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Nutrition and diet for prostate protection – Part II

admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:51:54 +0000

Following on from Monday, here are some more important dietary and lifestyle factors that may help to prevent prostate problems:

Lycopene is an antioxidant carotenoid that I have mentioned a few times in my blog posts. It can be found within red/orange coloured fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, watermelon, pink and red grapefruits, guava and papaya . A review of multiple studies was published this year(1), it discusses the role of lycopene in the prevention of prostate cancer. The paper states “Based on the evidence from epidemiologic [association/observational studies], animal, in vitro [test tube] and human clinical trials, it is evident that lycopene, a non-provitamin A carotenoid, is a promising agent for prostate cancer prevention”, the authors go on to suggest that larger trials should be implemented in order to assess whether this nutrient could be used as a medical agent for prostate cancer prevention. If you do not regularly consume lycopene containing foods you may wish to consider a lycopene supplement. Absorption of lycopene from foods, or indeed supplements, is affected greatly by fat. Without a fat source lycopene will not be efficiently absorbed into the body so you would do well to find supplements that contain an oil base (there are many available) and dress any salads or vegetables with a little olive oil. Studies (2,3) also suggest that lycopene may be useful in reducing the risk and progression of BPH.

Again I am going to mention oily fish and the essential omega 3 fatty acids which they contain! It seems that I mention these essential fats consistently through my blog posts – they are certainly not labelled ‘essential’ for no reason! Back in 1999 a study(4) in men found that patients with prostate cancer and BPH had significantly lower levels of omega 3 fatty acids in their blood serum compared to healthy men with no signs of either disease. A study published in 2004(5) involved a cohort of 47,866 men aged 40-75 with no history of cancer at the start of the study (in 1986). They were followed for 14 years during which time 2965 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed, 448 cases being advanced. A higher intake of the omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA (found in oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and trout) was related to a lower risk of prostate cancer and advanced prostate cancer. Frequent oily fish consumption has also been strongly associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer in other studies(6,7).

Trying to eat at least two portions of oily fish per week would probably benefit multiple health factors, it is yet unknown whether there is a benefit from taking supplemental omega 3 fatty acids for reducing the risk of prostate cancer. However, if you are not a regular eater of oily fish I would suggest a daily supplement providing around 250g of EPA and 250g of DHA daily. Since these fatty acids are known to reduce inflammatory markers in the body they may well be helpful in preventing BPH.

Eating well is important for every cell in our body! A healthy diet could certainly help protect your prostate!

It is also important for me to mention exercise. Studies show that men who regularly take some form of physical activity have reduced incidence of BPH and other urinary tract symptoms(8,9). I am not suggesting a daily pounding of the treadmill in the gym or excessive iron-man measures. Walking could be enough to help! One study(9) found that walking for 2-3 hours per week was associated with a 25% reduced risk of having BPH compared to those not walking. Choose an activity you enjoy, something that gets you moving a few times per week.

(1)Dahan M et al. 2008. Lycopene in the prevention of prostate cancer. J Soc Integr Oncol. 6:29-36
(2)Kristal AR et al. 2008. Dietary patterns, supplement use, and the risk of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia: results from the prostate cancer prevention trial. Am J Epidemiol. 167:925-934
(3)Schwarz S et al. 2008. Lycopene inhibits disease progression in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia. J Nutr. 138:49-53
(4)Yang YJ et al. 1999. Comparison of fatty acid profiles in the serum of patents with prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Clin Biochem. 32:405-409.
(5)Leitzmann MF et al. 2004. Dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids and the risk of prostate cancer. Am J Clin Nutr. 80:204-216
(6)Hedelin M et al. 2007. Association of frequent consumption of fatty fish with prostate cancer risk if modified by COX-2 polymorphism. Int J Cancer. 120:398-405
(7)Augustsson K et al. A prospective study of intake of fish and marine fatty acids and prostate cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 12:64-67
(8)Orsini N et al. 2006. Long-term physical activity and lower urinary tract symptoms in men. J Urol. 176:2546-50
(9) Platz EA et al. 1998. Physical activity and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Arch Intern Med. 158:2349-56.

Written by Ani Kowal

Be safe in the sun, can nutrition help? Part I

admin — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 11:08:58 +0000

In my last post I wrote about the importance of vitamin D and sensible sunlight exposure. This led me to start investigating natural ways to prevent skin damage from the sun (photo-damage) and sunburn. The concept of photo-protection by dietary means is gaining increasing amounts of attention from the scientific community.

Sun exposure leads to photo-ageing, with chronic sun exposure being a major contributor to ageing skin which is characterised by wrinkling, loss of elasticity, increased skin fragility and slower wound healing. This photo-ageing probably occurs for a number of different reasons:

1. UV light can damage skin cell DNA via production of destructive ‘free-radical’ molecules .
2. UVB rays seem to induce the synthesis of enzymes which cause collagen, (and other skin tissue components), in the skin to degrade, this contributes to wrinkling, loss of elasticity and fragility.
3. UV light can also induce inflammation in the skin which contributes to photo-ageing.

Luckily there are some natural ways that can help us to protect our skin from sun damage.

Antioxidants may help to ‘quench’ the destructive free radical molecules and therefore protect against photo-damage. Specifically; beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, vitamin C and vitamin E seem to be most helpful. These plant constituents are involved in the light-protecting system in plants and may contribute to the prevention of UV damage in humans. As nutrients they are ingested in the diet and are then distributed into the skin tissues where they provide the body with photo-protection.

A diet rich in colourful fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds will provide plentiful amounts of these antioxidants. Beta carotene, lutein and lycopene are all carotenoids. Carotenoids are a family of over 700 naturally occurring yellow, red and orange pigments found in vegetables and fruits. Good sources include carrots, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, squash, peppers, cantaloupe melons, nectarines, papaya, mango and dark green vegetables such as spinach, watercress and asparagus. Introducing a good mix of these fruits and vegetables in the diet will help keep carotenoid levels in the body high.

Absorption of these carotenoids from foods into the body is greatly affected by fat. Without a fat source almost no carotenoids will be absorbed. Fat acts as a carrier for the nutrients. Now, I am not suggesting that you drown your vegetables or salads in ‘any old lard’, however I am a firm believer in using small amounts of olive oil in dressings and cooking. Or including some nuts, seeds or olives in salads will also be helpful in order to gain maximum absorption of these important nutrients.

Two human studies have looked at tomato consumption and blood serum lycopene levels with regards the risk of sunburn(1,2). The study groups were given lycopene or tomato-derived products rich in lycopene (mixed with olive oil) for 10-12 weeks. Their blood serum lycopene levels increased with supplementation and they experienced a decrease in their sensitivity toward sunburn. Sunburn damage was up to 48% lower in the groups receiving lycopene/tomato paste compared to the control groups.

Supplements containing antioxidants such as the carotenoids, vitamin C and vitamin E may also be useful in slowing down the time of development and grade of UVB induced sun damage(3). If you feel that you are not getting a good supply of a variety of different fruit and vegetables daily in your diet, you may wish to consider taking a supplement to boost your levels of sun-protective antioxidants, especially in the sunny months or prior to a sunny holiday.

Check back soon for Part II where I will be looking at how nutrition can help protect the skin from the inflammatory damage that the sun can cause.

(1) Stahl W et al. 2001. Dietary tomato paste protects against ultraviolet light–induced erythema in humans. Journal of Nutrition. 131(5):1449-1451.
(2) Aust O et al. 2005. Supplementation with tomato-based products increases lycopene, phytofluene, and phytoene levels in human serum and protects against UV-light-induced erythema. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 75(1):54-60.
(3) Greul AK et al. 2002. Photoprotection of UV-irradiated human skin: an antioxidative combination of vitamins E and C, carotenoids, selenium and proanthocyanidins. Skin Pharmacol Appl Skin Physiol. 15(5):307-315

Written by Ani Kowal