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What
is the Prostate?
The
prostate is part of a man's sex organs. It's about the size of a walnut
and surrounds the tube called the urethra, located just below the bladder.
The urethra has two jobs: to carry urine from the bladder when you urinate
and to carry semen during a sexual climax, or ejaculation. Semen is a
combination of sperm plus fluid that the prostate adds.
What
are the various Prostate problems? What are the symptoms?
For
men under 50, the most common prostate problem is prostatitis. For men
over 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement. This
condition is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. Older men
are at risk for prostate cancer as well, but this disease is much less
common than BPH. More information about prostate cancer is available from
the
National Cancer Institute.
Problems
with the Prostate can also interfere acutely with a man's sex life.
What
is Prostatitis?
To put it simply, prostatitis is inflammation of
the prostate gland. Typical symptoms are:
Pain in lower back or rectum
Relapsing urinary tract infections
Painful urination or other voiding problems
Genital pain
Difficult or painful urination.
In
some cases, (not all), Prostatitis is caused due to bacterial infection
and can be treated with antibiotics.
What
is BPH?
BPH is the enlargement of the prostate, frequently
occurring in men over the age of 50. The enlargement can result in a gradual
squeezing of the urethra, sometimes causing difficulty in urinating. Typical
symptoms are:
Weak urinary stream
Difficulty starting urination
Frequent urination
Frequently awakening at night to urinate.
Painful ejaculation during sex.
Also,
blockage of the urethra from BPH may lead to repeated urinary tract infections,
a sudden inability to urinate, or gradual bladder and/or kidney damage.
What
is Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer is a group of cancerous cells (a
malignant tumor) that begins most often in the outer part of the prostate.
It is the most common type of cancer (excluding skin cancer) diagnosed
in American men. In 2003, an estimated 220,900 new cases of prostate cancer
will be diagnosed in the U.S. Early prostate cancer usually does not cause
any symptoms. However, as the tumor grows, it may spread from the prostate
to surrounding areas. Change in urination, including increased frequency,
hesitancy or dribbling of urine may be experienced. Prostate cancer can
spread from the prostate to nearby lymph nodes, bones or other organs.
This spread is called metastasis. For example, as a result of metastasis
to the spine, some men experience back pain.
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How
can I maintain and improve prostate health?
For
years, the practice of medicine for the health and treatment of Prostate
problems in men, has had a less than stellar record. This exists even
to this day.
Quote...
"Since Huggins showed in 1941 that castration
(removal of testicles) slowed progression of prostate cancer, physicians
have assumed that it was the resulting lack of Testosterone that slowed
the cancer, and ever since then have relied on suppresion of testosterone
to control the disease. However, the testosterone suppression benefit
only lasts 2 to 3 years, and then the prostate cancer progresses to an
Androgen (male hormone) insensitive state and continues to spread. Despite
this, metastatic cancer patients are treated with androgen blockade through
castration (orchiectomy) and/or hormone suppressing drugs."
-
Source - Dr. John R. Lee - Harvard.
Studies
from nearly 40 years ago and more recently (1996 and published in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science) indicate that testosterone
shrinks prostate tumors and testosterone supplementation actually kills
prostate cancer cells. The benefit of castration in prostate cancer stemmed
from Estradiol reduction - not Testosterone reduction. And yet, castration,
antiandrogen therapy, and drugs that reduce the production of testosterone
are still the prevalent forms of treatments for cancer patients. Go figure....
So what should a man
do to maintain the health of their prostate or improve its health if they
are already afflicted?
Perhaps
one should start by asking why prostate problems including prostate cancer
become so prevalent in aging men. It is not a disease that afflicts virile
young men! Consider the changes in testicular hormone production as men
age.
- Testosterone
levels fall.
- More
testosterone is changed to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by 5-alpha-reductase-enzyme
- which in turn actually stimulates prostate growth.
- Progesterone
levels fall - causing both an estrogen dominance and an increase of
activity of 5-alpha-reductase of which progesterone is potent inhibitor.
At
the Gene Level....
"Embryology teaches us that the prostate
is the male equivalent of the female uterus. The two organs differentiate
from the same embryonic cells and share many of the same genes such as
oncogene, Bel-2, and the cancer protector gene 'p53'. It is not surprising
then that the hormonal relationships in endometrial cancer will be the
same in prostate cancer; that is, both are very sensitive to the harmful
effects of unopposed estrogen and are protected by progesterone."
Source
- John R. Lee - MD.
Based on a rational unbiased
assesment of the body of medical knowledge and backed by years of medical
practice, a therapy for maintenance of prostate health as well as treatment
of prostate afflictions, that seems highly effective and safe, is outlined
below:
- Intake of 8 to 10 mg.
of Progesterone and 1 to 2 mg. of testosterone daily - through transdermal
means.
- Lowering estrogen intake
in foods (most meats and dairy products), along with lower sugar and
starch intake.
- A good intake of anti-oxidants.
- Exercise and an active
sex life also appear to contribute to prostate health. Regaining progesterone
and testosterone levels of course, has the happy effect of also enhancing
libido and sex drive.
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What
is Saw Palmetto Extract? Is it effective in treating BPH?
Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) extract has long been
used in Europe to treat an enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia
(BPH). American use lags far behind Europe in part because Americans are
not aware of the extensive European research on the herb. The most cited
journal article is by G. Champault
et al. 1984. American physicians generally don't prescribe any drug
other than Finasteride (Proscar®), Terazosin HCI (Hytrin®), or Doxazosin
mesylate (Cardura®) for BPH. But unlike these drugs, particularly Proscar®,
saw palmetto usually kicks in quickly. With the saw palmetto extract most
men obtain relief of symptoms within the first 30 days. It also has far
fewer and gentler side effects than the commonly prescribed drugs mentioned
above.
What
is Prostate Massage?
Prostate massage
is a term often used to describe prostate drainage that is produced by
the application of pressure on the prostate. The pressure is either applied
by a finger, or by a mechanical device, that is inserted into the rectum.
The objective of prostate massage is to use the pressure applied to the
prostate to force debris from the prostate and out through the urethra.
The forceful passage of that debris relieves built up pressure inside
the prostate and provides relief for a man suffering from a prostate disorder
such as prostatitis. This procedure however, can sometimes be dangerous
because it could result in trauma to prostate tissue. Prostate debris
can be dense, hard and of irregular shape. If forced from the acini of
a prostate by external pressure, it can sometimes result in trauma to
the surrounding prostate tissue.
Prostate
massage can be effective in providing temporary relief but, as mentioned
above, there is some risk involved. It does not seem to improve long term
prostate health and requires the services of a knowledgeable person, hopefully
a medical professional. The practitioner inserts a gloved (usually latex)
and lubricated finger into the patients rectum. The prostate is located
by feel and finger pressure, in a rolling motion, is applied to the prostate
so that some of the prostate contents are squeezed out into the urethra..
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What
is Natural (Bio-identical) Progesterone?
Progesterone is the name of
a hormone made by the human body - by both men and women though women
produce a lot more of it during their fertile years. It does not exist
in nature outside living mammals.
Why is it referred to as "Natural Progesterone?"
It
is called "Natural" or "Bio-identical" if it is identical
to the molecule manufactured by the human body.
The Bio-identical or Natural Progesterone used in our products is actually
derived via some elegant chemistry from extracts of wild Mexican yams.
It is most effective when administered transdermally or through the skin.
(Click for more information).
Yam or Soy extracts as they exist in nature, is NOT Progesterone and does
not contain any Progesterone - and as a result has no effect.
Progestins are analogs of Progesterone developed by several pharmaceutical
companies - that is they are similar but NOT the same. Their chemical
composition is different to the Progesterone produced by the human body
and as a result the body reacts violently to them as it treats them like
the foreign substance they are. They tend to be of limited benefit and
can have very severe adverse side effects.
Progesterone
is not a generic name but is the name of the hormone produced by both
men and women - by the corpus luteum after ovulation in women and also
in smaller quantities by the adrenal gland - and by the testes and
the adrenal gland in men. It is synthesized in humans in a biochemical
pathway leading from cholesterol to pregnenolone to progesterone. In
turn, progesterone is the precursor of corticosteroids and testosterone.
CLICK FOR MORE
DETAILS
How
Does Progesterone (or lack of it) affect Prostate Health?
As men age, the production of progesterone (and
also testosterone) by the testes decreases. The production of an estrogen
hormone called Estradiol also decreases but not by as much, resulting
in a hormonal imbalance - called "estrogen dominance." Both
progesterone as well as testosterone serve to suppress the effects of
estradiol. Progesterone also suppresses the effects of 5-alpha-reductase-enzyme,
which as mentioned earlier, lowers testosterone levels further by converting
it to DHT. It is this imbalance (which is not prevalent in younger men)
and its consequences, that leads to problems with this important sex gland.
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What
is Prosta-Health? How effective is it? How is it used?
Prosta-Health is a very carefully formulated
unscented cream designed to deliver the appropriate dose of both bio-identical
progesterone as well as "Saw Palmetto" extract - both of which
have been proven to be very effective and safe therapies for Prostate
health. It is manufactured under demanding controls in a FDA approved
facility and packaged in a special airtight pump container (3 oz.) that
delivers the required dose with a single squeeze.
It
should be applied to the skin once per day (preferably in the region of
the prostate) for 25 days, with a break of 5 days (to maintain progesterone
receptor sensitivity) before starting the cycle again. Doing Saliva
Hormonal tests for Progesterone and Testosterone removes the guess
work.
It
is a truly effective and safe product when used properly. It has been
known for some time that natural progesterone enhances libido (sex drive)
in men. Sufficient balances can improve a man's overall well being and
sexual performance. Research also shows natural progesterone increases
apoptosis - referred to as "the key to staying young."
Click here for detailed information on this
product....
Why
Transdermal Delivery?
In
the case of natural supplements as well as many medications, it is important
to first understand why we feel strongly about transdermal delivery -
absorbing nutrients through the skin. Doctors around the world are calling
transdermal delivery "the delivery system of the future." It has
been discovered that a high absorption rate of many supplements can be
achieved when delivered through the skin - usually as a cream. (The physical
size of the supplement's molecule plays an important role). The reason
for this is when supplements are delivered transdermally, they go directly
to the blood-stream, initially bypassing the liver. The result can mean
as much as 95% of the supplements get to the cells where they are needed.*
Conversely, studies have shown when some substances are taken orally,
as little as 5% make it to the cells where they are needed. This is because
of the stomach, liver and digestive system excreting and discarding much
of them.
* Source:
Department of Pharmacology, University of Dublin
Click
here to learn more about Transdermal drug delivery.
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