Men's Health

What are your diet and supplement recommendations for prostate health?

Eating plenty of plant foods, cutting back on animal products, getting regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight continue to top the list of healthy diet and lifestyle habits for prostate health. But, don’t forget to supplement with key nutrients that target prostate health, including lycopene, selenium and isoflavones. Read on to learn more.

Diet essentials for prostate health

  • Eat more plant-based foods. Plant foods contain an abundance of nutrients, fiber and phytochemicals that appear to protect prostate health.1,2 Plant foods showing the most promise for prostate health are tomatoes, soy and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and mustard greens. Eating more soy-based foods such as soybeans, tofu or tempeh, soy nuts and soy milk will boost your isoflavone intake. And, if soy foods are not among your favorites, consider adding soy protein powder to your favorite foods or beverages. Other plant foods that are being investigated for their prostate health benefits include garlic, green tea and flaxseed.1
  • Reduce your intake of animal foods. Diets high in animal foods such as red meats, processed meats and dairy have been reported to have a negative effect on prostate health.3,4 Consider replacing these foods with healthier alternatives such as soy, fish, beans, nuts and seeds.

Lifestyle habits for prostate health

  • Maintain a healthy weight. Men who gain more than 3½ pounds a year between the ages of 25 and 40 are twice as likely to have prostate problems recur compared to men who gain less weight.5 This research suggests that following a sensible diet and exercise program to achieve — and maintain — a healthy body weight is also beneficial for your prostate.
  • Exercise regularly. You get regular physical activity for overall health, but did you know that this healthy habit has a positive impact on your prostate health as well? In fact, researchers continue to show a direct link between physical activity and prostate health.6,7

Best supplements for prostate health

  • Daily multivitamin. Taking a daily multivitamin is important for men of all ages to help bridge the gap of inadequate nutrient intake that commonly occurs with today’s hectic lifestyle.8 My best multi pick for men is Natrol® My Favorite Multi® Take One Iron Free. It offers one-a-day convenience that’s easy to remember and provides 200 mcg of selenium.†
  • Selenium. Research studies indicate that at least 200 mcg of selenium per day may be necessary for prostate health.9,10 Yet dietary intake studies report that American men fail to get this critical amount from foods alone.11,12 Adding more selenium rich foods to your diet is a great idea — seafood, brazil nuts, brown rice and moderate amounts of meats. But, also consider taking a multi with 200 mcg of selenium for dietary insurance. A daily selenium supplement such as Natrol® SelenoExcell® Max, which provides 200 mcg of selenium in a convenient one-a-day tablet, can also help you meet your selenium needs for prostate health.†
  • Lycopene. Lycopene taken in amounts ranging from 8 to 30 mg daily has been shown to support prostate health.13,14,15 This research suggests supplementing with at least 8 mg per day to support prostate health. If you don’t regularly consume tomato products, supplementing is especially important. Tomatoes are one of the best foods sources of lycopene with about 3 mg per medium tomato and 15 mg per 6-ounce serving of tomato juice.16 My best supplement pick to help boost your lycopene intake is
    Natrol® Lycopene 15 mg.†
  • Isoflavones. Evidence continues to mount for a beneficial role of isoflavones for prostate health.17,18 Consider supplementing with red clover isoflavones to boost your intake. Trinovin®, a dietary supplement that provides 40 mg of red clover isoflavones per tablet, is a convenient alternative backed by preliminary clinical research. In this study, researchers reported that a daily supplement of Trinovin for 12 weeks resulted in improved urine flow and quality of life in middle-aged and mature men.19†

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†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

  1. American Institute for Cancer Research. Plant Foods May Protect Against Prostate Cancer. Available at: http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?abbr=pub_&page=NewsArticle&id=8732.
  2. Nguyen JY, Major JM, Knott CJ, et al. Adoption of a plant-based diet by patients with recurrent prostate cancer. Integr Cancer Ther. 2006;5:214-223.
  3. Rodriguez C, McCullough ML, Mondul AM, et al. Meat consumption among Black and White men and risk of prostate cancer in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006;15:211-216.
  4. Michaud DS, Augustsson K, Rimm EB, et al. A prospective study on intake of animal products and risk of prostate cancer. Cancer Causes Control. 2001;12:557-567.
  5. American Institute for Cancer Research. Waistline protection for the prostate. Available at: http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?abbr=pr_hf_&page=NewsArticle&id=9041 .
  6. American Institute for Cancer Research. New surge in research links physical activity with reduced cancer risk. Available at: http://www.aicr.org/site/News2?news_iv_ctrl=-1&abbr=pr_&page=NewsArticle&id=8913&security=1046 .
  7. Giovannucci EL, Liu Y, Leitzmann MF, et al. A prospective study of physical activity and incident and fatal prostate cancer. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:1005-1010.
  8. United States Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Available at: http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/Chapter2.pdf .
  9. Clark LC, Combs GF Jr, Turnbull BW, et al. Effects of selenium supplementation for cancer prevention in patients with carcinoma of the skin. A randomized controlled trial. Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Study Group. JAMA. 1996;276:1957-1963.
  10. Clark LC, Dalkin B, Krongrad A, et al. Decreased incidence of prostate cancer with selenium supplementation: results of a double-blind cancer prevention trial. Br J Urol. 1998;81:730-734.
  11. National Academy of Sciences. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids. Washington DC: National Academy Press; 2000. Available at: http://www.nap.edu/books/0309069351/html.
  12. Schrauzer GN. Selenomethionine: a review of its nutritional significance, metabolism and toxicity. J Nutr. 2000;130:1653-1656.
  13. Etminan M, Takkouche B, Caamano-Isorna F. The role of tomato products and lycopene in the prevention of prostate cancer: a meta-analysis of observational studies. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2004;13:340-345.
  14. Mohanty NK, Saxena S, Singh UP, et al. Lycopene as a chemopreventive agent in the treatment of high-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia. Urol Oncol. 2005;23:383-385.
  15. Kucuk O, Sarkar FH, Sakr W, et al. Phase II randomized clinical trial of lycopene supplementation before radical prostatectomy. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2001;10:861-868.
  16. USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Available at: http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search.
  17. Maskarinec G, Morimoto Y, Hebshi S, Sharma S, Franke AA, Stanczyk FZ. Serum prostate-specific antigen but not testosterone levels decrease in a randomized soy intervention among men. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006;60:1423-1429.
  18. Lee MM, Gomez SL, Chang JS, Wey M, Wang RT, Hsing AW. Soy and isoflavone consumption in relation to prostate cancer risk in China. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers. 2003;12:665-668.
  19. Gerber GS, Lowe FC, Spigelman S. The use of standardized extract of red clover isoflavones for the alleviation of BPH symptoms. Paper presented at: the Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society; June 21-June 24, 2000; Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Do Isoflavones Benefit Men’s Health?

Based on recent research the answer is a resounding yes! Original interest in the health benefits of isoflavones centered mostly on their ability to influence women’s health. However, in recent years scientists have discovered that isoflavones may equally benefit men’s health.1,2 Researchers have found that men consuming a diet rich in these naturally occurring plant compounds may be more likely to maintain normal prostate health.3,4 Read on to learn more about isoflavones, their health benefits and ways to boost your daily intake.†

What are Isoflavones?

Isoflavones are naturally occurring plant compounds that are found in various foods, including beans and legumes. The two most well-recognized isoflavone containing plant foods are soy and red clover because they contain notable amounts of these biologically active chemicals. While soy contains the two most studied isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, red clover contains biochanin A and formononetin, which are unique only to red clover. When ingested, biochanin A and formononetin are metabolized to genistein and daidzein. Researchers have focused on the health benefits of both soy and red clover as a source of health promoting isoflavones.†

How do they work?

Scientists have found that isoflavones exhibit a variety of mechanisms which may help men have healthier prostates over the long-haul. By inhibiting the synthesis and activity of certain enzymes involved in hormone metabolism, isoflavones may help maintain normal function and health in the prostate. To date, researchers have found that isoflavones can:5,6

  • Stop over-activity of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase, reducing the amount of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (i.e. a byproduct of testosterone) in the prostate.†
  • Lock DHT out of the receptor in the prostate.†
  • Block excessive estradiol production, by inhibiting the enzyme aromatase.†
This triple-action effect of isoflavones appears to keep excessive amounts of two hormones, estradiol and DHT from negatively influencing the prostate.

 

Clinical findings support daily isoflavone intake

Researchers reporting in the February 2008 issue of Urology found that a daily red clover isoflavone extract could influence prostate health by maintaining prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels within a healthy range over the trial period of a year.4 These results combined with earlier research showing that red clover isoflavones can help improve urine flow and quality of life in middle-aged and mature men7 support a recommendation for improved isoflavone intakes among men.

Fill up on isoflavones

To receive prostate health benefits men should consistently ingest isoflavones from their diet. Here are some easy ways to boost daily isoflavone intake:

  • Eat more legumes. Chick peas, soy, lentils, peas and many varieties of beans contain isoflavones. Attempt to include at least 1 serving per day by drinking soy milk, eating bean soup, adding peas/beans to salads, snacking on hummus, or choosing soy nuts for a crunchy treat.
  • Supplement with Trinovin®, a concentrated red clover isoflavone extract. Red clover is one of the richest sources of isoflavones found in nature. Trinovin is a clinically tested standardized extract that contains 40 mg of isoflavones per dose.†

References:

  1. Maskarinec G, Morimoto Y, Hebshi S, et al. Serum prostate-specific antigen but not testosterone levels decrease in a randomized soy intervention among men. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006;60:1423-1429. PMID: 16775579
  2. Lee MM, Gomez SL, Chang JS, Wey M, Wang RT, Hsing AW. Soy and isoflavone consumption in relation to prostate cancer risk in China. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers. 2003;12:665-668. PMID: 12869409
  3. Hedelin M, Bälter KA, Chang ET, et al. Dietary intake of phytoestrogens, estrogen receptor-beta polymorphisms and the risk of prostate cancer. Prostate. 2006 Oct 1;66(14):1512-20.PMID: 16921512
  4. Engelhardt PF, Riedl CR. Effects of one-year treatment with isoflavone extract from red clover on prostate, liver function, sexual function, and quality of life in men with elevated PSA levels and negative prostate biopsy findings.Urology. 2008;71:185-190. PMID: 18308079
  5. Evans BA, Griffiths K, Morton MS. Inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase in genital skin fibroblasts and prostate tissue by dietary lignans and isoflavonoids. J Endocrinol. 1995;147:295-302. PMID: 7490559
  6. Adlercreutz H, Mazur W, Bartels P, et al. Phytoestrogens and prostate disease. J Nutr. 2000;130:658S-9S. PMID: 10702603
  7. Gerber GS, Lowe FC, Spigelman S. The use of standardized extract of red clover isoflavones for the alleviation of BPH symptoms. Paper presented at: the Annual Meeting of the Endocrine Society; June 21-June 24, 2000; Toronto, Ontario, Canada.