Vitamin E Found to Cut Prostate Cancer Risk in Half

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http://www.mercola.com/2005/mar/16/prostate_cancer.htm

 

Vitamin E Found to Cut Prostate Cancer Risk in Half

 

Hope for successfully treating prostate cancer mounts, as findings

provide evidence of a treatment with promising results. High blood

levels of alpha- and gamma-tocopherol--major vitamin E

components--appeared to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by about 50

percent each.

 

These results are based on a study involving 100 individuals with

prostate cancer and 200 individuals without, participating in the

Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention (ATBC) Study, which

included nearly 30,000 men in all. Not only did the study indicate

that men with the highest levels of alpha-tocopherol in their blood at

baseline were about 50 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer

than those with the lowest level of the vitamin, but it also showed:

 

*

 

Men with highest levels of gamma-tocopherol were 43 percent less

likely to develop the cancer, compared with men with the lowest levels.

*

 

The connection between high tocopherol levels and low cancer

risk was stronger among individuals taking alpha-tocopherol

supplements compared to those not taking them.

 

These findings support those of the ATBC study, which showed daily

vitamin E supplementation cut prostate cancer risk by 32 percent.

 

Vitamin E's Antioxidant Properties

 

Because oxidative stress has been linked to the development of

prostate cancer, researchers believe it is vitamin E's antioxidant

properties that may be the reason for the studies' findings.

 

Moreover, alpha-tocopherol has other non-antioxidant properties, such

as enhancement of the immune response, which may also play a role in

the benefits observed of vitamin E.

 

Journal of the National Cancer Institute March 2, 2005;97(5):396-399

 

ABC News March 2, 2005

 

Dr. Mercola's Comment:

 

Fortunately for men, prostate cancer is a relatively slow-growing

cancer that is easy to control if caught early enough. It is far

easier to prevent and treat then its female clone, breast cancer, as

breast cancer cells double far more quickly.

 

However, understanding how to successfully treat prostate cancer is

key to curing it--and as noted in the above article, vitamin E

supplementation has been proven to be a beneficial route. In fact, I

have such confidence in supplementing with vitamin E that I have been

taking it now for over 30 years.

 

Vitamin E's Prostate Cancer Benefits

 

The most popular form of vitamin E by far is the alpha-tocopherol

form. This specific tocopherol has incredible antioxidant benefits

(which may play a role in the nutrient's fight against prostate

cancer) and has shifted much of the research away from the other seven

forms of vitamin E (tocopherols). This is especially significant since

gamma-tocopherol is the most commonly occurring natural form of

vitamin E in the American diet, and it (gamma-tocopherol) seems to be

the only form of vitamin E that inhibits the production of cancer cells.

 

Five years ago I ran a study that demonstrated a 500 percent decrease

in prostate cancer in men who had the highest level of

gamma-tocopherol. (Click here for the entire full-text article.)

http://jncicancerspectrum.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/full/jnci;92/24/2018?ijkey\

=539435fb412430958437c74efd2875be7c94042a

I also ran a review on this study when it was first published, but at

that time I wasn't linking directly to the journal articles. I have

updated the article and now included the link to the original study,

so if you are interested in reviewing all of the technical details of

the study you can read away to your heart's content.

 

So, if you have prostate cancer or are interested in preventing it or

any other type of cancer, and are already taking vitamin E anyway,

please make sure the form you are taking has gamma-tocopherol. The

typical vitamin E supplement only contains alpha-tocopherol, an

entirely different form of vitamin E that does not currently appear to

have any of these anti-cancer properties.

 

 

Additional (Natural) Prostate Cancer Treatments

 

An excellent guide for treating and curing prostate cancer naturally

is Dr. Larry Clapp's bestselling Prostate Health in 90 Days…Without

Drugs or Surgery. During his seven years of intensive research, Dr.

Clapp developed expertise in cleansing, nutritional healing, pH

balancing, herbology, homeopathy, bodywork and energetic and spiritual

healing. Combining the best of these healing arts, he developed a

successful treatment program for prostate cancer, which he used to

cure himself.

 

Therefore, not only will this book explain in depth how to prevent and

cure prostate cancer with alternative self-healing approaches, but it

will also help eliminate your dependency on antibiotics, radiation or

surgery.

 

There are also a number of other natural alternatives and tools you

can utilize in your fight against prostate cancer. They include:

 

* Optimized vitamin D levels

* Increased omega-3 oils

* Regular sun exposure

* Vegetable juice

* PSA screening

* Freshly ground flaxseeds

* Vegetables

* Tomato sauce

* Low sugar consumption

* Selenium

* Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), the energy psychology tool

used to cope with stress

* EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), the polyphenols in tea

 

Related Articles:

 

Are You Taking the Right Form of Vitamin E?

 

Do You Need Vitamin E? Find Out Seven Benefits Now

 

What are Tocotrienols, and Why do You Need Them?

 

How You Can Beat Prostate and Breast Cancer Nutritionally

 

Deadly Effects of Hormone-Suppression on Men With Prostate Cancer

 

Slow Prostate Cancer with Synthetic Lycopene? Better Think Twice

 

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