The prostate is a small gland surrounding part of a man's urethra that produces fluid that becomes part of semen. Prostate cancer develops when prostate cells become abnormal and start dividing at an unusually high rate. The National Cancer Institute reports that more than 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer occurred in 2010. Modified citrus pectin is an herbal remedy that may help prevent the disease or improve the outcome for prostate cancer. Discuss its use with your doctor before adding it to your routine.
Symptoms and Risk Factors
Although early prostate cancer may cause no symptoms, later stages may cause problems urinating, including difficulty starting the flow of urine, a frequent need to urinate or pain during urination. In advanced disease, blood may appear in the urine or frequent lower back pain may develop. Risk factors for the disease include being over 65, having a family history of the disorder, being black or having changes in certain genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2.
Modified Citrus Pectin
Citrus fruits contain a soluble fiber in their peel and pulp called pectin, a compound found in plant cell walls. Because of its gelatinous nature, pectin is a useful commercial thickening agent. Chemically, pectin is a polysaccharide that, when altered to make it more digestible, is called modified citrus pectin, or MCP. MCP has a number of medicinal qualities, including some that allow it to change how cancer cells develop and grow. This includes prostatic cancer cells.
MCP and Prostate Cancer
Modified citrus pectin binds to a compound called galectin-3, which is important in supporting development and growth of prostate cancer cells. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center summarizes a number of laboratory studies, indicating that MCP inhibits growth of tumors, development of blood vessels in tumors and spread of tumor cells to other locations. In a clinical trial of MCP for prostate cancer published in "Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases" in 2003, men with prostate cancer who took MCP had slower production of prostate specific antigen, a marker of cancer growth.
Recommendations
MCP is available as a supplement from most health food stores, in tablets or capsules. The usual dose is 10 to 20 g daily. MCP is generally considered safe, although it may interact with some prescription medications, and it may cause mild diarrhea or abdominal cramps in some people. Talk to your doctor about pectin to determine if it is a good choice for you.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Prostate Cancer
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Pectin
- Science Daily; Common Component Of Fruits, Vegetables Kills Prostate Cancer Cells; August 2007
- Drugs.com: Pectin
- National Cancer Institute: What you Need to Know About Prostate Cancer
- "Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases"; Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) Increases the Prostate-Specific Antigen Doubling Time...; B. Guess, et al.; 2003
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