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In the community of naturopathic urologists, especially the health of the prostate, lycopene and saw palmetto are probably the two most popular ingredients. Saw Palmetto is a plant whose berries are commonly used to help manage the symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia).
As prostate cancer is a killer in the black community, finding ways to avoid developing the disease naturally arouses a keen interest and that has always been my interest in research. So far, conventional medicine has not had much success in this area and some men are turning to a more natural approach, which has caused a public outcry!
What is lycopene?
Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant, a member of the carotenoid family, and a pigment that gives certain fruits and vegetables their red color, including papaya. Tomatoes and tomato-based processed foods (eg, tomato soup, gravy, juice, puree, ketchup) are perhaps the best-known food sources for lycopene and also account for about 80% of the world's food. lycopene intake in the average American diet. However, red grapefruit, guava, red peppers and watermelon are other sources of food.
Numerous studies have shown that lycopene can help prevent or reduce the risk of certain cancers, including prostate, stomach, pulmonary pancreas, esophagus, colon, bad and cervix. l & # 39; uterus. We are interested here in the relationship between lycopene and prostate cancer, and so far the evidence has been mixed. Here are some of the most recent results of research on this topic.
Lycopene and prostate cancer
The idea that lycopene could help prevent or treat prostate cancer was raised in 1995 when the follow-up study with health professionals, the first to note that lycopene in tomatoes could
Lycopene is commonly badociated with prostate health and prostate cancer in particular. Numerous studies have shown a positive relationship between dietary intake of lycopene, usually derived from tomatoes and tomato products, and prostate cancer. Note that research refers to a "dietary intake" of lycopene and not a "supplement".
In 1999, a critical article was published in the journal Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Of 57 studies that showed an inverse badociation between tomato intake or lycopene levels in the blood and cancer risk, 35 were statistically significant. Reviewers noted that "the evidence of benefit was the strongest for prostate, lung and stomach cancer," and that "the ever-lower risk of cancer for various anatomical sites, combined with increased consumption of tomatoes and protein-based products reinforce current dietary recommendations to increase fruit and vegetable intake. "
Successive research has shown that the consumption of tomatoes and tomato products is badociated with a lower risk of cancer and prostate cancer in particular. For example:
- The authors of a 2015 study in Nutrition and cancer reported that tomato paste appeared to protect against the development of prostate cancer by modulating the activity of kappaB nuclear factor (which plays a key role in the development of cancer) and cancer-related gene expression in cancer cells of the prostate. The authors concluded that their findings supported "the biological activity of tomatoes in cancer-related inflammation."
- A 2014 study included in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute examined the relationship between dietary lycopene (derived from tomatoes and tomato products) and prostate cancer. Using data from 49,898 male health professionals, the authors determined that an increased intake of lycopene was badociated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer and in particular a life-threatening cancer. prostate.
Other research, however, has been less positive.
- The authors of a review of eight randomized controlled trials on lycopene for the prevention and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer concluded that "it It is not possible to support or refute the use of lycopene for the prevention or treatment of BPH or prostate cancer.
- A 2013 meta-badysis included in the Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitamin attempt to determine whether consumption of lycopene and tomatoes / tomato products may reduce the risk of prostate cancer in humans. Seventeen studies were evaluated. The examiners examined the high and low consumption of raw tomatoes and cooked tomatoes, as well as the high and low consumption of lycopene, and concluded that "it would be necessary to continue the research to determine the type and quantity of tomato products with regard to their potential. in the prevention of prostate cancer. "
While lycopene, tomatoes and prostate health continued to be of interest, lycopene supplements were introduced.
Could lycopene supplements be the savior in the form of tablets or simple capsules?
Let's see if lycopene supplements are good for prostate health. Interestingly enough, research does not support the use of lycopene supplements for prostate health. Research on lycopene supplementation is absent or absent. One of the few studies available recently (April 2015) was published in the newspaper Prostate.
Researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I-II trial for six months on the effects of dietary supplements (lycopene, selenium, green tea catechins) in 60 men with pre-cancerous prostate lesions or multifocal lesions of high grade. prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and / or atypical small acinar proliferation.
At six months, 53 men underwent a new biopsy and 13 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Ten of the men were in the supplement group, while the other three had taken a placebo. After 37 months of follow-up, scientists found a stronger modulation of microRNAs in the supplement group than in the placebo group. This factor is badociated with the progression of prostate cancer. The authors of the study concluded that "the use of these supplements should be avoided".
Hey! So what should men do? It seems reasonable to badume that you regularly include in your diet a lot of raw tomatoes and cooked tomato products (but no canned tomato products), such as tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomato juice and tomato soup, could be beneficial for the prostate. health and prevention of prostate cancer. (Of course, choose organic products where possible.) Other foods that contain lycopene include pink grapefruit, watermelon, red cabbage, guava and carrots.
In a later animal study, the authors found that mice with human prostate cancer cells treated with both lycopene and chemotherapy had smaller tumors and lived longer than their peers who had received chemotherapy. alone. In 2013, investigators found that men who ate a lot of raw or cooked tomatoes had a slightly lower risk of prostate cancer.
The influence of lycopene on prostate enlargement (benign prostatic hyperplasia), urination, and PSA (prostate specific antigen) levels was also evaluated. PSA levels are considered a marker of prostate cancer risk and are often higher than normal in men with prostate cancer.
In 2015, a team of experts reviewed 26 studies involving 17,517 cases of prostate cancer and 563,299 participants. Reviewers noted an upward trend in lycopene use and reduced risk of prostate cancer, although this is not the case in all studies. In addition, higher consumption of lycopene was badociated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer with a cutoff of 9-21 mg per day.
Until now, evidence suggests that high consumption of lycopene is badociated with a lower risk of developing prostate cancer, but further studies are needed to determine the reason for this relationship and determine if other factors, found in tomatoes and tomato foods, help reduce this prostate risk. Cancer.
The most recent exploration of the link between lycopene and prostate cancer was published in March 2018 in Archivos espanoles de urologia. A review of the literature from 1990 to 2015 was conducted and included research in humans. Twenty-seven studies were eventually selected for the systematic review, with 13,999 patients in the 22 case-control studies and 187,417 in the five cohort studies. The authors concluded that, although they found "a statistically significant inverse badociation between lycopene ingestion" and the risk of prostate cancer, this evidence came solely from observational studies. They recommended conducting "high-quality randomized clinical trials" to clarify the available evidence.
Get lycopene in your diet
You might think that lycopene supplements may be the best way to get this phytochemical, but I'm sorry to say, the research does not support it as a supplement. In fact, it appears that lycopene supplements do not work and are badociated with a risk of nausea, vomiting, stomach upset and diarrhea. These side effects can be alleviated or eliminated if the supplements are taken with food.
Lycopene supplements: waste of money?
According to research and scientific journals, the optimal choice seems to be eating organic foods rich in lycopene. Other phytochemicals found in tomatoes (and other lycopene-based foods) can contribute to the health benefits of the antioxidant, which supplements could not.
Best sources of lycopene?
According to research and scientific journals, it is better to eat tomatoes cooked in a healthy oil, such as extra virgin olive oil, because the body absorbs lycopene better than if you eat raw tomatoes without oil. For example, an organic tomato sauce with olive oil and garlic is a healthy option, just like a fresh tomato soup prepared with olive oil. olive and garlic.
So, in conclusion, do not waste your money on lycopene supplements because there is no evidence of their effectiveness. Instead, regularly include in your diet a variety of natural foods rich in lycopene and consider adding to your diet other natural ingredients that have been proven in studies that work synergistically to improve the health of the body. prostate in general.
Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu, RND, PhD, Honorary Professor of Naturopathic Urology, State Pedagogical University of Vinnytsia, Ukraine. Chair: Nyarkotey College of Holistic Medicine, Tema Community, 7, Post Office, RNG Medicine Research Lab, Tema 18 Community and Ghana Association of Alternative Medicines (AMAG). He is the formulator of the revolutionary formula Men's for Prostate Health, Nyarkotey tea for cardiovascular health and the feminine formula for well-being. Call 0241083423/0208244716/0541234556
Ref. 1. https://prostate.net/articles/lycopene-supplements-are-a-waste-of-money/
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