The History And Benefits Of Saw Palmetto

Saw Palmetto can be extracted from the fruit of the Serenoa Repens. It's used in a wide variety of traditional and alternative medicines and is most notably used for prostate health. The plant itself looks like a shrub version of the palm tree and has the signature fronds of the palm tree, but doesn't have the long trunk that the tree has.

The fruit are berries, which are harvested in the fall after they mature. These berries are then ground into a powder, then a lipophilic extract is taken from the powder. This extract is what is actually used for medicine. The plant can be found from South Carolina all the way to Texas, but is most common the farther southeast you go. Central Florida is the largest producer of Saw Palmetto in the country.

Native Americans were the first to utilize the Saw Palmetto and ate the berries for food before discovering the medicinal properties of them, but this Saw Palmetto made up a large chunk of their diet. Later, Native American medicine men used the berries to treat impotence, inflammation and infertility, as well as some other conditions, such as for the prostate.

Interest in this plant had peaked in the U.S. and in the late 19th century, where it was observed that the plant seemed to help livestock. The extract that was taken from these berries was used to treat things like an enlarged prostate and gonorrhea. After WWII, however, interest in the plant died out in the United States.

In Europe, however, the extract was popular for treating BPH. Now, however, there is a renewed interest in the extract in the U.S. and it's currently being used to treat many things like hair loss, prostate enlargement, and poor libido.

One of the major benefits of using Saw Palmetto extract is that there are very few hazardous allergic reactions or side effects. Like many supplements, there is a slight risk of gastro-intestinal problems, however taking the extract with food can help to keep intestinal problems to a minimum. The extract does carry a chemical, which is called beta-sitosterol, which is very similar to cholesterol.

Much like cholesterol, high levels of this chemical have been known to increase the risk of heart attacks and other heart problems. Also, it's important to note that all of this has to do with the amount you take and the batch or manufacturer. Currently, PSE is used only as a natural supplement, so it's not regulated in the United States.

To successfully extract the lipophilic substance from the plant, a solvent must be used. The solvent used in permixon, the most common Saw Palmetto product in the UK, is extracted using Hexane. Other solvents used include methanol, ethanol and liquid carbon dioxide.

The solvent used is very important, as it can affect the chemistry of the product, and you want to make sure you are getting the highest quality product, so it's always a good idea to keep an eye out for products where Hexane is used as the solvent.

Saw Palmetto can be a great way to improve prostate health with little to no danger of side effects.

We want you to learn more about Saw Palmetto as a plant, so come and check us out at http://www.sawpalmetto.org

Prostate Cancer - What is your Risk?

By Richard H Ealom

INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is cancer of the small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces seminal fluid, the fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. It is also the second most common type of cancer among men in this country and is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages.

Prostate cancer typically occurs in older men and is seldom found in men under the age of 40. It occurs in 1 out of 6 men and when confined to the gland is usually treated successfully.

RISK: All men are at risk for developing prostate cancer. Besides being male, there are other factors, such as age, race, and family history that may contribute to the risk. Men at higher risk include African-America men older than 60,farmers, tire plant workers, painters, and men exposed to cadmium. The risk for developing it rises significantly with age, and 60% of newly diagnosed cases occur in men over the age of 70.

The greatest risk factor is your age. This risk increases greatly after the age of 50 in caucasian men who have no family record of the disease and after the age of 40 in black men and males who have a close relative with the cancer. Having a brother with the disease appears to increase your risk more than having an affected father does. That risk is even greater when there are multiple family members affected.

SYMPTOMS: May include Problems passing urine, such as pain, difficulty starting or stopping the stream, or dribbling, Low back pain, Pain with ejaculation. Many men experience no symptoms; the first indication that they may have the disease is often an abnormal finding on a routine screening exam. Symptoms are more likely to appear as the cancer grows.

TREATMENT: Can include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or control of hormones that affect the cancer. Treatment frequently depends on the stage of the cancer. The appropriate treatment is very often controversial.

Surgery is usually only recommended after a thorough evaluation and discussion of all possible treatment options. Chemotherapy is often used to treat the ones that are resistant to hormonal treatments. Gland Removal is often recommended for treatment of stages A and B.

CONCLUSION: Prostate cancer is the third most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages and is the most common cause of death from cancer in men over 75 years old. Often there are no symptoms in its early stages. If it has spread, it may be treated with drugs to reduce testosterone levels, surgery to remove the testes, or chemotherapy.

About the Author:

About the author: Richard H. Ealom is an expert ezinearticles.com writer with more than 50 articles on diseases,causes,cures. To find out more about Cancer visit "Cancer Breakthrough USA!" You have the right to reprint this article provided this box is kept unchanged

End Prostate Problems With Avena Sativa

Mention a prostate exam to any man and he'll likely cringe. The last thing a man wants to hear about his body is that he has prostate problems. As many as 80 percent of men have an enlarged prostate. Most men will experience prostate pain at some point in their lives, and aging increases the risk of having prostate problems.

Prostate cancer falls only behind skin cancer as the leading type of cancer in the United States. Prostate cancer is responsible for the deaths of 500,000 men in the U.S. each year. While the numbers are startling, relatively few men get help for urinary or prostate problems. They suffer in silence. Beyond the embarrassment of having their prostate checked, many men believe that problems with the bladder are just a normal part of aging.

Men don’t feel comfortable talking to their doctors about prostate problems. Yet, early detection and prevention are best for long-term health. A health screening is a simple step that all men need to take seriously. Urination problems need to be addressed quickly since they can be very painful and are often the first sign of a more serious problem.

What the Prostate Does

The prostate’s job is to hold and release semen. Semen is the alkaline fluid that neutralizes the acidity of the vagina, thereby making it easier for sperm to reach their destination. A healthy prostate requires the right balance of androgens (male hormones). As men age, their hormonal balance changes and they use the fluids less often. Unused fluids in the prostate will harden.

If the prostate is inflamed, it can cause a painfully enlarged prostate, prostatitis or prostate cancer. When testosterone, the male hormone, is converted into dihydrotestosterone (DHT), it can lead to prostate cancer or enlargement.

Ending Prostate Problems

There are a few ways to end prostate problems. One option is having surgery to correct the problem. This should be used as a last resort after exploring more natural and less invasive choices. Second, there are heated laser treatments available to ease an enlarged prostate. While this is a less invasive option than prostate surgery, it can be costly and time consuming. Third, there is the option of prostate massage. There are devices sold for just this purpose. They are said to release build up fluids to provide relief from prostate pain.

There is another method for relieving prostate problems, though. It includes making healthy lifestyle choices and including avena sativa in your diet.

Avena Sativa Ends Prostate Problems

Avena sativa is a cooked seed used in cereals and flour. It can also be sprouted and used in salads and sandwiches. It is rich in silicon, manganese, zinc, calcium, phosphorus and Vitamins A, B1, B2 and E. It is an oat complex for men that support prostate health in a natural way. It actually shrinks an enlarged prostate. Used in conjunction with a healthy diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle in general, it can greatly improve the health of the prostate.

The keys to ending prostate problems are eat healthy and limit dairy intake; incorporate exercise into your daily routine; reduce stress; and add an avena sativa supplement to your diet. Getting into a healthy routine will ease the pain of an enlarged prostate and prevent prostate problems in the future.

Author Resource: More information on avena sativa herbs is available at VitaNet ®, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

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Support Normal Prostaglandin Production With CLA

An imbalance of hormones in the body can cause a host of problems. Prostaglandin is a fatty acid that takes on the characteristics of a hormone. This fluid is isolated from the male prostate. In women, it is known for its pain relieving effect on the uterus and is often used during labor and delivery to calm contractions and reduce cramping.

Prostaglandin soothes muscle contractions, reduces pain, reduces inflammation and controls hormones. When it isn't functioning properly, however, you will likely experience more pain and discomfort. CLA is one supplement that can help support natural prostaglandin production.

Conjugated Linolic Acid (CLA)

CLA is sometimes suggested for overweight and obese people for weight loss. It is a trans fat that is said to reduce belly fat. It is a popular dietary supplement. CLA is a designer fat in some ways. It acts as a good fat in the body, much like olive oil and similar products that are healthy for you. It is a lipid that is structured in a way that promotes health and improves prostaglandin production.

CLA helps to build muscle, burn fat, increase metabolism and fight cancer. It acts as an anti-inflammatory, lowers cholesterol and enhances the immune system to fight off germs and diseases. It also acts as a natural fatty acid. It can be found in your diet in beef and dairy products. The omega 6 fatty acid in CLA offers a lubricant for the body. It smoothes body functions and gets things moving again.

The beauty of taking a CLA capsule is that it provides you with the fatty acids your body needs without the guilt of eating the extra calorie-laden foods. You can change your composition of fat and muscle while eating less food and without drastically changing your lifestyle.

Most experts agree that CLA is safe for human consumption and are reasonably certain of the positive benefits it can offer. However, there is inconclusive data from research studies that have been conducted thus far. Further testing in humans must be done to determine the effectiveness of CLA and the possible side effects it may bring.

Studies on Prostaglandin Production and CLA

According to Mark Cook and his team of researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, CLA supplements work to naturally regulate COX-2 proteins.

Studies on animals have recently shown that CLA can control bone loss by allowing better calcium absorption. This is made possible by lowering prostaglandin levels in bone tissue. Further studies on humans and prostaglandin need to occur before there is any concrete evidence.

Research does suggest some side effects from consuming synthetic CLA. It can cause lowered good cholesterol, higher glucose levels and insulin resistance. Though studies on animals have shown that eating foods high in CLA rather than taking a supplement is safer, it would not be practical for people to eat that much meat and cheese.

There is not enough evidence to prove that CLA can support normal prostaglandin production. CLA is deemed safe as a supplement for now, but experts caution users not to exceed 1000 milligrams of CLA per day just as a precaution. Too much of a good thing can be problematic, as well.

Author Resource: More information on CLA is available at VitaNet ®, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

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Old Drug Offers New Treatment for Prostate Cancer

A longtime treatment for common prostate diseases as well as baldness may be a treatment in helping prevent prostate cancer in those with high risk, a recent re-examination of a 2003 study shows. ( N Engl J Med 2003; 349:1569-1572, Oct 16, 2003)

The study was one of the largest of it's kind, performed on almost 19,000 men over the course of 7 years. The men were randomly assigned either a placebo or the popular drug known as finasteride, which is branded as Propecia for treating baldness and is also used to treat enlarged prostate glands in older men.

After 7 years, the men taking finasteride showed a 25% lower risk of developing prostate tumors than the placebo group. However, the researchers were at first concerned about an actual higher incidence of aggressive prostate cancers in the men taking finasteride; their overall risk was lowered, but if they did develop prostate cancer it tended to be more dangerous.

A new evaluation of that study seems to have reconciled this strange finding. Since finasteride actually shrinks the prostate gland, if cancer does appear it is easier to find and thus, in the original study seemed to show an increase in tumors in some men.

Finasteride works by decreasing the amount of available dihydrotestosterone produced by the body, a male hormone. It has been known for some time that male hormones act to "feed" prostate cancer growth, and turning down this mechanism can be an effective treatment to help "starve" the cancer.

Its side effects include some of the more common ones among prostate cancer treatments: impotence, and decreased libido. Sometimes male breasts can also form, however, most side effects will reverse once treatment is stopped.

The new research concludes that finasteride is indeed an excellent treatment for those with a high risk of acquiring prostate cancer. Men who are in a high risk category for prostate cancer include those over the age of 50 and those with a close relative with prostate cancer.

Men who are interested in finasteride therapy should take up their concerns with their doctor, who will make a personalized decision based on their risk factors. This treatment may help avoid such complications as impotence and urinary incontinence, two of the most common side effects of later treatments such as surgery and radiation therapy.

This may be a blessing for those at high risk, as the quality of life concerns from treatment may actually affect men more than the cancer itself.

Author Resource: James Culp is a prostate cancer survivor who runs a blog on the latest treatments for prostate cancer at http://www.ProstAide.org.

Article From High Profile Articles

Prostate Cancer Symptoms: Early Detection is Key

As prostate cancer involves the male reproductive system, the prostate, it is a disease that primarily affects the male. Early detection of its symptoms is vital to treatment and recovery. When you have prostate cancer, your prostate cells mutate and multiply out of control. These cancerous cells start to attack all the surrounding healthy cells in the prostate, and can spread to other parts of the body. Very often, this disease also affects the bones around the prostate.

Most men do not realize that they have prostate cancer until it is in an advanced stage. Once it is diagnosed in a later stage, it is usually more difficult to cure or treat. Hence, early detection can help in controlling the spread of the cancer cells. Here are some important prostate cancer symptoms that you should keep a look out for:

• general pain in the prostate area

• an uncontrollable desire to urinate frequently, especially at nighttime

• difficulty in urinating, both in starting or holding back

• poor flow of urine

• the presence of blood and in urine and semen

• pain or burning sensation when urinating

• erectile dysfunction (inability to have or sustain an erection)

• uncomfortable or painful ejaculation

• a frequent pain or stiffness in the upper thighs, hips, or lower back
  

It does not mean that you have prostate cancer just because you notice the above symptoms. These symptoms can also be an indication of other diseases. Your best course of action is to go for an accurate and proper diagnosis by a doctor or specialist. You will have to undergo a series of tests in order to determine if you have prostate cancer or some other health problems.

Several factors appear to increase the risk of getting this disease.

Age is a key factor. It has been found that prostate cancer is most common in men over fifty years of age.

Family history is also another key indicator of increased risk. If you have a close male relative who is suffering from the disease, you are twice as likely to have prostate cancer yourself.

In addition, nationality or where you come from can mean different risk levels. Statistics reveal that African-Americans are most at risk, followed by Americans and Europeans. Least at risk are Asians, particularly those that live in the East and Southeast portions of the continent.

It has been said that an unhealthy lifestyle and diet also increases your risk to getting this disease. Although this disease is not preventable, making substantial changes to your diet and lifestyle have been shown to improve your chances of recovery greatly.

To find out if you really have prostate cancer, you need to consult a specialist. Once you describe to him about the symptoms that you have observed, he may order a series of tests to make sure.

The PSA, or prostate specific antigen test, is used to detect the disease. During this process, a small piece of the prostate will be removed and examined under a microscope to check for prostate cancer cells. Additionally, other tests such as X-rays and bone scans may also be used to determine the extent of the cancer.

While it appears cumbersome to go for that many tests, it is important to remember that they may actually help you save your live. You can get treated for prostate cancer symptoms if you take early action.

Author Resource: Prostate Cancer can kill. Find out more about Prostate Cancer Prevention on this site http://www.Prostate-Cancer-Treatment-Hub.com.

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