Men only – Pass it on!

Men’s Health Week aims to get men more aware of their own health, and to take action when it’s needed. These health stories could make a difference to you, or someone you know, so pass them on:

Increased health risks for men with chronic insomnia

A ten year study of over 1,700 men and women followed found that men with insomnia and short sleep duration were almost five times more likely to die than men who had normal sleep. Short sleep duration was defined as less than six hours uninterrupted sleep per night, chronic insomnia as lasting more than one year and poor sleep as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up excessively early in the morning.

Promoting prostate health

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in England, causing about one in four of all new cases. Unlike many cancers, prostate cancer can grow slowly and show no symptoms, however a minority are fast-growing and have to be treated quickly and aggressively. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to tell which is which so that the key factor lies in monitoring your own health and having regular check ups.

Known risk factors are being over 50, a family history of it, being of African-Caribbean or West African descent, being overweight and having a high-fat and high-dairy diet.

Top 3 Tips for a healthy prostate:

1) Dietary sense. Research suggests that diets containing foods with antioxidants may reduce the risk of prostate cancer as well keeping your diet low in red meat, dairy products and saturated fats as these all can increase the risk. To lower your risk eat more tomatoes, soy foods and fish. Include green tea as it contains compounds that can block the actions of an enzyme that promotes prostate cancer. Include a daily multivitamin with good levels of antioxidants, particularly selenium, and vitamin D.

2) Exercise sense. To reduce your risk, start some form of regular aerobic exercise that you enjoy and will maintain.

3) Screen sense. To get early detection it is essential to have regular screening, particularly once over 50.

Prostate problems are the number one concern for men’s health and there have been some positive anecdotal reports on men with prostate cancer who have used natural progesterone cream. There is no clinical evidence, or trial, but much of John Lee’s work was based on his own patients’ responses so it might be worth investigating if you have concerns about your prostate health.

Laptops Linked To Male Infertility

Young men and computers are almost synonymous, but there is a hidden danger in frequent laptop use. Being a father might not be an immediate priority, but if it is a hope for your future then as well as avoiding hot tubs and wearing boxers instead of briefs you might want to limit your laptop use. These three factors all can reduce male fertility, but the laptop link is a new problem according to Dr Kavic, who is a reproductive specialist in Chicago.

The problem is that the heat generated from laptops can damage both sperm count and motility and therefore has an impact on fertility. Dr Kavic recommends placing laptops on desktops and I suggest if it has to be on your lap you need some barrier between you and it such as a cushion or what I use, which is a lap tray with a rigid top and beanbag base to provide a ‘safe zone’.

Post vasectomy sperm check kit available online

The period of fertility after a vasectomy can vary from just weeks to months as live sperm remain in the reproductive tract after a vasectomy. To avoid pregnancy men are advised to have at least two check ups to determine their fertility, but researchers have found that 35% percent of men don’t return for the first sperm level test and over 70% don’t return for the second follow up.Given this level of reluctance, there seemed a gap in the market for men to have a home test and this is now available online having being approved by the FDA. SpermCheck Vasectomy has been developed to detect SP-10, a protein present at constant levels in each sperm nucleus and was developed at the University of Virginia by John C. Herr, Ph.D., and his colleagues.

If a couple absolutely must avoid pregnancy, then this test won’t substitute for a doctor’s check up as there is still debate about what level constitutes fertility, but if making and keeping doctor’s appointments is a problem, then this might be a substitute.

The test is available from www.contravac.com and costs $39.99.

Prostate and pomegranates

There’s new hope for men with prostate cancer when their disease doesn’t respond adequately to standard medical care. According to the results of a six year study just published in the Journal of Urology, pomegranate juice can lower PSA levels and slow down the progress of prostate cancer.

This was a two-stage clinical trial where each research subject had a rising prostate specific antigen (PSA) level after surgery or radiation therapy greater than 0.2 ng/ml and less than 5 ng/ml. The study participants were given eight ounces of pomegranate juice to drink daily for several years. Then patients who remained in the study and drinking pomegranate juice were compared to those no longer participating in the juice regimen.

Though both these groups of men with prostate cancer had demonstrated similar mean PSA doubling times at baseline when the study began, there was a clear and important difference in the groups after 56 months. The researchers are cautious about suggesting pomegranate juice could prevent prostate cancer, but anyone receiving treatment could add it to their diet and be getting a range of other health benefits.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK and over the last 30 years rates in Great Britain have almost tripled, although much of the increase is due to increased detection through widespread use of the PSA test. Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in UK men, after lung cancer, though happily the survival rate has more than doubled. Around 7 in 10 newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients now survive beyond five years whereas in the 1970s it was only 3 in 10.

Pomegranate juice benefits for everyone As it has very good antioxidant properties, it has been evaluated for its usefulness in fighting certain forms of cancer and been tentatively shown to reduce incidence of breast and skin cancer. It has many health benefits particularly for heart disease, heart attacks and stroke.

These include:

• it works well as a blood thinner
• is an agent for promoting blood flow to the heart
• reduces plaque in the arteries
• raises “good” levels of cholesterol
• helps lower “bad” cholesterol

Gout in men helped by vitamin C

Crusty old colonels with their feet propped on a cushion and waving a glass of port is the popular stereotype of gout, but sadly the truth is far more common. Traditionally, gout has most commonly developed in middle aged and older people – mostly men – but the condition is now being seen in younger people and also more frequently in women. A recent report suggested that, in the UK, it had increased by about 17 percent between 2007 and 2008. The reasons for this increase are unclear but it may be linked with dietary change and obesity definitely seems to increase the risk of gout.

It’s caused by a build-up of uric acid in the blood which forms crystal deposits in and around the joints, a form of arthritis, which is what causes the pain and inflammation typical of the condition. However a new study in British Columbia, Vancouver, has some good news – at least for men. The researchers suggest that vitamin C might affect the reabsorption of uric acid by the kidneys, increase the speed at which the kidneys work, or protect against inflammation; all of which can reduce the risk of gout.

They examined the relationship between vitamin C intake and gout between 1986 and 2006 in 46,994 men and during 20 years of follow-up, 1,317 men developed gout. Compared with men who had a vitamin C intake of less than 250 milligrams per day, the relative risk of gout was 17 percent lower for those with a daily intake of 500 to 999 milligrams, 34 percent lower for those with an intake of 1,000 to 1,499 milligrams per day and 45 percent lower for those with an intake of 1,500 milligrams per day or higher. For every 500-milligram increase in their vitamin C intake, the men’s risk for gout appeared to decrease by 17 percent. Compared with men who did not take vitamin C supplements, those who took 1,000 to 1,499 supplemental milligrams per day had a 34 percent lower risk of gout and those who took 1,500 supplemental milligrams per day had a 45 percent lower risk. and vitamin C appears to reduce the levels of uric acid in the blood.

What all those boring statistics actually mean is that vitamin C definitely seems to lower a man’s risk of gout so it’s worth supplementing to a level of around 1000mg a day, best in two doses of 500mg if you have any history of gout in your family

Male infertility can pose increased testicular cancer risk

Testicular germ cell cancer is the most common cancer among young men living in industrialized countries. The rate of increase has almost doubled from 1972-2002, and has been accompanied by a decline in semen quality and male fertility during the same period.

Many factors have been cited, including environmental pollutants, and this new research linking infertility and testicular cancer comes from a study of men who have come with their partners to get treatment for their infertility.

The study found that the men who had male factor infertility were nearly three times as likely to develop cancer as those free from the condition though the researchers are keen to stress that the absolute risk of developing testicular cancer remained low in this study and the link has yet to be confirmed but that compared with what would be expected among the general population, men with male factor infertility showed a trend toward an increased risk of testicular cancer.

If a man is undergoing fertility treatment this could be an early warning to watch for any physical signs of testicular cancer though it cannot be diagnosed on symptoms alone, so it is important to also see a doctor if you are concerned.

The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a painless lump on a testicle. In some cases the lump is uncomfortable, but severe pain is rare. Sometimes the testicle may be enlarged or swollen without a lump. Men with testicular cancer may also have a heavy or aching feeling in the lower belly or scrotum. Each normal testicle has an epididymis, which feels like a small bump on the upper or middle outer side of the testis. Normal testicles also contain blood vessels, supporting tissues, and tubes that conduct sperm. These can feel bumpy and are sometimes confused with cancer if doing a simple self-examination.

If you have any doubts, ask your doctor.

80 % increased prostate cancer risk with artificial light

In the west, we take for granted that we can have light all day and night – and in our cities we are never away from artificial light. Now, a new study at the University of Haifa, reported on 4 February, 2009, has discovered that countries with the highest levels of artificial light at night also have the highest rates of prostate cancer. This is found worldwide, and confirms previous studies at Haifa that found a connection between exposure to artificial light at night and the incidence of breast cancer.

They studied a database on cancer incidence in men in 164 countries and even at the early stage of the study it was apparent that there is a marked link between the incidence of prostate cancer and levels of artificial illumination at night. Countries with low exposure to such light showed an incidence of prostate cancer of 66.77 patients to 100,000 inhabitants. An increase of 30% was found in those countries with medium exposure, and those countries with the highest level of exposure to artificial light at night shoed a huge leap of 80%: with 157 patients per 100,000 inhabitants.

There could be many reasons for this increase; with high levels of light melatonin production is reduced and this affects our immune system and our own internal biological body clock gets affected as it cannot distinguish between night and day.

It’s not just health that is affected by artificial lighting either. The World Health Organization regards it as a serious source of environmental pollution, so our city planners may need to take this into account in future. On a personal level, turn the lights out at night, and don’t have electronic devices in the bedroom which use lighting such as clocks, televisions and video games.

Natural progesterone and prostate cancer

When I was running the Natural Progesterone Advisory Service I would hear many reports of the cream being used for other purposes than the recommended use for osteoporosis or hormone management. Most of these claims were anecdotal, and interesting but not verifiable. Over the years there has been research on the benefits of natural progesterone, but the most powerful advocates are still its users.

I was always particularly interested in its use for men, and the late Dr John Lee – the pioneer of natural progesterone usage – told me he often prescribed it for men with osteoporosis as, although there had been no research done, his patients showed consistently good results and higher bone density.

A similar situation has now come to my attention, with men using natural progesterone cream as part of their own treatment/self help programme for prostate cancer. Trevor Taylor runs Wellspring, a company that imports natural progesterone, and I am passing on information he gave me and which I think will be of interest to anyone with a family member at risk. I stress this is an anecdotal story, not medically verified, and I have let Trevor tell it in his own words:

I want to tell you about the experiences of a personal friend who was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007. He has had a poor medical history and is 70 years old and in 1996 was diagnosed with cancer of the oesophagus; which was operated on in 1996, 2000 and 2003. In 2003 he also had a double hip replacement operation. He then learned of his prostate cancer diagnosis in 2007.

Over the years we have had several women customers who have recounted to us how natural progesterone had helped their husbands or partners who were suffering from prostate cancer. I of course was aware of this but was reticent to publicise these reports, but when my friend told me of his diagnosis I asked him if he would like to try it as well as his prescribed treatment, on the basis that it would do him no harm and might well help.

He was first diagnosed in October 2007 and eight sample biopsies showed a PSA level of over 4000. The ideal is less than one. His treatment is 3 monthly Zoladex injections and he used natural progesterone cream daily. In January 2008 his PSA level was checked and had dropped from 4,000 to 100. At the next check in April 2008 it had dropped from 100 to 20. The next check in August 2008 showed a drop from 20 to 6. Checks and treatment have been extended to 4 monthly and I am pleased to say that my friend looks in good health, is very active; married in August 2008, and is thoroughly enjoying life.

Now Trevor Taylor does not claim that this remarkable drop in PSA levels from over 4000 to just 6 in just eleven months is due entirely or in part to his friend’s using natural progesterone, but it is certainly food for thought. If you want to know more about using natural progesterone you can contact Wellsprings for a free booklet and more information on 01481 233370 or via their website at www.progesterone.co.uk

Selenium has role in preventing high risk bladder cancer

Selenium is an essential trace element that we need for health, and now it seems it could play an important role in preventing high risk-bladder cancer for certain groups of people. Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School this month reported in a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research that although not true for everyone some groups who had been newly diagnosed with bladder cancer showed significant reductions in their cancer when they were found to have higher rates of selenium than average in their bodies. The groups affected were women, moderate smokers and those with p53 positive cancer. While other studies have shown a similar association between selenium and bladder cancer among women, this study is one of the first to show an association between selenium and p53 positive bladder cancer. Selenium is a trace element found widely in the environment and good food sources include Brazil nuts, bread, fish, meat and eggs Christmas excess – be prepared!.

Men have a biological clock too

I don’t know chaps, can’t you let us have anything for ourselves? We would willingly pass on giving birth, at least 50% of the time, but you haven’t lined up for that one yet. What you now are laying claim to is having the same sort of biological clock that we thought was exclusive to women. Despite news stories of men fathering children at the age of 80 and upwards, the average man’s fertility does not go on forever.

Although men constantly produce sperm every 90 days for as long as they live, the actual potency of those sperm has been brought into question. We have seen numerous stories about man’s declining levels of fertility where young men today produce a quarter of the sperm their grandfathers did, and have assumed that it was just environmental factors causing greater delays in men being able to get their partners pregnant. In cases referred to fertility clinics, the ratio is now 50/50 for men and women in assessing where the medical problem lies. Now a French study has found that a father’s age could have as much of an impact on the rate of pregnancy and miscarriage as a mother’s age – obviously Charlie Chaplin was an exception.

Generally, in fertility studies, the older either potential parent is then the chances of conception are reduced, and sadly the rate of miscarriage is increased. Statistically, if the man is younger than 25, around 92% will get their partner pregnant in under a year. However, adding just 10 years to the mix certainly alters the statistics, as the number taking under a year then drops to 85%. It’s not just the increased time it can take to create a viable pregnancy. The older a man is, then the greater the risk to the child of Downs syndrome, autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Also, fathers over 55 seem to have a greater potential for fathering children with psychological problems with around 37% of them having children who are diagnosed with bipolar disorder at some point in life.

It seems that for men, as for women, the biological clock ticks loudest between 30 and 35 and delaying starting a family may have sound financial reasons – but not necessarily the best health ones.

CO Q10, How to boost levels by 4 X plus

Coenzyme Q10, (COQ 10) is a nutrient that occurs naturally in the body and plays a key part in metabolizing energy from food. It is essential in the production of energy in your body, and is found in large concentrations in those tissues that use a lot of energy, such as your heart. It has a whole host of health benefits associated with it, particularly in the area of heart disease, but current research is also showing its application in other areas such as those below:

* Migraine prevention – a 2002 study reported that 61% of patients treated with CoQ10 as a migraine preventive reported 50% fewer migraines at the end of three months. * Chronic fatigue – those deficient in CoQ10 reported higher levels of energy when supplementing withthan those with deficient levels of the enzyme.

* Hypertension reduced – patients with high blood pressure taking CO Q10 were compared to similar patients on heart medication and were found to have exactly the same reduction in levels – without the side effects of the drugs. * Heart transplants patients benefit – patients given CO Q10 regularly before their surgery were found in a 2004 study to have a significant improvement in functional status, clinical symptoms, and quality of life.

* Parkinson’s Disease damage reduced – only a small study has been undertaken so far, but it appears that patients with the highest levels of CO Q10 showed significantly less impairment to their motor functions than those on lower doses.

* Statins – those taking statins often show a low rate of CO Q10 and may be advised to supplement as these drugs work to block cholesterol and have the potential to block the production of CoQ10 and reduce levels further.

As we get older, the levels of CO Q10 we naturally produce in the body tend to be less, for a number of reasons. There may simply not be enough CIO Q10 in our diet – we get it mostly from oily fish, meat and whole grains – or we can no longer effectively produce or synthesize adequate amounts of it ourselves. Further factors include the external effect of illness, and stress

Now it appears there is another way of increasing your CO Q10 levels, and it’s absolutely free. It’s our old friend exercise that is the key factor, as a recent study from the Lancisi Heart Institute in Italy has shown. They divided their subjects into four groups:

* Group one received 100 mg of supplemental CoQ10 three times each day

* Group two received the same, plus supervised exercise five times each week

* Group three received a placebo

* Group four received a placebo and participated in the same exercise routine as group two.

They were supervised for four weeks, and the results were very positive for the combination of exercise and CO Q10. Those in Group one, who just took the supplement had their blood levels of CoQ10 boosted four-fold – which is impressive in itself. However, those who were in Group 2 had their levels raised even further while there was no difference at all for Groups 3 and 4.

As the greatest concentration is found around your heart, it makes sense to have some aerobic exercise that will make that muscle work harder. Good brisk walking, or take a look at the health tips what I think is an ideal form of exercise for everyone, regardless of age or fitness.

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