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Prostate Cancer affects nearly 200,000 men each year, with more than 30,000
fatalities. And on the lesser, yet no less ravaging end of the spectrum,
prostate cancer can devastate a man’s sex life. The prostate
gland is located under the bladder. As an important part of the male’s
reproductive system, it produces most of the fluid in semen. The
gland tends to enlarge as men age, and most men, if they live long enough,
will develop some degree of prostate cancer. But not all prostate
cancers are deadly, and many men can avoid the painstaking treatments
needed to eliminate the cancer.
Recently the evidence supporting the use of the mineral supplement Selenium
in preventing prostate cancer has become so evident, that even the FDA
hasn’t been able to ignore it. In February of 2002 the FDA
allowed qualified health claims to be made for selenium,
stating that the mineral may reduce the risk of certain cancers. Sure
the statement is still vague, and open to a lot of translation, but still,
it’s a start. The FDA’s action put Selenium
on the charts as one of our most powerful anti-cancer weapons.
Surprisingly the strongest evidence supporting these claims relates to
studies done with a group of 49 beagles, some taking supplemental selenium
with their meals. Beagles also develop prostate cancer as they age,
and in the study nearly 80% of the untreated dogs showed DNA damaged prostate
cells compared to the 57% of cells from the treated dogs. Further research
showed that the dogs who received the selenium supplements had a higher
level of apoptosis, a normal biological process that helps damaged cells
commit suicide. When these damaged cells are shut down, the damage
they potentially may have caused is eliminated.
So does this mean every man should begin taking selenium supplements every
day? Well, some experts are saying yes. The current recommended
dosage is about 200 micrograms daily, but most people have blood levels
of about 120 micrograms of selenium
just from diet alone, but it takes around 300 mcg to get the benefits.
(Contraindications: Researcher Anna J. Duffield-Lillico, PhD, an epidemiologist
with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, believes
that Selenium is not beneficial to any cancer, and may be detrimental
to skin cancer. “It's too soon to advise people against taking selenium
for skin cancer prevention,” she stated. "Nonmelanoma skin
cancer is rarely fatal, but… negative effects of selenium supplementation
appear greatest among those (test subjects) with high selenium levels
in their blood.”)
The National Cancer Institute states that, “cancer patients using
or considering complementary or alternative therapy should discuss this
decision with their physician as they would any therapeutic approach.
Some complementary and alternative therapies may interfere with standard
treatment or may be harmful when used with conventional treatment. It
is also a good idea to become informed about the therapy, including whether
the results of scientific studies support the claims that are made for
it.” The National Cancer Institute’s web site offers a plethora
of information on the subject, even sites to visit if you are thinking
of switching to complementary and alternative therapies:
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/decisions
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/practitioner
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/
References:
Prostate Cancer. (2003).
Time Inc. Home Entertainment. Time A to Z Health Guide How to
Live Better - and Longer, 102.
Edmiston, Susan. (2003, October). Good News for Men (and Dogs). Alternative
Medicine, 45-46.
Lerche Davis, Jeanie. (2003, October). Selenium Foils Skin Cancer
Prevention. WebMDHeatlth. Available: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/74/89357.htm
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