Pollen Flower provides relief for many prostate-related issues that are experienced by the majority of men over 40-years of age. The main ingredient is rye pollen. All possible allergens and impurities are removed by a very sophisticated and complex process.

Pollen Flower can yield prostate health benefits within weeks, rather than the months which are typical of other nutritional supplements for prostate health.

The Advantages of Pollen Flower

A Natural Approach to Maintaining Prostate and Urogenital Health. Non-Allergenic and Non-Toxic.

It is very common for the prostate gland to become enlarged as a man ages. This condition is known as BHP, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. The vast majority of men will eventually have symptoms of an enlarged prostate

• Pollen Flower has been shown to provide the following benefits:
  • Reduction in prostate congestion
  • Decrease number of nighttime bathroom trips (urinary frequency) urinary urgency and hesitancy
  • Improved ability to fully empty the bladder (via relaxation of urethral smooth muscles); also helps women with bladder control issues
  • Inhibition of the binding of 5-alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to prostate cells
• Pollen Flower can yield prostate health benefits within weeks, rather than the months which are typical of other nutritional supplements for prostate health.
• Saw Palmetto and other supplements marketed for prostate health have no impact on reducing the volume (or size) of an enlarged prostate. Pollen Flower does! (In Japan, pollen extracts are one of the preferred treatments for enlarged prostate.)
• Pollen Flower has a calming effect upon spasms of the musculature of the smooth muscles of the urethra and bladder neck. It improves contractibility of the bladder and reduces inflammation. Because it exerts a broad effect upon the tissues of the urethra and the bladder, Pollen Flower offers benefits to women as well as men. Women experiencing an involuntary loss of urine when laughing, coughing, lifting a heavy object, or sneezing, or find themselves being woken from a deep sleep to urinate, will benefit from taking Pollen Flower to enhance and promote better bladder control.
• Pollen Flower is also a potent antioxidant, immune system enhancer, liver protector, and has energy/anti-fatigue effects. Pollen Flower has been used in clinical settings to promote better wound healing, shorten convalescence time after surgery, and enhance sports performance. Athletes at risk as a result of excessive use of male hormone precursors (e.g., DHEA, androstenediol) may be helped by Pollen Flower.

Pollen Flower Description

Pollen Flower is a specialized extract designed for the purpose of promoting urogenital health. It is a proprietary combination of water-soluble and lipid-soluble fractions prepared from a defined set of flower pollen sources. The main ingredient is rye pollen. All possible allergens and impurities are removed by a very sophisticated and complex process. The active ingredients are standardized according to proprietary amino acid and phytosterol content profiles, which assures you a consistent product every bottle, every time. There have been no reported serious toxic or allergenic reactions for decades, and no issues of intolerance. Caution is advised for those using flower pollen extracts from unknown origins.

Pharmacology of Pollen Flower

Pollen Flower was developed through a proprietary process that requires the pollen of 10,000 plant tops to produce one kilogram of extract. All possible allergens and impurities are removed, and then a very sophisticated process is used to extract out the hydrophilic and the lipophilic fractions, both of are active in genitor-urinary tract issues. For example, the lipophilic fraction has demonstrated an inhibition of the 5-alpha-reductase (responsible for the production of DHT) as well as the cyclooxygenase pathway, which is involved in the inflammatory process. The hydrophilic fraction has demonstrated anti-proliferative actions against the prostate cells. In other words, it helps to defend the prostate against problematic cell growth.

Mechanisms of Action

• Relaxes smooth muscles, and helps facilitate voiding of the bladder and reduce residual urine
• Improves bladder contractility (and control)
• Inhibits prostate epithelial and stromal cell growth
• Inhibits the arachidonic acid cascade, which is involved in inflammatory processes
• Potent antioxidant properties
• Reduces the effects of cadmium (a suspected inducer of prostate enlargement)
• Protects the liver from some toxins
• Enhances immune system function

The following properties of pollen extracts serve to help protect the prostate from enlargement:

• Inhibits the formation of DHT by inhibiting alpha-reductase enzyme activity
• Improves the clearance of DHT and its end products from prostate cells
• Effectively increases zinc levels in the prostate, and zinc exerts a major impact upon the clearance of DHT. (Taking zinc orally will not necessarily increase levels of zinc in the prostate.)

Reduces the binding of DHT to its prostate cell receptor site (alpha 1-receptor)

Pygeum africanum is a large evergreen tree found in central and southern Africa. The extracts from the Pygeum bark contain several compounds thought to be helpful in prostate enlargement. Pygeum extracts have been used for more than 30 years in France, Germany, and Austria for patients suffering with prostate enlargement. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a nonmalignant enlargement of the prostate that occurs in most men over 60, can lead to urinary frequency and nocturia (waking up at night to go to the bathroom). Frequent interruption of sleep leads to daytime tiredness. The pharmacologic use of plants and herbs for the treatment of BPH has been growing steadily and a well-known herb used for this purpose is saw palmetto. The extract of the African prune tree, Pygeum africanum, is one of several herbal agents used by many men who have BPH.

What's in Pygeum africanum?
The extracts from pygeum include beta-sitosterol, other plant estrogens, triterpenes, and certain compounds known as ferulic acids.

Saw Palmetto: supports healthy prostate function, improves body strength, supports healthy hormonal balance and healthy immune function, increases libido.

Saw Palmetto (Serenoa serrulata) is native to the West Indies and the Atlantic coast of North America. Native Americans and early Amercan settlers used the berries to treat problems associated with the reproductive system, genitals and urinary tract. It has been widely used in Europe and Canada for years, and more recently in the United States. There is much research and documentation that supports the benefits of Saw Palmetto for prostate and the urinary tract. Nearly 50% of men over 50 will experience benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlargement of the prostate. One in seven over this age will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Saw Palmetto may be as effective in treating BPH as prescription medication. A clinical trial conducted in France reported that the number of times men had to urinate at night decreased by 45%, and urine flow rate increased by 50%. In another study, 1300 men that suffer from enlarged prostate were given Saw Palmetto extract for 12 weeks, the participants noted the following: 1) less nighttime urination 2) increased urine flow and volume. In addition, an analysis paper on the clinical trials of Saw Palmetto published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that men given saw palmetto were twice as likely to report an improvement in symptoms than those given a placebo. Plant part used is the berry, and the active constituents are free fatty acids and sterols that are standardized to 85-95%.

Our Saw Palmetto is standardized to 85-95% fatty acids

Research Indicates:

• May support healthy prostate function
• May improve body strength
• May be beneficial for both sexes in supporting healthy hormonal balance
• May support healthy immune function
• May increase libido

Pumpkin seed oil has been used in combination with saw palmetto in two double blind human studies to effectively reduce symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Researchers have suggested that the zinc, free fatty acid, or plant sterol content of pumpkin seeds might account for their benefit in men with BPH. Studies have shown that pumpkin seed extracts can improve the function of the bladder and urethra, this might partially account for BPH symptom relief.

Quercetin may be the strongest of natures anti-inflammatories. Numerous studies have shown it effective in treating a wide range of prostate related problems. A recent published study demonstrates quercitin provides long-term symtomatic relief with few side effects to men that are afflicted with nonbacterial prostatitis. Please read about Quercetin's Role in the treatment of chronic prostatitis: Double-Blind Study Proves Quercitin Relieves Prostatitis Symptoms.

The Mayo Clinic announced on March 26 the results of an extensive study demonstrating that quercetin may prevent the development of prostate cancer cells. Read this exciting study to learn that quercitin is essential to prostate health. MAYO CLINIC: QUERCETIN PREVENTS PROSTATE CANCER

Resveratrol is a compound produced by many plant species and is thought to be helpful in reducing serum lipids and may have favorable cardiovascular implications. It is produced by Vitis vinifera and labrusca grapes and is found in grape products including red and white wines. Resveratrol has been proven effective in extending life up to 30% and is key in the prevention of many types of cancers and more over heart disease.

Resveratrol is studied by nutritionists and biochemists because of its potential as an anticancer and cardioprotective compound. Resveratrol belongs to the phytoalexin class of phytochemicals and functions as a moderate antioxidant, quenching free radical damage linked to several cancers. The compound has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties that help it to block reactions associated with the cancer process.

In humans, studies are underway to determine health benefits of resveratrol in cancer and heart disease. Preliminary research results demonstrate that resveratrol may have anti-infective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. According to studies involving cancer-prone mice, resveratrol seems to reduce the occurrence of skin tumors. Additional studies suggest that resveratrol is unique because of its ability to battle cancer at all three steps of the cancer process: initiation, promotion, and progression.

The NCI (National Cancer Institute) choose Selenium Select (L-Selenomethionine) ingredient from Sabinsa Corp, in a study on prostate cancer with 32,400 men from 400 locations across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, the largest of its kind. The results likely amount to the most impressive validation of the effects of selenium on human health ever compiled. So the ingredient used in the trials had to be the definitive selenium gold standard. An organic, amino acid bound selenium compound proven to be safe and highly bioavailability. One ingredient stood out from the rest. Selenium Select from Sabinsa, The Nacional Cancer Institute choose it. Now you can too.

News from the NCI

National Institutes of Health

Office of Communications
Building 31, Room 10A19 Bethesda, MD 20892
12:01 a.m. EDT , Tuesday, July 24, 2001
NCI Press Office
(301) 496-6641
Southwest Oncology Group
(210) 677-8808

Largest-Ever Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial Opens:

32,000 Men Sought to Test Vitamin E and Selenium

• Healthy men age 55 and older are needed for the largest-ever prostate cancer prevention study, launched today by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and a network of researchers known as the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG). The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial, or SELECT, will determine if these two dietary supplements can protect against prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer, after skin cancer, in men. The study will include a total of 32,400 men.
• More than 400 sites in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada are recruiting participants for SELECT, which will take up to 12 years to complete. SELECT is the first study designed to look specifically at the effects of vitamin E and selenium, both separately and together, in preventing prostate cancer.
• "We are looking for quite a few good men to join SELECT because it is an incredibly important prostate cancer prevention study," said Charles A. Coltman, Jr., M.D., chairman of SWOG and director of the San Antonio Cancer Institute in Texas. "Previous research with vitamin E and selenium-in studies focused on other kinds of cancer-suggested that these nutrients might prevent prostate cancer. SELECT is focused on prostate cancer and, when the study is finished, we will know for sure whether these supplements can prevent the disease."
• During this year alone, prostate cancer will be diagnosed in about 198,100 Americans and more than 31,500 men are expected to die of the disease. Risk factors for the disease include being over age 55, being black, or having a father or brother with prostate cancer.
• "It is crucial that men of all races and ethnic backgrounds participate in SELECT," said Leslie Ford, M.D., associate director for clinical research in NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention. "And since African-American men have the highest incidence of prostate cancer in the world, we especially encourage them to consider joining this trial." The disease also strikes black men at a younger age, so they will be eligible to enroll in the study at age 50, vs. age 55 for other racial and ethnic groups. There is no upper age limit for participation in SELECT.
• "The men who join SELECT not only have a chance to prevent prostate cancer for themselves, but they also may help their sons and grandsons live free from the disease," said Ford.
• Selenium and vitamin E, both naturally occurring nutrients, are antioxidants. They are capable of neutralizing toxins known as "free radicals" that might otherwise damage the genetic material of cells and possibly lead to cancer. These nutrients were chosen for study because of the results of two other large cancer prevention trials.
• In a 1996 reported study of selenium to prevent nonmelanoma skin cancer in 1,000 men and women, investigators found that while the supplement did not reduce skin cancer, it did decrease the incidence of prostate cancer in men by more than 60 percent.
• Another trial, published in 1998**, in which beta carotene and vitamin E were tested to prevent lung cancer in 29,000 Finnish men who smoked, those who took vitamin E had 32 percent less prostate cancer. Neither beta carotene nor vitamin E prevented lung cancer. In fact, the men who smoked and took beta carotene were more apt to get lung cancer and die from it than men who didn't take this supplement.
• "SELECT is the critical next step for pursuing the promising leads we saw for the prevention of prostate cancer," said Ford, who is responsible for all aspects of NCI's involvement in SELECT. "The only way to determine the real value of these supplements for prostate cancer is to do a large clinical trial focused specifically on this disease." Study investigators hope to recruit all the study participants during the first five years of the trial, so that each man can be followed for at least seven years.
• Men in the study will visit their study site once every six months. Upon enrollment, they will be assigned by chance to one of four groups. One group will take 200 micrograms of selenium daily plus an inactive capsule, or placebo, that looks like vitamin E. Another group will take 400 milligrams of vitamin E daily along with a placebo that looks like selenium. A third group will take both selenium and vitamin E. And a final group will be given two placebos.
• Men who join SELECT will not need to change their diet in any way, but they must stop taking any supplements they buy themselves that contain selenium or vitamin E. If participants wish to take a multivitamin, SWOG will provide without charge, a specially formulated one that does not contain selenium or vitamin E.
• Men may be able to participate in SELECT if they:
  • Are age 55 or older; age 50 or older for black men.
  • Have never had prostate cancer and have not had any other cancer, except nonmelanoma skin cancer, in the last five years.
  • Are generally in good health

Health Benefits Of Selenium

Selenium and cancer:

• Several research reports indicate the inverse relationship between higher blood levels of selenium and mortality from cancer including lung, colorectal, prostate and skin cancer. Laboratory studies indicate the potentially beneficial role of selenium in the management of mammary cancer.

Selenium and cardiovascular disease:

• Based on epidemiological data, a lower antioxidant status has been linked to higher incidence of cardiovascular diseases due to increased levels of LDL oxidation. Selenium is one of the antioxidants that may help to inhibit LDL oxidation.
• The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) released a report on April 11th reviewing the emerging science of antioxidants and their potential for disease protection. The Council for Responsible Nutrition Concludes that while there is not enough scientific evidence to permit recommended intakes based on disease prevention, the wide range of safe intakes for antoxidant vitamins is approved. It issued higher Recommended Dietary Allowances(RDAs) for vitamins C and E. The new RDAs for antioxidant nutrients are: vitamin C (75 milligrams (mg) for women and 90 mg for men), vitamin E (15 mg), and selenium (55 micrograms (mcg)).
• The report stated that there is "reason to expect that the antioxidant vitamins (C and E) should decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease." The report concluded that vitamin E does inhibit LDL oxidation (a causative agent for cardiovascular disease) and could also affect the health of arteries in other ways. The report also noted that it is reasonable to expect that vitamin C would reduce oxidative damage to the eye, thus lessening the risk of cataracts and other conditions.
• The NAS report also established tolerable upper intake levels (ULs) for vitamin C (2,000 mg), vitamin E (1,000 mg) and selenium (400 mcg). ULs for adults are set to protect the most sensitive individuals of the general population.

Selenium and healthy blood sugar levels

• Selenium is reported to mimic the action of insulin. In laboratory studies performed in recent years, selenium has been shown to mediate a number of insulin-like actions such as stimulating glucose uptake and regulating metabolic processes including glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, fatty acid synthesis and the pentose phosphate pathway. Although the exact mechanism of the insulin mimicking action of selenium has as yet to be elucidated, it is reported that these actions are mediated through the activation of key proteins involved in the insulin-signal cascade. Selenium is also reported to play a role in reducing the oxidative stress associated with diabetes, thereby retarding the progression of the secondary complications of diabetes such as neuropathy, retinopathy and cataracts.

Selenium and arthritis

• Low selenium status has been associated with the incidence of arthritis. Preliminary studies indicate the beneficial role of selenium as a free radical scavenger that may delay the progression of arthritis.

Selenium and HIV

• Malabsorption leading to deficiency state ahs been observed in cases of progression of HIV /AIDS. 24 children with HIV were observed for a period of five years. Those with low selenium levels had greater risk of mortality.

Selenium and Alzheimer's

• Low plasma selenium status has been associated with senility and cognitive decline in the elderly and with Alzheimer's disease. Selenium supplementation was observed to reduce the severity of epileptic seizures in children. Selenium supplementation is also reported to improve confused and depressed mental states; mental fatigue and anxiety in adults.

Deficiency Diseases

Musculo-skeletal and circulatory disorders

• Selenium deprivation is reported to reduce the activities of the selenium-dependent antioxidant enzymes, leading to a number of functional disorders.
• Vitamin E-deficient animals in the presence of selenium deficiency show dysfunction of skeletal muscles (observed in sheep, cow, horse), cardiac muscles (observed in pig), or smooth muscle (observed in dog, cow), hepatic degradation (observed in rat, pig), increased capillary permeability (observed in chicken), or pancreatic degeneration (observed in chicken).
• Very low selenium status is a factor in the etiologies of a specific type of juvenile cardiomyopathy (Keshan's Disease) and a chondrodystrophy (Kaschin-Beck Disease) that were observed in selenium-deficient regions of China.

A compromised immune system : Increased susceptibility to diseases

• Low plasma selenium levels were observed in patients with bacterial and viral infections.
• A clinical study on 53 patients determined that in bacterial infections (septicaemia, pneumonia, erysipelas and meningitis) the plasma concentrations of selenium, iron and zinc were found to be decreased.
• Selenium deficiency may increase the incidence of viral diseases such as HIV infection, Ebola virus infection and others. Selenium is reported to counteract the development of virulence and inhibit HIV progression to AIDS.
• Infection with the ebola virus is associated with hemmorhagic symptoms. The synthesis of viral selenoproteins is reported to be responsible for these symptoms. One potential viral selenoprotein may contain up to 16 selenium atoms per molecule. The demand for selenium in this synthesis depletes the selenium resources of the human host, leading to severe lipid peroxidation and cell membrane destruction, and contributing to hemorrhagic symptoms.
• In experimental studies, selenium deficiency was found to be associated with a nearly threefold higher likelihood of genital mucosal shedding of HIV-1--infected cells, suggesting that deficiency may increase the infectiousness of women with HIV-1.
• This finding corroborates earlier observations of Ebola outbreaks in selenium-deficient areas of Africa.
• A recent study on mice revealed that Selenium deficiency increases the pathology of an influenza virus infection. Infected Selenium-deficient mice developed much more severe interstitial pneumonitis than did Selenium-adequate mice and showed a weakened immune system response. The authors concluded that these results demonstrate that adequate nutrition is required for protection against viral infection and suggest that nutritional deprivation may be one of many factors that increase the susceptibility of individuals to influenza infection.

Impaired thyroid functions

• Selenium deficiency may also affect thyroid functions as the active thyroid hormone is synthesized in the presence of the enzyme thioredoxin reductase, of which selenium is an essential constituent.
• Selenium deficiency may aggravate the effects of iodine deficiency on thyroid functions.
• Adequate selenium status is reported to offer protection against some of the neurological effects of iodine deficiency.

Zinc helps tissues grow and repair themselves. In addition to helping heal wounds faster, zinc is probably the most important mineral for keeping the immune system strong. Too little zinc can lead to a drop in infection-fighting white blood cells, which can increase your risk of getting sick. On the other hand, too much zinc may interfere with the workings of another trace mineral you need: copper. As with most minerals, high intake may prove toxic, and too much zinc can damage the immune system. Take no more than 90 milligrams of zinc per day

Zinc Picolinate is the form use in this formula. It is a highly absorbable and bio-available form of Zinc

Soy Isoflavones effectively Prevent Cancers and Reduce Risk of Heart Disease.

SOY ISOFLAVONES have been in the news recently for their known help in lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of heart disease. This supplement is also important for prostate health. The main constituents in soy that are helpful are genistein and daidzein. These are NOT "Phytoestrogens" as many so-called experts will allege as there is no estrogen, or testosterone, progesterone, DHEA, melatonin in any plant.

Studies on prostate health and isoflavones have been published in journals such as Prostate, Anticancer Research, Journal of Endocrinology and many others. The proof is overwhelming. Read a Summary of the evidence recently published by the National Institutes of Health SOY ISOFLAVONES OVERVIEW.

Isoflavones have what you need, not only for prostate health, but to also to prevent high cholesterol and heart disease.

• Lycopene is an open-chain unsaturated carotenoid that imparts red colour to tomatoes, guava, rosehip, watermelon and pink grapefruit.
• Lycopene is a proven antioxidant. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which may damage the body's cells.
• Research shows that lycopene in tomatoes can be absorbed more efficiently by the body if processed into juice, sauce, paste and ketchup. The chemical form of lycopene found in tomatoes is converted by the temperature changes involved in processing to make it more easily absorbed by the body.
• In the body, lycopene is deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin. Its concentration in body tissues tends to be higher than all other carotenoids.
• Regular high consumption of fruits and vegetables is recommended as part of healthy eating. Epidemiological studies have shown that high intake of lycopene-containing vegetables is inversely associated with the incidence of certain types of cancer. For example, habitual intake of tomato products has been inversely associated with the risk of cancer of the digestive tract among Italians. li>In one six-year study by Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, the diets of more than 47,000 men were studied. Of 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated, only the tomato products (which contain large quantities of lycopene) showed a measurable relationship to reduce prostate cancer risk. As consumption of tomato products increased, levels of lycopene in the blood increased, and the risk for prostate cancer decreased. The study also showed that the heat processing of tomatoes and tomato products increases lycopene's bioavailability.
• Ongoing preliminary research suggests that lycopene is associated with reduced risk of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix and skin.
• Studies are underway to investigate other potential benefits of lycopene - including the H.J. Heinz Company sponsored research at the University of Toronto and at the American Health Foundation. These studies will focus on lycopene's possible role in the fight against cancers of the digestive tract, breast and prostate cancer.

Learn How Lycopene Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk and Increases Survival

Read an Impressive Review of Clinical Studies Showing Lycopene Prevents Prostate Cancers and Aids in Survival

Learn How Lycopene Aids Recovery from Prostate Surgery

LinumLife is an extract from flaxseed that is highly concentrated in lignans. LinumLife provides between 10 to 30 times more lignans than whole flaxseed or other flax ingredients.

The main lignan in flax is secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, or SDG. When ingested, micro-organisms in the colon convert SDG into enterodiol and enterolactone, the so-called mammalian lignans. These are the body’s own active forms of lignans.

Characteristic for phytoestrogens, lignans can weakly bind to estrogen receptors. A sufficient level of these lignans can compete with natural estrogen for the estrogen receptors, resulting in balanced estrogen levels in the blood. This basic mechanism has different effects in men and women.

Lignans for Men's Health

Lignans have many potential benefits for men, specifically in areas related to prostate health. A great deal of attention is being focused on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) because it is a growing public health problem. The American Urological Association estimates that BPH affects 50 percent of men aged 50 to 60 and up to 90 percent of men over the age of 80. Simply stated, BPH is a non-cancerous condition where the prostate becomes enlarged. This can be a problem because the urethra, the tube carrying urine from the bladder to outside the body, runs through the prostate (see illustrations). A growing prostate can pinch off the urethra and cause uncomfortable symptoms, like a frequent and overwhelming urge to urinate, and painful urination. The exact cause of BPH is unknown, but male hormones seem to play a role. Hormones also play a role in another prostate condition—prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death among men. In the body, testosterone is converted to a more potent form called dihydrotestosterone or DHT. Normal, healthy prostate cells require DHT for growth. However, it is thought that too much of this hormone can cause abnormal growth—leading to BPH or causing prostate cancer cells to divide. Therefore, compounds that interfere with the conversion of testosterone to DHT could reduce a man's chances of developing these diseases.

Lignans have been shown to block the action of the enzyme that converts testosterone into DHT. 2 Lignans may also reduce the amount of testosterone available for the body to use. In the average male, only a small amount of testosterone roams free in the blood. Most testosterone is bound to a protein called SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin). People who consume large amounts of lignans have been shown to have increased blood levels of SHBG.3 An increase in SHBG leaves less testosterone available to stimulate prostate cell growth.

In other studies researchers have found that lignan concentrations are higher in the prostate fluid of men with a lower risk of prostate cancer than those at increased risk.4 In a more recent study, 25 prostate cancer patients were given a low-fat diet plus flaxseed. At the end of the study, the men had a reduction in testosterone levels, lower rates of cancer cell growth and a trend towards lower prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels.5 The study was done with whole flaxseed, so the authors couldn't determine how much of the effect was due to lignans. Therefore they conducted another study using lignans derived from flaxseed. Results showed that the lignans inhibited the growth of human prostate cancer cells in a test tube.6 This supports the idea that lignans are protective against prostate cancer.

While it is too early to say that eating flaxseed and its lignans will reduce the risk of prostate cancer and BPH, evidence is pointing in that direction. By reducing male hormones that fuel BPH and prostate cancer growth, lignans might help reduce prostate size, alleviate symptoms of BPH and protect against prostate cancer.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of hair loss in men and women. AGA can be defined as a testosterone dependent process.

When a hair is shed, the active form of testosterone (DHT) initiates the miniaturization of hair root and follicle. Lignans balance DHT levels and thereby prevent hair follicles from being miniaturized.

Stinging Nettle root is an herb with stinging hairs found in the United States mostly in forests, mountains, weedy, undisturbed areas and roadsides. Extracts of the stinging nettle roots have been used in Germany for the therapy of prostate disorders and rheumatoid arthritis.

What's in Stinging Nettle?

Extracts from stinging nettle contain a number of substances including caffeic acid, malic acid, polysaccharides and probably many other compounds including lectins, lignans, and phytosterols.

Stinging Nettle benefits

Stinging nettle has been shown to inhibit the body from making certain inflammatory chemicals known as prostaglandins. Stinging nettle’s root may affect hormones levels and proteins in the blood that carry sex hormones (such as testosterone or estrogen). One study described later found the combination of stinging nettle and saw palmetto was as good as finasteride (Proscar) in reducing symptoms of prostate enlargement. Stinging nettle appears to also have antioxidant properties.

As men age, their ratio of estrogen to testosterone increases, making it important to inhibit the effects of estrogens, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

Stinging Nettle root helps to inhibit the proliferation of prostate cells in response to estrogen and SHBG.

The prostate gland also benefits from Stinging Nettle root. In Germany, Stinging Nettle root has been used as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement of the prostate gland) for decades. A metabolite of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT) stimulates prostate growth, leading to enlargement. Stinging Nettle root inhibits the binding of DHT to attachment sites on the prostate membrane.

Stinging Nettle root extracts also inhibit enzymes such as 5-alpha Reductase that cause testosterone to convert to DHT. It is the DHT metabolite of testosterone that is known to cause benign prostate enlargement, excess facial hair, and hair loss at the top of the head.

Help protect the health of the prostate gland.

When examining the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), researchers uncovered a significant relationship between boron and prostate cancer risk. After comparing the diets of nearly 8,000 men, they found that the risk of prostate cancer for men consuming an average of 1.8 milligrams of boron was less than one-third the risk for men consuming half that amount.

Chrysin (5,7- Dihydroxyflavone) is a potent bioflavonoid found in the plant Passiflora coerula, a member of the passion flower family. Chrysin is the most powerful of several flavonoids that have been tested and found to exhibit anti-estrogenic activity in-vitro by inhibiting the aromatization process. This product has been shown to have a significant effect in modulating the response to stress. It binds to receptors in the brain known as the benzodiazepine specific receptor sites. As a result, Chrysin can aid athletes in dealing with the stress of training.

Cancer prevention by DIM (Di-Indolyl Methane) that increases the good estrogen metabolites and decreases the bad estrogen metabolites

Supplementing the diet with DIM and eating cruciferous vegetables increases the specific aerobic metabolism for estrogen, multiplying the chance for estrogen to be broken down into its beneficial, or "good" estrogen metabolites. These "good" estrogen metabolites are known as the 2-hydroxy estrogens. Many of the benefits that are attributed to estrogen, which include its ability to protect the heart and brain with its antioxidant activity, are now known to come from these "good" metabolites.

When DIM increases the "good" estrogen metabolites, there is a simultaneous reduction in the levels of undesirable or "bad" estrogen metabolites. These include the 16-hydroxy estrogens, which are not antioxidants and can actually cause cancer.

Greater production of these "bad" estrogen metabolites is promoted by obesity and exposure to a number of manmade environmental chemicals. These "bad" estrogen metabolites are responsible for many of estrogen's undesirable actions in women and men, including further unwanted weight gain, breast cancer, uterine cancer, and prostate cancer.

Cat's claw, also known as una de gato (its Spanish name), is a high-climbing, woody vine that grows profusely in the upper Amazon regions of Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, and other South American countries. At the base of the plant's leaves are two curved thorns that resemble the claws of a cat (hence its name); these allow the vine to climb up trees and other vegetation into the forest canopy. The herb's botanical name, Uncaria, is from the Latin uncus, for "hook."

Two species of cat's claw are harvested for medicinal purposes, Uncaria guianensis, used mainly in Europe, and Uncaria tomentosa, commonly imported into the United States. Among the herbal practitioners of South America, the two species are considered interchangeable.

For hundreds of years, people in the Amazon basin have used cat's claw to treat a broad range of ailments, ranging from cancer, arthritis, and stomach and liver disorders to skin conditions and even contraception. Traditionally, the herb's primary medicinal form has been a decoction, or crude extract, prepared by boiling the inner bark of the stem and parts of the root.

Scientific interest in cat's claw centers on the plant's immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties. There is early and speculative evidence that cat's claw may have antiviral and cancer-fighting potential as well.

In recent years researchers have identified two separate subspecies of U. tomentosa, which have important differences in their chemical properties. One contains mainly pentacylic alkaloids, substances responsible for the most well-researched effect of cat's claw, namely immune stimulation. The other type of U. tomentosa contains tetracylic alkaloids, which affect the brain and central nervous system and actually counteract the immune-stimulating effects of the pentacylic group.

Health Benefits

In the mid-1990s, once it became known that cat's claw had potential value for the treatment of serious conditions such as cancer, arthritis, and even HIV infections, it became one of the top-selling herbs in the United States. Unfortunately, this enthusiasm was not backed up by much clinical evidence. Very few well-designed clinical trials with human subjects have been done on cat's claw, but some laboratory and animal studies have been conducted.

Most of the anecdotal evidence (word of mouth only) indicates that it may help to improve inflammatory problems such as osteoarthritis (OA) and prostatitis, immune disorders such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and situations in which a stronger immune system is desired, such as cancer and HIV. On the other hand, some herbal researchers also point out that long-term use of cat's claw might overstimulate the immune system and do more harm than good for some of these conditions.

According to a 2001 article in Alternative Medicine Review, cat's claw also warrants further research because of the worldwide concern over viral diseases. Although these areas have not been fully explored, some experts believe that cat's claw may eventually have potential in fighting chronic viral infections such as AIDS, and also in combating cancer and immune-related conditions associated with aging.

Specifically, cat's claw may help to:

• Reduce inflammation. In several laboratory experiments, cat's claw has been shown to demonstrate anti-inflammatory effects; few clinical studies of these properties have been conducted, however. One small four-week trial, reported in the 2001 Inflammation Research journal, found that 30 people with OA of the knee had significant relief from pain during daily activities but no easing of nighttime pain or pain during rest; the control group had no pain relief at all. A number of other inflammatory conditions are also being investigated in association with cat's claw, including allergies and asthma, Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bursitis, and tendinitis.
• Support cancer therapy. In Germany and Austria, standardized extracts of cat's claw, available by prescription only, are given to some cancer patients under a doctor's care. As an immune-boosting agent, cat's claw may strengthen the general health of people undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, or other treatments for cancer, although this effect has not been thoroughly proven. It is not known whether forms other than standardized extracts would be beneficial for cancer patients.

This supplement is widely taken to help your body deal with stress. Ginseng also increases stamina and energy and has even shown to increase testosterone levels. When you consider it also has a positive effect on blood flow, it's easy to see why ginseng would have a valuable effect to maintain an erection.

Used in the Orient for hundreds of years and reputed to aid virility and improved sex life. Research showed it to increase testosterone levels whilst reducing prostate size.

Research has shown that these 3 Amino acids taken in combination are capable of dramatic improvement in BPH. These amino acids were tested in a double-blind study of patients with enlarged prostates. Half of the patients were treated with the combined amino acids the others with a placebo (completely inactive pills given for comparison purposes). 93% of the group taking the amino acids experienced a reduction of prostate enlargement and 95% experienced fewer problems in urination.

Support Prostate health.

Native to North America, the evening primrose is a tiny and short-lived wildflower and not a true primrose. When Europeans found it and took it to Europe, its purported healing properties for skin diseases and flesh wounds quickly earned it the name "King's cure-all." Evening primrose is now grown in 30 or more countries, and the oil pressed from its seed is marketed as a nutritional supplement and as a great source of linoleic acid. Evening primrose oil, however, is a source not only of linoleic acid but also of another kind of fatty acid called gamo-lenic acid (also known as gamma linolenic acid, or GLA). This fatty acid, normally manufactured by the body from linoleic acid, is important in many ways. It is transformed by the body eventually into eicosanoids, hormone-like chemicals that include the prostaglandins. Prostaglandins help control such processes as inflammation, blood clotting, and cholesterol synthesis.

Recent Duke University study demonstrates that flax seed taken just for 34 days slows prostate cancer progression: Duke University Flax Seed/Prostate Cancer Study.

Flax has been used for thousands of years for food, clothing and linen but only recently have studies uncovered the nutritional benefits of Flax. With high levels of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, lignans and fiber, Flax provides nutritional benefits that are important to overall health. Flax Oil is nature's most potent source of Omega-3 EFAs . Studies show that Omega-3 EFAs support cardiovascular health and joint flexibility.*

When looking at flax products, it is important to recognize the nutritional differences found in various flax products, be it Flax Oil, Flax Lignans or Flax Fiber. Supplementspot works hard to guarantee their flax products are the highest level of quality in the industry.

Omega-6 Fatty Acid or Linoleic Acid has been recently shown to significantly educe the risk of stroke. Red this new study Omega 6 Fatty Acids or Linoleic Acid Significantly Reduces Stroke Risk.

One of the healthiest low-fat proteins is fish. But fish and fish oil aren't only a healthy option for loosing weight-they may help you control your prostate cancer because they're high in DHA and EPA.

There are now more than 100 papers in the scientific literature that link arachidonic acid with prostate cancer. These papers suggest that arachidonic acid increases the aggressiveness of human prostate cancer because it is converted to a series of powerful hormones, including the prostaglandins, leukotrienes, and other eicosanoids. Studies show that drugs like aspirin and celebrex, which block the formation of some of these hormones, can either reduce the risk of prostate cancer or slow its progression. However, diet can also alter the amount of arachidonic acid in the body and its conversion to products that stimulate cancer growth.

Ocean fish body fat is rich in the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These fatty acids block the conversion of arachidonic acid to these potentially damaging products and, as a result, have multiple health benefits. In fact, increasing dietary DHA and EPA may alleviate the symptoms of arthritis and other types of inflammation; it also decreases the tendency of platelets to trigger blood clots, and, in turn, reduces the risk of stroke. And over the past year, researchers showed that increasing your intake of DHA and EPA can dramatically reduce your risk of cardiac arrest because of abnormalities in heart contraction rhythm.

But some of fish oil's health benefits appear to be unrelated to its ability to block the arachidonic acid metabolism. For example, DHA appears to play a critical role in the development and function of the human brain and retina. As a result, DHA supplements are routinely added to pediatric formulas used to replace human milk.

Since 1987, laboratory studies have repeatedly illustrated that DHA and EPA slow or arrest the growth of human prostate cancer cells. Researchers showed that this growth arrest is associated with decreased conversion of arachidonic acid to its potentially damaging metabolites. This past year, a very important clinical study published by the group at the Harvard School of Public Health examined the link between dietary fish consumption and the risk of metastatic prostate cancer (Augustsson, et al). This paper reported results from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study that involved 47,882 men over twelve years. During the twelve years, 2,483 cases of prostate cancer were identified. Of these, 617 were advanced and 278 were metastatic.

Eating fish more than three times a week reduced the risk of prostate cancer but had an even greater impact on the risk of metastatic prostate cancer. For each additional 500 mg of marine fat consumed, the risk of metastatic disease decreased by 24%! If this study were just an isolated report, one might be justified in ignoring the findings, but this paper is just the latest advancement in a long series of laboratory and clinical observations that document the favorable impact of ocean fish consumption on prostate cancer as well as general health.

Fish do not make DHA and EPA but obtain it from algae that form the bottom of the ocean food chain. In algae, these omega-3 fatty acids act to keep the membranes of the plants flexible and fluid at cold temperatures. Thus, fish that live in cold water are better sources of these omega-3 fatty acids than fish from tropical regions.

In Studies (Black pepper - piper nigrum fruit extract) increases absorption of other nutrients from 30 to 250% via process called thermogenesis.

Recent studies have shown that it can greatly increase the bioavailability of other compounds – such as vitamins, minerals and herbal substances.

Researchers believe green tea catechins have powerful antioxidant properties

WEDNESDAY, April 20 -- A supplement containing antioxidants from green tea was 90 percent effective in preventing prostate cancer in men at high risk for the disease.

There are many benefits to drinking green tea, but you'll need to drink 12 cups a day to get the amount of catehins consumed in the study.

That's the conclusion of an Italian study that found after a year of taking green tea catechins, only one man in a group of 32 who were at higher risk of prostate cancer actually developed the disease, while nine men in a group of 30 high-risk men who took a placebo developed prostate cancer.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that green tea catechins (GTC) have potent chemoprevention activity for human prostate cancer," said study author Saverio Bettuzzi, an associate professor of biochemistry in the School of Medicine at the University of Parma in Italy.

Findings from the study were presented April 20 at the American Association for Cancer Research annual meeting, in Anaheim, Calif.

Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men. More than 230,000 American men are diagnosed with this disease each year, according to the American Cancer Society. Since many prostate cancers are found in their early stages, about 99 percent of those diagnosed can expect to live at least five years, while up to 92 percent survive for at least 10 years after their diagnosis. However, prostate cancer can be deadly. The disease claims the lives of more than 30,000 men in the United States annually, making it the second largest cancer killer in men.

Bettuzzi explained that while other studies, including his own previous work, had shown that green tea could inhibit prostate cancer cell growth in laboratory models, the researchers wanted to know if it would work in humans.

They recruited 62 men at high risk of developing prostate cancer because they already had precancerous lesions, which often turn into cancer within a year.

The men were between the ages of 45 and 75. The researchers excluded vegetarians because they may already have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer, men who already consumed green tea, and men taking antioxidant supplements or hormone therapy.

Thirty two of the men were asked to take a 200-milligram pill containing green tea catechins three times daily for a year; the other 30 men were given a placebo.

Biopsies were conducted at six months, and then again a year later.

Remarkably, only one man in the treatment group was diagnosed with prostate cancer, while nine men in the control group developed the disease.

"A projection of our data suggests that up to 90 percent of chemoprevention efficacy could be obtained by GTC administration in men prone to developing prostate cancer such as the elderly, African-Americans and those with a family history of prostate cancer," Bettuzzi said.

However, Bettuzzi isn't recommending that men start treating themselves with green tea or green tea supplements. He said to consume an amount equivalent to that used in the study, you would have to drink 12 to 15 cups of tea daily, and that while supplements are commercially available, their quality cannot be assured and they may contain caffeine, or more alarmingly, pesticides or other contaminants.

"This is a very interesting observation that deserves to be studied further," said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology and oncology at the Ochsner Clinic Foundation Hospital in New Orleans. But, he added, "Personally, I am not recommending that my patients do this."

Bettuzzi also said his findings need to be confirmed in a larger study.

In the meantime, Brooks said that if you're concerned about prostate cancer, be sure you maintain a healthy body weight because obesity increases your risk. And, he said, make sure you go to your doctor for proper prostate cancer screening.

In other prostate cancer news presented at the same meeting, researchers from the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia announced that the trace mineral selenium, in combination with other cancer-fighting agents, may make an even more powerful therapy. When a selenium metabolite, dubbed MSA, was combined with a chemotherapy known as TRAIL, more cancer cells underwent self-inflicted cell death (apoptosis). TRAIL alone can induce apoptosis in malignant cells, but some cancer cells are resistant to this therapy.

"The combination of TRAIL and MSA may be a novel strategy for the development of innovative therapeutic modalities targeting apoptosis-resistant forms of prostate cancer," said lead researcher Dr. Vladimir Kolenko.

SOURCES: Saverio Bettuzzi, Ph.D., associate professor, biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Parma, Italy; Jay Brooks, M.D., chairman, hematology/oncology, Ochsner Clinic Foundation Hospital, New Orleans; April 19, 2005, presentation, American Association for Cancer Research, annual meeting, Anaheim, Calif.