Five Key Nutrients

Recent studies show a strong link between diet and prostate cancer. These studies indicate that men who wish to reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer, as well as men who have already been diagnosed with prostate cancer, may benefit by increasing their intake of five key nutrients. These nutrients can be obtained by eating certain foods or taking nutritional supplements.

Selenium

Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential for good health. It functions as an antioxidant in our bodies, helping to prevent and repair cellular damage.

The best dietary sources of selenium include:

• Brazil nuts
• Bread
• Meat and seafood
• Plant foods

Selenium intakes depend partly on the selenium content of the soil, which can vary dramatically throughout the world. Studies have shown that prostate cancer rates are higher in areas with less selenium in the soil. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled cancer prevention trial, men who took 200 micrograms of selenium per day had a 63 percent reduction in the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a fat soluble vitamin that is a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E has been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in the lab. In a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, male smokers were given either 50 IU of vitamin E or a placebo. The men who took the vitamin E had a 32 percent reduction in their risk of developing prostate cancer.

The best dietary sources of vitamin E include:

• Vegetable oils
• Nuts
• Green leafy vegetables

Since some of these foods are high in fat, the best way to increase vitamin E intake is with a nutritional supplement. However, not all vitamin E supplements are the same. Vitamin E is actually a family of compounds called tocopherols. There are four tocopherols- alpha, beta, delta, and gamma. Many supplements contain an inexpensive, synthetic form of vitamin E known as "dl-alpha tocopherol." Higher-quality supplements contain "natural" vitamin E, a mixture of all four tocopherols. It is important to choose a supplement containing natural "mixed" tocopherols because there is evidence suggesting that gamma tocopherol may have certain disease-fighting properties that alpha tocopherol alone does not. Although low doses of vitamin E are beneficial, do not take "too much" vitamin E. A supplement for "prostate health" should contain approximately 100 IU vitamin E from mixed tocopherols.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that helps regulate the body's calcium balance, and it has also been associated with a decreased risk of several cancers, including prostate cancer. Studies confirm that men with lower levels of vitamin D in their blood have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. In a recent study, 2000 IU of vitamin D per day resulted in a statistically significant decrease in the rate of PSA rise in men with a prostate cancer recurrence.

Our bodies, if exposed to enough sunlight, will make much of the vitamin D we need. Sunscreen use, however, blocks the UV rays from the sun, and thus vitamin D is not produced. Most Americans have low blood levels of vitamin D, which may increase their risk of several diseases. Men living in northern latitudes, who are exposed to less sunlight, have a higher rate of prostate cancer mortality. Fortified milk products and fatty fish are our primary dietary sources of vitamin D, but it is hard to get enough vitamin D from diet alone. As people get older, their bodies are not as efficient in producing vitamin D from exposure to the sun or metabolizing vitamin D from foods. An individual’s need for Vitamin D increases with age, and supplementation becomes necessary.

Lycopene

Lycopene is a carotenoid, or plant pigment, that gives tomatoes their red color. Lycopene acts as a powerful antioxidant in our bodies, and studies have revealed a link between an increased intake of lycopene and a reduced risk of prostate cancer.

The best dietary sources of lycopene are found in tomatoes:

• Cooked tomatoes provide more lycopene than raw tomatoes.
• Lesser amounts are available in pink and red grapefruit, guava, and watermelon.

An article published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute concluded that "frequent consumption of tomato products is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer." In two small clinical trials, men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer were treated with either 30 mg lycopene (from Lyc-Omato ®, a whole tomato extract) per day or a placebo before undergoing radical prostatectomy. In these studies, lycopene supplementation decreased the growth and spread of prostate cancer cells and decreased PSA levels.

Soy Isoflavones

China, Japan and Korea have the lowest prostate cancer death rates in the world. Diet is believed to play a large role in this decreased risk. A traditional Asian diet is low in fat and rich in soy, fish and green tea.

Soy foods include:

• Tofu
• Soy milk
• Soy nuts

The foods contain compounds known as isoflavones, or plant estrogens. These compounds may directly suppress the growth of prostate cancer cells and in one recent study, soy isoflavones decreased the rate of rise in PSA levels in men who had been treated for prostate cancer. In healthy men, two servings of soy foods per day decreased PSA levels by 14 percent. The average Asian diet contains about 50 mg soy isoflavones per day (approximately two servings of soy foods), while a typical Western diet averages less than 5 mg per day.