Prostate gland enlargement

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, May, 2006 by Martin W. Banschbach

Selenium and vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) are already known to offer protection from the development of prostate cancer. With these new studies, the protective effect of gamma-tocopherol in the prostate may prove to be much greater than alpha-tocopherol. (48) Right now, the best source of gamma-tocopherol is pumpkin seed oil. Alpha-tocopherol and selenium swept the cancer prevention field, and now it looks like gamma-tocopherol is getting ready to open some eyes in the area of prostate cancer prevention. (49) Even if pumpkin seed oil has no real benefit in men with an enlarged prostate gland, the high levels of gamma-tocopherol that pumpkin seed oil provides in a small capsule should help to decrease the risk that the enlarged prostate gland will turn cancerous. Having a good intake of selenium and lycopene should also help to prevent the development of prostate cancer.

An enlarged prostate gland can be a real pain, but having cancer of the prostate gland is even worse. Knowing who all the natural players are in prostate health should help you beat the odds and keep your prostate gland performing well throughout your entire life span.

Martin W. Banschbach, PhD, is a Professor of Biochemistry in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

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