Beta- Sitosterol…Your Prostate Friend

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that forms part of the male reproductive system. The gland is made of two lobes, or regions, enclosed by an outer layer of tissue. The prostate is connected to two other glands, called seminal vesicles , which sit like small bunches of grapes on either side of the prostate. These glands also make some of the fluid that comes out when you ejaculate (push out semen from the penis) at the moment of orgasm.

BPH, a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, is the most common of prostate conditions among men. In fact, more than 50 percent of men age 60, and 80 percent of men age 80, are estimated to suffer from BPH. BPH can cause a weak urinary stream, dribbling of urine, or the need to stop and start urinating several times when the bladder is emptied. BPH can cause trouble in starting to urinate, often requiring a man to push or strain in order to urinate. BPH is a very common problem worldwide.

Zinc functions as an antioxidant and is involved in many critical biochemical reactions. It also helps to protect DNA from damage and assists in its repair. Zinc is both helpful with enlarged prostates and with inflamed prostates. Studies (1) have shown that zinc deficiency results in prostate enlargement.
beta sitosterol

Beta Sitosterol

Beta-sitosterol’s first use is for BPH, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and a smaller use is for lowering cholesterol. Beta-sitosterol is the vital ingredient in saw palmetto berries, which have been used for centuries to treat folks with prostate and urinary issues.The critic part in saw palmetto as well as other natural cures like pygeum, stinging nettle, and pumpkin seeds is beta-sitosterol. Beta sitosterol is found in high amounts in nuts and amaranth. Beta Sitosterol works by inhibiting an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase, thereby blocking the transformation of testosterone into DHT. This decreases the amount of DHT in the body, which is beneficial for an enlarged prostate.

Lycopene And The Prostate

Lycopene supplements and their effectiveness was studies by researchers during the course of a six year study involving forty eight thousand men at Harvard Medical School. The results showed that men who consumed some form of tomato products at least two times weekly had about twenty one to thirty four per cent reduced risk for developing prostate cancer at a later stage in life. Lycopene is a pigment found in specific vegetables.

Studies have shown that people who eat lots of tomatoes and tomato products have less prostate cancer. For instance, in 1995, the Physicians’ Health Study found a one-third reduction in prostate cancer risk in the group of men with the highest consumption of tomato products compared to the group with the lowest consumption. Studies suggest lycopene has a role to play in the prevention and management of certain cancers, including cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, colon, breast, lung, prostate and skin. Studies have explored the link between diets high in lycopene and proper prostate function.

Dietary differences are believed to explain why the incidence of prostate cancer is 120 times greater in the United States than in China, where fatty foods are not part of the general diet. A nine-year study published in 1995 suggests that tomato-based products protect against prostate cancer. Diets low in tomato provide virtually no lycopene. However, other studies have shown that blood levels of the nutrient increase dramatically within one day of eating a high-lycopene meal. Dietary lycopene dissolved in drinking water over the course of 21 weeks significantly decreased two types of lung adenomas along with carcinomas in male mice.

So with good lifestyle habits, a good diet and a good beta-sitosterol supplement

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