It's a well-known fact that many of us men take a passive approach to our health. Maybe it's our "tough guy" attitude, or perhaps we're just busy. But way too often, we tend to ignore minor health issues until they become major problems. This is especially true when it comes to prostate health.
You may still think it won't happen to you, but the odds are not good. And trust me, you don't want to wait until it's too late because the conventional approach to dealing with prostate problems is deeply flawed. It doesn't address the root cause of the problem and can make things much worse.
The BIG Problem with PSA Tests and Prostate Drugs
EACH year some 30 million American men undergo testing for prostate-specific antigen, an enzyme made by the prostate. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1994, the P.S.A. test is the most commonly used tool for detecting prostate cancer. But the test’s popularity has led to a hugely expensive public health disaster, not only because it is ineffective, but because it is not a tool that leads to prevention or an addressing of the problem.
Prostate cancer may get a lot of press, but consider the numbers: American men have a 16 percent lifetime chance of receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer, but only a 3 percent chance of dying from it. That’s because the majority of prostate cancers grow slowly. In other words, men lucky enough to reach old age are much more likely to die with prostate cancer than to die of it.
Even then, the test is hardly more effective than a coin toss. As many have been trying to make clear for many years now, P.S.A. testing can’t detect prostate cancer and, more important, it can’t distinguish between the two types of prostate cancer -- the one that will kill you and the one that won’t.
Instead, the test simply reveals how much of the prostate antigen a man has in his blood. Infections, over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen, and benign swelling of the prostate can all elevate a man’s P.S.A. levels, but none of these factors signals cancer. Men with low readings might still harbor dangerous cancers, while those with high readings might be completely healthy.
The medical community is slowly turning against P.S.A. screening. Last year, The New England Journal of Medicine published results from the two largest studies of the screening procedure, one in Europe and one in the United States. The results from the American study show that over a period of 7 to 10 years, screening did not reduce the death rate in men 55 and over.
You may still think it won't happen to you, but the odds are not good. And trust me, you don't want to wait until it's too late because the conventional approach to dealing with prostate problems is deeply flawed. It doesn't address the root cause of the problem and can make things much worse.
The BIG Problem with PSA Tests and Prostate Drugs
EACH year some 30 million American men undergo testing for prostate-specific antigen, an enzyme made by the prostate. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1994, the P.S.A. test is the most commonly used tool for detecting prostate cancer. But the test’s popularity has led to a hugely expensive public health disaster, not only because it is ineffective, but because it is not a tool that leads to prevention or an addressing of the problem.
Prostate cancer may get a lot of press, but consider the numbers: American men have a 16 percent lifetime chance of receiving a diagnosis of prostate cancer, but only a 3 percent chance of dying from it. That’s because the majority of prostate cancers grow slowly. In other words, men lucky enough to reach old age are much more likely to die with prostate cancer than to die of it.
Even then, the test is hardly more effective than a coin toss. As many have been trying to make clear for many years now, P.S.A. testing can’t detect prostate cancer and, more important, it can’t distinguish between the two types of prostate cancer -- the one that will kill you and the one that won’t.
Instead, the test simply reveals how much of the prostate antigen a man has in his blood. Infections, over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen, and benign swelling of the prostate can all elevate a man’s P.S.A. levels, but none of these factors signals cancer. Men with low readings might still harbor dangerous cancers, while those with high readings might be completely healthy.
The medical community is slowly turning against P.S.A. screening. Last year, The New England Journal of Medicine published results from the two largest studies of the screening procedure, one in Europe and one in the United States. The results from the American study show that over a period of 7 to 10 years, screening did not reduce the death rate in men 55 and over.
The European study showed a small decline in death rates, but also found that 48 men would need to be treated to save one life. That’s 47 men who, in all likelihood, can no longer function sexually or stay out of the bathroom for long.
If you go to your doctor complaining about having to "go" all the time or difficulties in the bedroom, he or she will likely prescribe a drug that may help ease some of your symptoms, but that comes with some seriously disturbing side effects. In fact, the FDA recently warned that these drugs actually increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.
First, here's some background on how it works. For decades, the theory has been that prostate problems are caused by the conversion of regular testosterone into a form of testosterone known as dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which causes the prostate to swell. This conversion happens naturally as men get older and is catalyzed by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase.
So, the pharmaceutical companies created drugs that stop this natural process by blocking 5-alpha reductase. But, as so often is the case withnarrow-minded pharmaceutical approaches to "solving" health problems, this therapy misses the mark.
As it turns out, blocking the 5-alpha reductase enzyme alone can actually make matters worse because another enzyme, called aromatase, takes its place and starts turning your testosterone into estrogen.
In case you're not aware, you DON'T want excess estrogen in your body as a man for a number of reasons.
Why Men Should Avoid Too Much Estrogen
If you go to your doctor complaining about having to "go" all the time or difficulties in the bedroom, he or she will likely prescribe a drug that may help ease some of your symptoms, but that comes with some seriously disturbing side effects. In fact, the FDA recently warned that these drugs actually increase your risk of developing prostate cancer.
First, here's some background on how it works. For decades, the theory has been that prostate problems are caused by the conversion of regular testosterone into a form of testosterone known as dihydrotestosterone, or DHT, which causes the prostate to swell. This conversion happens naturally as men get older and is catalyzed by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase.
So, the pharmaceutical companies created drugs that stop this natural process by blocking 5-alpha reductase. But, as so often is the case withnarrow-minded pharmaceutical approaches to "solving" health problems, this therapy misses the mark.
As it turns out, blocking the 5-alpha reductase enzyme alone can actually make matters worse because another enzyme, called aromatase, takes its place and starts turning your testosterone into estrogen.
In case you're not aware, you DON'T want excess estrogen in your body as a man for a number of reasons.
Why Men Should Avoid Too Much Estrogen
- Contributes to prostate enlargement
- Obliterates your sex drive and ability to perform
- Causes gynecomastia (breast enlargement)
- Accelerates weight gain and hair loss
So you can see why prostate drugs are not a good long-term solution for sustained prostate health! In order to really solve the problem, you must block BOTH the 5-alpha reductase enzyme AND the aromatase enzyme.
The Natural Prostate Solution (with a Catch)
If you've looked into natural ways to support your prostate health, you've no doubt come across saw palmetto extract. This extensively studied prostate supporter is derived from the berries of the saw palmetto plant. Saw palmetto is a godsend when it comes to prostate health because it is scientifically proven to inhibit both 5-alpha reductase and aromatase, blocking the production of both DHT and estrogen.
Gold-standard clinical studies have shown that saw palmetto:
- Nourishes and protects the prostate
- Helps to reduce prostate swelling
- Promotes a healthy sex drive
- Supports recovery from exercise
- Boosts healthy hair growth
And best of all, research has shown saw palmetto is effective in nearly 90% of users, has no side effects or drug interactions and is safe even in extremely large doses.
Unfortunately, Most Saw Palmetto Supplements Are Junk!
Don't be fooled into thinking all saw palmetto is the same. Recent tests from a leading independent laboratory showed that almost half of the leading brands of saw palmetto extract were lacking effective potency. So how do you know if you're getting a good product or just a bottle of junk?
I'm going to let you in on some industry secrets about saw palmetto thatwill make you think twice about buying just any old saw palmetto supplement. Here's a list of things you definitely want to avoid when purchasing a saw palmetto supplement:
Lack of Potency: The active ingredients that make saw palmetto so effective are found only in the mature berries of the plant, and these berries must be highly concentrated. But many saw palmetto supplements are made with whole, ground up unripe berries, as well as other parts of the plant, that contain little if any of its active constituents!
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Chemical Solvents: The vast majority of saw palmetto berries are processed using harsh chemical solvents that are used to extract the active ingredients. These solvents are potentially toxic and end up in the raw material used to make the supplement.
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Pesticides and Toxins: There's big money in saw palmetto crops, and growers go to great lengths to get maximum yield. Many of them use copious amounts of pesticides and herbicides that end up in the plants used to make saw palmetto supplements.
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Berries from Far-Off Lands: The saw palmetto plant is indigenous to the Southeastern US But by my estimates, 99% of the saw palmetto supplements sold in the US are made with saw palmetto berries that were grown in China, where there is little regulation in place to ensure safe growing and processing practices.
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6 Tips for Finding a Great Supplement
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Make sure the supplement provides a daily dose of at least 300 mg of highly concentrated saw palmetto berries.
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If possible, call the company and ask what the country of origin is for the saw palmetto berries. Ensure they are not from China.
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3.
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Find a supplement that uses organic saw palmetto berries. This eliminates any possibility of contamination from pesticides and other toxins.
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If the supplement was produced using harsh solvents, it may cause more harm than good. The best supplements are produced usingsolvent-free extraction.
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Cheap supplements have low potency, so you end up having to take 4 to 6 pills per day. A concentrated supplement will provides at least 300 mg in only 1 or 2 pills per day. This makes it more likely you'll take them every day!
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6.
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There is no need to overpay for a high-quality saw palmetto supplement. My advice -- don't spend more than $20 for a bottle.
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Start Protecting Your Prostate Today--Before It's Too Late
Please don't be among the millions of men who ignore prostate issues. Remember, 90% of men will suffer from prostate problems by age 70. Failing to take action now sets you up for serious problems down the road, not to mention discomfort, pain and reduced capabilities.
If you've tried a saw palmetto before and didn't see results, perhaps you were just one of the millions of men who were fooled into taking a JUNK supplement. Please use my advice above and try again!
Source: PreventDisease
