Alternative prostate cancer treatment and natural cures

When looking at alternatives to traditional prostate cancer treatment options it is very important to research the alternative thoroughly. Some of the alternative treatment for prostate cancer ideas may actualy be do more harm than good, for example it is known that taking St John's wort lowers the effectiveness of traditional treatments such as chemotherapy. Other bad alternative treatments for prostate cancer that are often put forward to treat prostate cancer include the steroid DHEA (this may actually lead to increases in tumour sizes); PC-SPES (contains DES, Warfarin, and indomethacin); Laetrile (this substance is found in fruit pips and contains trace amounts of cyanide); Black Cohosh; and licorice supplements (both of which may lead to serious side effects).

However, it is not all bad news, there are many alternative prostate cancer treatment supplements and foods that may have a beneficial effect, and many more where it is not known one way or the other whether they are beneficial, but are likely to do more good than harm. It is important when seeking prostate cancer alternative treatments that you first have a chat with your doctor, he will know if any of the alternatives may interact badly with other medications that you are taking. Here are some of the leading alternatives to traditional prostate cancer medications that may be worthy of consideration.

Green Tea

Although many alternative prostate cancer treatments are unproven, it is known that eating and drinking certain food and drinks can go a long way towards lowering the risk of getting cancer itself. A drink which is associated with reduced prostate cancer risk is green tea; cohort studies have demonstrated that people who drink six cups of tea a day have a much lower chance of developing prostate cancer. Furthermore recent studies suggest that antioxidants known as catechins which are found in green tea may actually help to fight cancer by inducing apoptosis of cells; therefore green tea catechins may be a natural prostate cancer cure.

Vitamin E

Another antioxidant that is present in significant quantities in tea is vitamin E. It is thought that when took in conjunction with the antioxidant selenium, that vitamin E may lower the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Lycopene

Lycopene is found in tomatoes and is responsible for its red colour. Lycopene is known to be a powerful antioxidant and it has been suggested that it has both strong anti-ageing properties and that it can lower the risk of developing prostate cancer. Eating lots of tomatoes has to be considered as a good thing.

Flaxseed

It has been reported in the literature that the combination of a low fat diet and taking a supplement of flaxseed powder (little is known about the benefits of flaxseed oil) leads to a lowering of prostate cancer cell proliferation, and was able to lower the PSA count in men who did not have an advanced form of prostate cancer.

Other than the alternative treatments listed above, there are many other products on the market that manufactures claim help in the fight against prostate cancer, many of these claims remain scientifically unproven so should perhaps be taken with a pinch of salt, but they are listed below as they may be of some benefit; remember when taking alternative treatments that you first speak to your doctor to ensure that the alternatives do not interact negatively with other treatments that you may be taking.

Garlic

Garlic is a great ingredient for use in cooking, and like all fruits and vegetables these bulbs are known to be packed with vitamins and antioxidants. With regards to prostate cancer it has been suggested that taking garlic powder may lower the risk of acquiring the condition. It is thought that you will need to take the garlic for at least five years to see any positive health effects.

Shiitake Mushrooms

Unfortunately no evidence has shown that Shiitake mushrooms have a positive affect upon the prevention of prostate cancer.

Zinc supplements

The use of zinc supplements has both positive and negative impacts on cancer risk. It has been shown that taking over 100mg a day highers the risk, whereas taking lower doses may lower the risks. It is therefore thought best to ensure that you get plenty of zinc in your diet, but to avoid taking large amounts of zinc tablets.

Shark Cartilage

It is thought that the addition of shark cartilage to the diet may lower the risk of developing cancer. There have been many scientific trails on the use of cartilage, at this point in time the results remain inconclusive.

This section of the prostate cancer guide has covered some of the alternative treatments and natural cures for prostate cancer; it is hoped that if you are considering alternatives to traditional methods that you investigate the treatments thoroughly, and discuss the pros and cons of the alternative prostate cancer treatment with your doctor.