Archive for the ‘Men's Health’ Category

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The importance of testing cytokines: prostate cancer

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

Here are a few among many papers that demonstrate the importance of testing cytokines (’messenger molecules’ of the immune system) for prostate cancer.

Journal of Clinical OncologyThe cytokines IL-6 Soluble Receptor and TGF-Beta whether clinically localized prostate cancer will progress or not.

The is paper published some time ago in the Journal of Clinical Oncology demonstrated that measuring IL6SR and TGF-β1 “improved the ability to predict biochemical progression by a prognostically substantial margin.” In other words, who might need a more aggressive intervention, and who doesn’t?

Clinical Cancer ResearchCytokines before and after surgery correspond to prostate cancer progression

The authors of this paper published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research note that “We have shown that preoperative plasma levels of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), interleukin 6 (IL)-6, and its receptor (IL-6sR) are associated with prostate cancer progression and metastasis. The objectives of this study were to…examine the association of …these markers after surgery with disease progression in a large consecutive cohort of patients.” Their conclusion: “For patients undergoing radical prostatectomy, preoperative plasma levels of TGF-β1 and IL-6sR are associated with metastases…and disease progression. After prostate removal, postoperative TGF-β1 level increases in value over preoperative levels for the prediction of disease progression.”

The ProstateAnother study demonstrating cytokines greatly increase the accuracy of predicting the potential for prostate cancer recurrence

The investigators who conducted this study that was published in the journal The Prostate set out to test “the ability of several pre-operative blood-based biomarkers to enhance the accuracy of standard post-operative features for the prediction of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP).” They measured the cytokines IL-6, ILsR and TGF-β and concluded that “Pre-operative plasma biomarkers improved the accuracy of established post-operative prognostic factors of BCR by a significant margin. Incorporation of these biomarkers into standard predictive models may allow more accurate identification of patients who are likely to fail RP thereby allowing more efficient delivery of adjuvant therapy.”

Posted in Men's Health, Oncology | No Comments »

Restless Leg Syndrome and Erectile Dysfunction

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

SleepThose of you interested in how brain function is significant for virtually all aspects of health will like this study just published in the medical journal Sleep. It’s also another example of the importance of healthy dopamine signalling. The investigators note that “Dopaminergic hypofunction in the central nervous system may contribute to restless legs syndrome (RLS) and erectile dysfunction (ED). We therefore examined whether men with RLS have higher prevalences of ED.” After analyzing the data on a group of 23,119 men they conclude: “Men with RLS had a higher likelihood of concurrent ED, and the magnitude of the observed association was increased with a higher frequency of RLS symptoms. These results suggest that ED and RLS share common determinants.” The take home message here is that dopamine function can play a role in both Restless Leg Syndrome and Erectile Dysfunction. This can be helped with a functional medicine approach to restoring dopamine regulation.

Sleep MedicineCoincidentally, a related paper has also just been published in the journal Sleep Medicine examining the role of dopaminergic dysfunction and treatment in Restless Leg Syndrome. Here the authors conclude their observations by stating: “Since dopaminergic treatment can reverse delayed facilitation in RLS, we hypothesized that cortical plasticity related to dopaminergic systems may play a crucial role in RLS pathophysiology.”

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Posted in Brain Health, Men's Health | No Comments »

Patients with prostate cancer present lower cholesterol and higher triglycerides

Friday, January 1st, 2010

The Aging MaleThis interesting paper published recently in the medical journal The Aging Male reports a study in which the investigators evaluated “lipoprotein profile and sex hormones in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and their possible associations with some inflammatory markers linked to PCa.” Not surprisingly, estrogen and androgens were higher and adiponectin (see forthcoming posts) was lower. The authors conclude: “Our most novel findings are that the patients with PCa presented lower total Chol and HDL-chol and higher TG/HDL-chol than BPH and Controls.” Once again, cholesterol was lower and triglycerides higher in the prostate cancer group. What drives up triglycerides more than anything else? Insulin resistance. One more interesting finding: “No differences were found in androgens between BPH and PCa.” This suggests that androgens (including testosterone) add bulk but the other factors are more significant for conversion to malignancy.

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Posted in Men's Health, Oncology | 1 Comment »

Vitamin D benefits prostate cancer—more evidence

Saturday, December 19th, 2009

Regardless of the stage of disease, Gleason grade, previous treatments or PSA level at diagnosis or initiation of vitamin D therapy, this paper recently published in the British Journal of Urology International documents significant improvement with Vitamin D. The authors conclude: “Vitamin D therapy is an effective and well tolerated treatment for patients with asymptomatic progressive prostate cancer, and is a useful addition to the therapeutic options.”

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Posted in Men's Health, Oncology | 1 Comment »

Watchful waiting for prostate cancer

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology compared hazard ratios (HRs) for time to metastasis or death “between patients who deferred treatment and those who underwent immediate treatment within 1 year of diagnosis.” This was a large prospective study that included 51,129 men. The authors concluded: “Older men and men with lesser cancer severity at diagnosis were more likely to remain untreated. PCa [prostate cancer] mortality did not differ between DT and active treatment patients.” DT = deferred treatment (watchful waiting).

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Men, alcohol may help prevent coronary heart disease

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Don’t let this research go to your head, but an interesting study was just published in Heart, the journal of the British Cardiovascular Society. The investigators followed 15,630 men and 25,808 women for 10 years and found that moderate, high and very high alcohol consumption (1 to 6 standard drinks per day) was associated with 30% less CHD (coronary heart disease). The authors conclude: “In men aged 29-69 years, alcohol intake was associated with a more than 30% lower CHD incidence.” Sorry ladies, the data did not show a similar benefit for you. Gentlemen, before rushing to the liquor cabinet bear in mind that there are also important reasons for individuals to limit or abstain from alcohol (such as high insulin levels, etc). This is what the data in this study shows, but discuss it with your functional medicine doc.

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Eosinophilic cystitis: a cause of urinary symptoms in males

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Men, difficulties with urination including pain, retention, even bleeding are sometimes not from the prostate. In a paper published in the Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine the authors state: “Eosinophilic cystitis (EC) is an inflammatory condition of the bladder that has been linked to food allergens, infectious agents, drugs, and other genitourinary conditions…[it] represents a response to a variety of agents and may often be overlooked.” As described in this paper published in Urologia Internationalis, “The clinical presentation of EC is varied. When the lesion is located at or near the bladder neck, it may present as urinary retention.” (Ladies, this condition afflicts you and children as well.)

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Posted in Gluten & Casein, Men's Health, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Serum insulin, not glucose, linked to prostate cancer

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

Here we have another study linking insulin resistance and higher serum insulin to prostate cancer. This recently published article in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute concludes: “Elevated fasting levels of serum insulin (but not glucose) within the normal range appear to be associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer.” Gentlemen, it is important to know that insulin levels rise in the background while glucose appears normal for years before type 2 diabetes is diagnosed. Make sure you know how to keep insulin receptors healthy.

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Posted in Insulin & Diabetes, Men's Health, Oncology | No Comments »

Insulin receptor expression by human prostate cancers

Friday, November 13th, 2009

There’s much more to prostate cancer prevention than finasteride. Here is another recent study published in the journal Prostate that documents the presence of insulin receptors on primary human prostate cancers. “The findings are relevant..to the hypothesis that obesity-associated hyperinsulinemia mediates the adverse effect of obesity on prostate cancer prognosis.” Important: Finasteride works by blocking the enzyme that converts testosterone to the more potent metabolite dihydrotestosterone. It, and natural agents that also inhibit the same enzyme, are helpful if dihydrotestosterone is too high—but this is not always the case. Lowering it too much can result in common adverse reactions that include decreased libido, impotence, and decreased ejaculatory volume. The functional approach to prostate disorders always includes lab assessment of the biologically active free fraction testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, estradiol, and the pituitary hormones LH and FSH that stimulate their production.

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Erectile dysfunction and insulin resistance

Thursday, November 12th, 2009

Here is more evidence of the strong correlation between erectile dysfunction and insulin. This paper recently published in the Journal of Andrology clearly discerns  the “correlation between erectile function and IR and abdominal obesity.” [IR = insulin resistance. Waist circumference is a metric for abdominal obesity.] Moreover, “IR also appears to alter testosterone production.” Important: a careful reading of this paper also discloses what functional medicine practitioners and Lapis Light patients know: “a negative correlation [with erectile function] was shown only between BT (biologically active fraction) and abdominal obesity. (BT is also termed free-fraction testosterone, measured in our salivary profiles. Total testosterone is not a reliable indicator.)

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