How Vitamin D Can Help Prevent Prostate Cancer ?

Doctors across the country who practice naturopathic care work diligently to educate their male patients about prostate cancer. It should be taken as seriously as the female population takes breast cancer. As with breast cancer, regular screening increases your chances of survival. Unfortunately, many men do not, putting men at risk of death from this treatable disease.

Quick breakdown

If you are not familiar with the prostate. It is a walnut-sized organ found in the male reproductive system. A sign of tumor growth is when the prostate becomes abnormally large, however, by this time, the disease has progressed considerably. It's best to get regular screenings to catch cancer before it becomes life-threatening.

There is no real evidence of what causes prostate cancer. However, naturopathic doctors believe that leading a healthy lifestyle and eating whole foods is the key of prevention. Some people have also found success in reversing the side effects of the disease by combining diet and lifestyle changes with traditional medicine. Alternative cancer treatments have proven to be quite effective for patients.

What is known so far about this type of cancer is that it has something to do with genetics, environmental and hormonal factors. Androgen is a hormone that plays an important role in its growth. This hormone promotes tumor growth. So androgen deprivation therapy also known as ADT can be used to bring down its levels. Hormone replacement therapy is also an option for people struggling with imbalances.

Who is prone to prostate cancer?

It is a very common disease that  affects men over the age of 50. Especially if you are of African descent. Men who have a close relative diagnosed with the disease. Such as a father, son or brother are at particular risk for the disease.

Research shows that African American men are  more likely to die from this type of cancer than Caucasian men 2.5 times. In the United States, it is the second  developing cause of cancer death among the male population.

What symptoms to look for?

Early detection of prostate cancer is difficult without a doctor's examination. There are different ways to do this, such as a digital rectal scan or a blood test that measures prostate-specific antigens, or PSA. When you have a high PSA level. It is likely that you have an infected prostate, either due to inflammation or cancer.

Can Vitamin D Help?

 Studies  show the positive effects of vitamin D on prostate cancer. Prostate cancer patients have less amount of vitamin D. Healthy men with adequate vitamin D intake are less likely to die from prostate cancer. These individuals are also less likely to develop aggressive cancers.

The recommendation of vitamin D is less than 10,000 IU per day. You can get IV vitamin therapy from an alternative cancer treatment center. There is no evidence about the relationship  between prostate cancer and vitamin D. So more research is needed.

What we know so far?

You can find vitamin D receptors along the surface of your cells. When vitamin D is ingested, it binds to these receptors. Once bound, vitamin D sends chemical signals, telling the cells what to do, such as die or divide.

These same receptors are found in prostate tissue, so vitamin D also binds to them. It is what causes cancer cells to die, stop them from growing or spreading to other areas of the system. This is why vitamin D is considered helpful against prostate cancer.

Prostate cells have the power to convert inactive forms of vitamin D to active forms. Many cancer cells lose this power, but still have the receptors. That is why vitamin D supplementation is effective in decreasing the growth of cancer cells.

Prevention of prostate cancer

The highest incidence is of prostate cancer  in the United States  possibly due to the fact that Americans are not exposed to sunlight. Most people spend most of their time working indoors. You can tell to a naturopathic doctor about lifestyle changes. You can implement to reduce your risk of prostate cancer. You should also inquire about your vitamin D levels to determine if IV vitamin therapy is right for you.