The prostate is a small gland that surrounds part of the urethra in men and produces components of semen. Several disorders might arise in the prostate, including prostate cancer. Prostate cells make prostate specific antigen, or PSA, a clinical marker of the possible presence or degree of growth of prostate cancer. Consuming certain herbal remedies and supplements might help keep your PSA level in a lower, healthy range. Discuss use of these supplements with your doctor.
PSA
Prostate specific antigen, a protein made by cells in the prostate gland, keeps semen liquefied. Normally, most PSA is in semen, and only a small amount is in the blood. However, cancer cells produce an abnormally large amount of PSA, and some of this might spill into the blood. When a blood test for PSA shows a higher than normal level, it potentially indicates the presence of prostate cancer. High PSA levels generally indicate the need for further testing to examine the prostate in more detail.
Modified Citrus Pectin
Pectin is a natural soluble fiber. Pectin supplements in the form of modified citrus pectin, or MCP, might reduce your risk for cancer by binding to a molecule called galectin-3, which cancerous cells produce as they form tumors. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center summarizes laboratory and clinical research suggesting that MCP might inhibit growth of prostate and other cancers. In one clinical study published in "Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases" in 2003, 13 subjects with prostate cancer who consumed MCP for one year had slower production of PSA at the end of the study than at the start, suggesting that the supplement slowed progression of their cancer. MCP is a safe supplement, but discuss it with your doctor before adding it to your regimen.
Flax Seed
Flax seeds and their extracted oil are rich in several fatty acids, including healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Flax seed also contains natural estrogenic compounds called phytoestrogens. Research suggests that flax seed potentially helps to prevent or slow the growth of several types of cancers, including prostate cancer. In one clinical study published in "Urology" in 2004, 15 subjects with suspected prostate cancer took flax seed supplements for six months. Their levels of PSA and other clinical markers of prostatic disease declined significantly at the end of the study. Flax seed supplements are generally safe, although they might interact with certain medications. See your doctor to decide if consuming flax seed is a good choice for you.
Pomegranate
Pomegranate juice contains polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins and other healthy, natural compounds. It might prevent or treat several types of cancer, including prostate cancer, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. It might also help decrease PSA levels in human subjects, as shown by research published in "Clinical Cancer Research" in 2006. In that study, men with prostate cancer and rising PSA levels consumed pomegranate juice daily for periods from 15 to 54 months. At the end of the study, subjects had slowed rates of increase in PSA levels, as well as improvement in other markers of prostate cancer. Health food stores sell pomegranate supplements. Discuss their use with your doctor.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Prostate Cancer
- "Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases"; Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) Increases Prostate-Specific Antigen Doubling Time in Men with Prostate Cancer: A Phase II Pilot Study; B. Guess, et al.; 2003
- "Clinical Cancer Research"; Phase II Study of Pomegranate Juice for Men with Rising Prostate-Specific Antigen Following Surgery or Radiation for Prostate Cancer; A. Pantuck, et al.; July 2006
- Drugs.com: Flax
- "Urology"; Pilot Study to Explore Effects of Low-Fat, Flaxseed-Supplemented Diet on Proliferation of Benign Prostatic Epithelium and Prostate Specific Antigen; W. Demark-Wahnefried, et al.; May 2004
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Pectin
