addition to enlarged prostate, you are probably carrying excess weight in your belly region, don't sleep well, and lack energy during the afternoon at work. All of these are symptoms of poor hormone intelligence, and your prostate is simply crying out for help. Your doctor will attempt to mask this symptom of enlarged prostate with drugs. (Go figure.)

MEDICATIONS USED TO TREAT BPH OFFER SEX CHANGE

Drugs called alpha-blockers are the most common treatment prescribed to manage BPH symptoms. By relaxing the muscles around the prostate to reduce pressure on the urethra, alpha-blockers usually improve urinary flow. Common side effects can include stomach or intestinal problems, a stuffy nose, headache, dizziness, tiredness, a drop in blood pressure, and ejaculatory problems, to name a few. Alpha-blockers include Cardura (doxazosin mesylate), Flomax (tamsulosin hydrochloride), Hytrin (terazosin hydrochloride), and Uroxatral (alfuzosin hydrochloride).

Another type of drug, called a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, is also prescribed for enlarged prostate. Designed to shrink the prostate gland by decreasing the amount of DHT in the body, it may take three to six months to effectively relieve symptoms. Among the numerous side effects are an inability to achieve an erection, decreased sexual desire, and a reduced amount of semen. Essentially you are being converted to a young woman internally. Examples of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors are Avodart (dutasteride) and Proscar (finasteride).

OTHER CONVENTIONAL BPH TREATMENT OPTIONS

• Microwave and heat therapies are invasive treatments that use microwave or heat energy to reduce the symptoms of an enlarged prostate.
  
• Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is a surgical procedure to remove enlarged prostate tissue.
  
• Laser therapy is a process that uses high-energy lasers to remove enlarged prostate tissue.
  

As a potential treatment for an enlarged prostate, surgery gets rid of the urination problem, but unfortunately, nerves passing along the prostate often get cut as well. This will almost certainly mean a rather abrupt end to a man's sex life…not an appealing option for a large number of men. Surgery to stop prostate growth and even cancer is nothing more than a catalyst to a slew of other problems, which are usually worse than what they are trying to treat.

If you don't want to have your prostate treated like a microwave burrito, or if you don't like the idea of being sliced and diced, drugged, or laser-beamed up the behind, consider some natural noninvasive alternatives.

NATURAL PROSTATE TREATMENTS

For the past several decades, European doctors have routinely used a variety of plant-based products to treat benign prostate enlargement and lower urinary tract symptoms. Since the beginning of the 1990s, when restrictions on the promotion and sales of herbal medications were lifted in the United States, saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, pygeum,
and pumpkin seed extracts have become available as natural treatments. Unlike conventional treatments, these supplements work to correct your hormone balance the way nature intended. Combining them with the lifestyle habits mentioned in chapter 11 will be crucial for your success.

Saw palmetto is one of the most popular herbal supplements taken for BPH. The extract comes from ripened berries of the saw palmetto shrub. It works to protect the prostate from becoming overly sensitive to the hormones that cause it to grow abnormally. Studies have demonstrated that saw palmetto is effective in relieving all of the major symptoms of BPH including increased nighttime urinary frequency, the most bothersome complaint.
¹⁰⁰
Saw palmetto is believed to have anti-androgenic effects, which slow or stop prostate growth thanks to inhibiting 5-alpha-reductase and prolactin growth factor as well as estrogen inflammatory effects.
¹⁰¹

The popularity of saw palmetto
Serena repens
extract is also due to its proven safety and tolerability. It has a remarkably benign side-effect profile and is virtually free of the harmful effects on sexual function that are commonly observed with BPH treatments such as the alpha
-
blocker Flomax (tamsulosin) and the 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor Proscar (finasteride). Long-term use of saw palmetto has shown no increase in adverse effects over time.

In a one-year, randomized clinical trial reported in
European Urology
in 2002, 811 men with BPH (ages fifty to eighty-five years) were recruited to compare the effects of saw palmetto extract to the prescription drug Flomax (tamsulosin) for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms. Results showed saw palmetto to be superior to Flomax, and free of side effects.
¹⁰²

The benefits of saw palmetto can be traced back centuries to the
Native Americans of Florida who depended on the berries as a staple food item and included saw palmetto in the medicine man's array of healing herbs. The benefits are derived from an abundance of fatty acids and phytosterols, particularly beta-sitosterol.

Beta-sitosterol is well known for its beneficial effects on BPH, as an antioxidant, and as a cancer-preventing botanical. It is also found in avocados, cashews, wolfberries, and rice bran. It works by depriving the prostate of the growth inducing, testosterone metabolite DHT. Adhering to nutrient logic and ensuring that beta-sitosterol is in your diet can also help inhibit the development of prostate adenoma (tumor) and cancer-causing prostaglandins.
¹⁰³

Regarding a healthy prostate, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 200 men with BPH, published in the medical journal
Lancet
, showed that beta-sitosterol improved urine flow and reduced the
amount of residual urine remaining in the bladder.
¹⁰⁴

Pygeum is an extract that comes from the bark of the African plum tree. It contains phytochemicals known as pentacylic triter-penoids, most notably ursolic and oleanic acids that have anti-inflammatory actions. These acids also increase the strength of the small veins and capillaries in the prostate, allowing for increased blood flow and elimination of toxins. Another active component is the group of fatty acids called ferulic esters. They reduce levels of the hormone prolactin and block cholesterol in the prostate, decreasing binding sites for testosterone and its more active form, DHT, and thus inhibiting prostate growth.

A review published in
Current Therapeutic Research
showed clinical data from 2,262 patients, spanning twenty-five years. Results highlighted that
P africanum
bark extract is an effective and exceptionally well-tolerated treatment for symptomatic BPH.
¹⁰⁵

Pumpkin seed oil (
Cucurbita pepo
) is native to Central America
and Mexico, where it has been cultivated for millennia. It has a well-deserved reputation as a prostate-friendly food and an approved therapy for men with BPH
.
Scientists discovered that the oil contains high levels of the active ingredient delta-7-sterine, a steroid that specifically competes with dihydrotestosterone for the receptors in the prostate, inhibiting enlargement.

Saw palmetto and pumpkin seed oil have been used in combination in two double-blind human studies to effectively reduce symptoms of BPH. Studies have also shown that pumpkin seed extracts can improve the function of the bladder and urethra. Researchers have suggested that the zinc, free fatty acid, or plant sterol content of pumpkin seeds might account for their benefit in men with BPH.
¹⁰⁶

Lycopene, a carotenoid, may hinder the growth of prostate cancer cells. Researchers at Harvard University conducted a six-year study of 50,000 men and concluded that those who ate foods containing high amounts of lycopene (like tomatoes) were up to 45 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer. As an antioxidant, lycopene helps neutralize free radicals that can contribute to prostate cancer and other cancers.

OVER-THE-COUNTER NATURAL CURE TO A GROWING PROSTATE

Don't let fear push you into Big Pharma's symptom-masking model. Embrace nutrient logic and the
Over-the-Counter Natural Cures
for poor prostate health. Saw palmetto is the superstar nutrient for curing nighttime bathroom breaks and other BPH symptoms. I found it for a mere 0.86 cents per month courtesy of Puritan's Pride brand (www.puritan.com). Look for their Saw Palmetto 450-milligram product, which is often sold as a buy one, get one free offer. They have not added artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, sugars, milk, lactose, gluten, wheat, yeast, or
sodium to this product. My independent lab analysis showed it to be free of adulterants or excess fillers. Verification with the certificate of analysis can be found at my website, www.overthecounternaturalcures.com.

For a bit more expense, GNC brand offers a men's saw palmetto formula that offers a range of prostate-healthy ingredients. It contains
Serenoa repens
extract from saw palmetto berries, along with pumpkin
seed, lycopene, zinc oxide, and pygeum bark. Taking the recommended dose, the price is around $9.00 per month. These ingredients come together in one easy-to-take daily supplement that provides excellent all-around prostate health.

GNC has not added artificial colors, artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, sugars, milk, lactose, gluten, wheat, yeast, or sodium to this product. My independent lab analysis showed it to be free of adulterants or excess fillers. Verification with the certificate of analysis can be found at my website, www.overthecounternaturalcures.com.

The main ingredient, saw palmetto, is not toxic. As indicated in the heavily referenced
Herb, Drug, and Nutrient Interactions Manual
, “interactions between saw palmetto and prescription drugs resulting from herbal modulation of drug metabolism systems have not been reported.” Fortunately, this natural healer does not stress our detox enzymes and, therefore, will not have negative interactions with common prescription drugs.

LIVING PAST 100 YEARS OLD SUCCESSFULLY

You don't have to accept a swelling prostate as normal or resign yourself to deteriorating health just because you are aging. In fact, people live well into their nineties and remain the epitome of good health. How do they do it? They've learned the secrets of nutrient logic and how to keep their hormonal intelligence in check.

Jessie Garratt is one example of such a person who lived a healthy active life until her death at age 102. At age 83, she traveled throughout Japan. At 90, Garratt wrote her first book, a memoir, and in her mid-90s she was still making an annual three-month pilgrimage to Naples, Florida. “Until she died last year, the only medication she took regularly was eyedrops for glaucoma,” says her daughter Sally Vernon.