The prostate, one of the glands in the male reproductive system, sits deep in the pelvis, below the urinary bladder, encircling the urethra -- the tube that rids the body of urine. Due to its perilous proximity to structures responsible for urinary, bowel and sexual functions, many health problems can develop from an unhealthy prostate. While the need for further clinical research exists, selenium, a mineral found in plants, may reduce the risk of developing prostate problems, including cancer.
Selenium Facts
Your body requires small amounts of selenium to function properly. The trace mineral provides potent antioxidant enzymes that help prevent damage by free radicals -- byproducts of oxygen metabolism that can destabilize proteins, cells and DNA . While selenium content in food varies depending on the soil in which the food that contains it is grown or raised, good sources of selenium usually include Brazil nuts, spaghetti with meat sauce, cod, chicken breast, eggs and enriched noodles.
Selenium Benefits
Due to selenium's potent antioxidant glutathione peroxidase, the mineral seems to neutralize the detrimental effects free radicals have on cells and may act to lower the risk of prostate cancer and its progression. Research conducted at Johns Hopkins Medical Center indicated that as selenium levels diminish with a man's age, the chances of developing prostate cancer multiply, leading scientists to theorize that selenium may protect against the disease. Drs. Pamela Ellsworth and John Heaney, urologists at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire, say that dietary intake of selenium-rich foods is linked to a 50 percent to 75 percent reduction of advanced prostate cancer cases. They also report in their book, "100 Questions & Answers About Prostate Cancer," that selenium may act similarly to aspirin by lowering levels of prostaglandins -- hormone-like substances that can cause prostate pain and inflammation.
Side Effects
Large doses of selenium can cause a rare condition called selenosis. Symptoms of selenosis include hair loss, blotchy-colored nails, garlic breath, fatigue, mood swings, stomach upset and increased bloating and flatulence.
Considerations
Too much selenium may do more harm than good. According to Dr. Patrick C. Walsh, distinguished service professor of urology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and author of the book "Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Prostate Cancer," a lab animal study suggested that both low and very high levels of selenium can produce DNA damage. Additionally, while increasing selenium intake appears to offer significant benefits to smokers and men with low levels of selenium, it may actually elevate the risk of prostate cancer in men with adequate levels of selenium.
References
- American Cancer Society: Understanding Prostate Changes: A Health Guide for Men
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Selenium
- Johns Hopkins Medicine: James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute: Prostate Cancer and Diet
- "100 Questions & Answers About Prostate"; Pamela Ellsworth, M.D., John Heaney, M.D.; 2007
- "Dr. Patrick Walsh's Guide to Surviving Cancer"; Patrick C. Walsh, M.D.; 2007
