As discussed in Part 1 of this series, symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer are similar. Men may experience increased urination (including at night), difficulty emptying the bladder, and difficulty starting urination in both cases. However, in prostate cancer, there may be no symptoms.
Some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and sometimes only monitoring is recommended. Other types are aggressive and require radiation, surgery, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, or other treatments. Additionally, if you have been diagnosed with BPH or are having BPH urinary symptoms, the very same enlargement that unpleasantly restricts urine flow, may also cause BPH to restrict prostate cancer tumor growth. Therefore, it is very important to be followed closely by your health care provider and best not to delay or self-treat symptoms.
Age is the Most Important Prostate Cancer Risk Factor
The single most important risk factor is age. 95% of all cases occur in men aged 50 years and older. Among men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer, more than 90% will live for 5 years and even past 10 years. In fact, often in older men the disease may prove to be non-symptomatic and they may eventually die of other causes.
This leads into the question about where men should get screened for prostate cancer. Although each man must decide for himself, Peak Performance & Prevention believes it is important to screen. The routine labs we draw and review with our patients always includes prostatic antigen (PSA) screening. We screen because we believe that knowledge is power.
In addition, P3 providers encourages lifestyle changes as foundational to the fierce prevention and treatment of all disease. When it comes to cutting your risk of prostate cancer (PCa), you have control over your risk. In a study published in May 2016, JAMA Oncology, men and women practicing a healthy lifestyle (i.e., no smoking, moderate alcohol consumption and/or abstinence, healthy weight, and optimized exercise regimens) had much lower rates of cancer and cancer deaths than those who failed to practice all four of these. For men, the odds of getting any cancer were cut by a third, and the odds of dying from it by 44 percent.
There are many treatments, pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical, for prostate health and disease prevention. Two of our favorites at P3 are Resveratrol and Zinc.
By now, you have likely come to the conclusion that it is important to thoughtfully consider your prostate health. Understand that there is much that you can do to minimize the symptoms of BPH. If you are experiencing symptoms such as increased urination (including at night), difficulty emptying the bladder, or difficulty starting urination, you may be concerned about your prostate health. For support in optimizing your prostate health, reach out to your Peak Performance provider.
Together, we can help create a personalized plan that is just right for you.
Jul 14th, 2021
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Jun 20th, 2021
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Apr 23rd, 2021
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Oct 7th, 2020
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Sep 17th, 2020
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Jun 28th, 2020
PART 1 If we asked what the strongest risk factor is for developing a prostate related disorder (such as benign prostate hypertrophy or prostate cancer), what would you guess?
Jun 11th, 2020
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Jun 8th, 2020
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Jun 4th, 2020
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May 26th, 2020
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Apr 22nd, 2020
Let’s acknowledge that we are living through an unprecedented time in our history: a 100 year pandemic. This is a time when we need to practice love, kindness, and patience in order to come out of this stronger and more resilient. We must approach...
Apr 6th, 2020
In the midst of this uncertain time with the Covid-19 virus and the anxiety and fear it can stir in us, it is of utmost importance that we guard our thoughts with vigilance. We work hard to eat healthy and remove food from our diets that cause...
Mar 3rd, 2020
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Feb 29th, 2020
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and most oats that is inherently pro-inflammatory and causes damage to the intestinal lining. Gluten ingestion is associated with abdominal discomfort, IBS symptoms, brain fog, confusion, fatigue...
Feb 17th, 2020
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Feb 17th, 2020
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