Prostate Supplements for Health
Supplements for Prostate Cancer
Prostate Supplements for Erectile Dysfunction
Supplements for Urinary Tract Infection
Why are prostate supplements so important for health? One reason
is that no matter how hard you try and how dedicated you are to following a healthy diet, you just can’t get all the nutrients you need, especially if you are fighting disease, recovering from treatment or just wanting to maintain maximum immunity as part of a healthy lifestyle. You also work late, travel a lot, don’t have time to prepare healthy meals, eat on the run: there are dozens of excuses for not getting the optimal nutrition your body needs.
In addition, there are the everyday stressors that take a toll on everyone’s health and wear down the immune system: environmental pollutants, work-related stress, inadequate sleep, not enough exercise, financial worries, and other lifestyle matters. Add to this the stress of having a disease and you have the recipe for a compromised immune system that needs support.
But aren’t prostate supplements unregulated?
The common view that the supplement industry is unregulated, including prostate supplements, is simply not true. There are various bodies and standards that regulate the industry and as long as you buy prostate supplements from reputable sources with the appropriate certifications (such as those that are GMP, NSF certified) then you are generally guaranteed good quality and quantity of ingredients. Some of the better suppliers also supply “Certificates of Analysis” to support the actual levels of ingredients in their products. Yes, there are a number of “marketers” that give the industry a bad name (such as the Acai berry scams of recent years) but overall, most of the industry is very reputable as long as you buy from quality sources and buy ingredients with strong clinical and research backing. Sites such as Consumerlab also act as a watchdog on claims and quality of ingredients in nutritional supplements. And the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) also polices claims and marketing practices made in respect of the industry.
Depending on which prostate supplements you take, they can:
- Strengthen your immune system and your prostate against cancer and other assaults on your prostate and overall health
- Enhance and support your diet
- Treat symptoms associated with prostate disorders
- Improve your energy and sense of well-being
- Support and compliment any treatments for prostate disorders including BPH, prostatitis and prostate cancer as well as other related disorders such as erectile dysfunction
Using the Prostate Supplement Reviews at Prostate.net
In the Prostate Supplements for Health section of this site we have reviewed over 250 of the main prostate supplements used for prostate health and related disorders. And while there is anecdotal evidence of claims made across a number of ingredients we have focused on those ingredients that have Tier 1 (Human) and Tier 2 (Animal) studies supporting their efficacy. So for example, where an ingredient/supplement only has claims made by a manufacturer of that prostate supplement or the claim is based on non-clinical studies or other anecdotal claims we have either not included those claims in the review or have stated that those claims are “not based on scientific evidence or clinical studies”. On the other hand, where there are significant, research backed studies on prostate supplements done over a number of years with placebo and double blind groups in a clinical format (such as, for example, in relation to Vitamin D, Omega 3, Lycopene to name a few) we have described the method of research as well as referenced all the studies for further review if needed. Finally, we have focused the reviews on the effect of the relevant prostate supplement on prostate health and related disorders only. So while there may be other claims and benefits they are not covered in the reviews.
Prostate disease is a serious matter and there is a lot at stake: so it’s important to not be induced by marketing claims and be fully aware of the efficacy of the prostate supplement based on clinical and other studies as well as scientifically backed research.
Caveat
Here is a general caveat for all natural supplements that you may decide to take: talk to a knowledgeable healthcare professional before taking any new prostate supplements, especially if you are already taking over-the-counter and/or prescription drugs, and/or health supplements, AND if you have any medical condition that you may or may not be treating with medication as some prostate supplements may interfere with your medical treatment.
In addition, not all health supplements are beneficial to prostate health (such as calcium for example). Therefore it is important for you to arm yourself with information about the prostate supplements you are shopping for and to be familiar with the research and clinical studies before you buy. And also be aware of the additives and fillers in supplements that are used in the manufacturing process to ensure you are getting the quality and quantity of ingredients that you are paying for. Most of the additives to prostate supplements are GRAS (“Generally Regarded as Safe”), but the more knowledge you have as to what is in the ingredients, the better prepared you will be in choosing the right prostate supplement for your specific needs.
Multivitamins and Prostate Cancer
- A Positive Association?
In the National Institutes of Health and AARP Diet and Health Study, researchers evaluated 395,344 men who were cancer-free at enrollment in 1995 and 1996. During five years of follow-up, 10241 participants were diagnosed with prostate cancer—8,765 localized and 1,476 advanced. In a separate mortality analysis with six years of follow-up, 179 men were found to have fatal prostate cancer. (Lawson 2007)
The researchers also assessed multivitamin use among the participants and correlated it with the incidence of prostate cancer. Among men who maintained regular multivitamin use, there was no association between the supplement and risk of localized prostate cancer. However, when they compared men who used multivitamins excessively (more than seven times per week) with those who never used them, there was an increased risk of advanced and fatal prostate cancers among the supplement users. The positive association between excessive multivitamin use and cancer was strongest among men who had a family history of prostate cancer or who took individual micronutrient supplements, including selenium, carotene, and zinc, along with high levels of multivitamins.
Understanding Herbal Remedies
Tinctures are made by soaking an herb in grain alcohol (ethanol) for a few hours to a few days, depending on the herb. The solution is then strained, leaving the tincture. In some cases tinctures are prepared using apple cider vinegar. If alcohol is something you should avoid, do not use tinctures or look for ones made with vinegar.
Extracts are made by distilling off some of the alcohol, and what remains has a higher concentration of active ingredients. This product can be used as is, or used to make capsules and tablets.
Capsules and tablets are extracts from which all the moisture has been removed. The remaining concentrated solid is ground and used to make capsules or tablets.
Standardized in herbal medicine means the producers try to make extracts of the same herbs as similar to each other as possible. Not all herbal products are standardized, but when they are, they are standardized to a compound or substance that is believed to be the active ingredient(s) in the herb and at a certain percentage.
See also
Top Prostate Supplements for Prostate Cancer
Top Supplements for Prostatitis
Top Prostate Supplements for BPH
