Natural Remedies For The Prostate
In this article we are going to review some of the most indicated nutrients to prevent prostate problems, but before I would like to mention the need to reduce the sugars and refined carbohydrates in the diet, since the consumption of these foods leads to a constant production of insulin that can lead to benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, in addition to diabetes and other pathologies. Prostate cells have receptors for insulin growth factor (IGF-1) and this facilitates their mitogenic activity, which can lead to both benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer (1).
A team from the Duke University Medical Center in the USA addressed an article in 2015 at BMC Medicine, in which it was concluded that there is epidemiological and clinical evidence that the increase in cases of prostate cancer seems to be due to the current diet of the countries industrialized emphasizing that consuming few sugars and refined carbohydrates and increasing the intake of vegetables, fruits and omega-3 fats reduces the risk of prostate cancer (2).
Once this introduction is made, we turn to enumerate some remedies that have proved very effective for the prostate:
Lycopene
pigment of the family of carotenoids that gives rise to many fruits, including tomato, which in its dehydrated form is the highest concentration present (2). It has also been shown that its action is enhanced when consumed together with green tea (3). A group of researchers from China’s Wuhan University conducted a meta-analysis published in Medicine (Baltimore) on 26 studies in which more than half a million people of the approximately 17,000 people developed prostate cancer. According to the authors, the risk of cancer is reduced by taking at least 9 to 21 milligrams a day, which is equivalent to half a kilo of tomato or 100 grams of tomato sauce a day.
Pumpkin seeds
The pumpkin is native to America and is well known for its intestinal antiparasitic properties. But in recent years their benefits for the health of the prostate have also been discovered, acting not only as a preventive but also as a means of alleviating symptoms (5). The anti-inflammatory action prostatic is due to cucurbitina, a molecule that intervenes in dihydrotestosterone. Pumpkin seeds are known as a natural food for the health of man of relevance. Part of this is due to its high zinc content, which is important for the health of the prostate and also because the extracts and oils of pumpkin seeds may play a role in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged the prostate). It seems that both pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil used in combination with saw palmetto, saw palmetto or sabal, can be particularly beneficial in supporting the health of the prostate.
The sabal
It belongs to the palm family Arecaceae and is of the genus Sabaleae. Sabal is a tree with properties for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Its mechanism of action is acting on the amount of testosterone produced by the body, inhibiting the functioning of dihydrotestosterone, an androgen, having shown that after 12 months of treatment it is an effective treatment for prostate hyperplasia (6). There are many phytotherapy preparations that contain sabal. It also usually appears the nopal or opuntia in these formulations for its beneficial action for the bladder and prostate.
Pomegranate
My favorite fruit, I could not miss. According to numerous studies, pomegranate juice has anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on prostate cancer cells, due to compounds such as ellagic acid, omega 5 and polyphenols, being more antioxidant than green tea or red wine. The Journal of Urology published a study that followed the progression of 48 men for 6 years who had undergone conventional cancer treatments after surgery. Each participant was given 8 ounces of pomegranate juice to take daily for several years and the results were very satisfactory with respect to patients who did not consume the juice, presenting in the analyzes a reduction in the progression of prostate cancer very pronounced (7)
Epilobio.
It is called the plant of men, also known as the herb of St. Anthony, small flower willowherb, parfailian grim reaper, or flower epilobium of scientific name: “Epilobium parviflorum”. Its main properties are the affections of the prostate, but It is also effective in disorders of the bladder and kidney. On the other hand it has anti-tumor, anti-infective action, improves defenses and has antioxidant properties due to its content in ellagic acid (8), among other antioxidants. It has mucilages and pectins, so it can help in colon pathologies. It is very effective in prostate problems helping to reduce inflammation by its content in miricetin 3-0-beta-D-glucuronide, getting to reduce the prostate-specific antigen (PSA).
