Prostate, Prostatitis, Cancer, Causes and Cures

Prostate problems are pervasive, and progressive in the U.S. -- approximately a quarter of a million prostate cancers are diagnosed each year. Chronic inflammation due to age or diet enhances prostatitis and cancer.

Prostate Surrounds Male Urethra

The prostate is a sexual organ. It responds to sexual stimuli, both physical and hormonal, and as a consequence is vulnerable to the same hazards: infection, inflammation, cycles of elaboration and cancer. The prostate straddles the male urethra and inflammatory swelling of the prostrate can strangle the flow of urine from the bladder. The prostate contributes part of the seminal fluid and backward flow of bacteria from the urethra into the prostate can be a source of infection.

Prostate Cells Require Testosterone for Growth

The prostate tissue responds to testosterone. The ebb and flow of testosterone, associated with sexual activity, results in increased production of prostate fluid containing proteins and other components that enhance performance of sperm in the female reproductive tract. The bottom line here is that prostate tissue and derived prostate cancer, responds to testosterone. For this reason, prostate cancer treatment has been based on blocking testosterone stimulation by removal of sources of testosterone and blocking testosterone receptors.

Testosterone Starvation Is Prostate Cancer Treatment

Testosterone, estrogen and vitamin D receptors are all cytoplasmic and the hormone/receptor complexes act as transcription factors to alter nuclear gene expression. It would be expected that prostate cancer, as well as breast, cervical, ovarian, testicular, etc. will respond in a complex manner to steroid hormones, including androgens, estrogens and vitamin D.

Cancer Requires NF-kB Activation

The common biochemistry supporting all cancers is inflammation that is required for proliferation in tissue. Central to inflammation is the transcription factor NF-kB. Inhibitors that block the activation of NF-kB also stop cancer. Most of these blockers are effective against cancer cells grown in culture flasks, because the inhibitors are taken directly into the cells and make contact with NF-kB (or stabilize the NF-kB inhibitor IkB.) Curcumin from turmeric, is one of the most potent inhibitors of NF-kB activation. It is very effective in cultures, but is only modestly effective against inflammation when eaten.

It is difficult to treat secretory tissues, such as prostate, breast, uterus, etc., because much of the tissue is separated from the blood circulation. Thus, infections in these tissues are harder to treat with antibiotics.

Prostatitis Results from Urinary Infections

The prostate is prone to chronic infections. Thus, urinary tract infections (UTIs) can lead to prostate infections (prostatitis). These chronic infections can contribute to chronic systemic inflammation. One symptom of chronic inflammation is depression (treated with SSRIs, antidepressants) another symptom is premature ejaculation (also treated with SSRIs.) Prostatitis-based inflammation can also set the stage for cancer.

Transglutaminase Autoantigen

Autoimmune diseases are also associated with chronic inflammation. One of the common autoantigens in autoimmune disease is tissue transglutaminase (tTG). Celiac is a classic example of the involvement of tTG, since tTG acts on the glutamine amino acids of gluten and converts them into glutamic acid residues. In the process tTG becomes covalently attached to the gluten. The strong heparin binding domains of tTG also facilitate its uptake and processing as an immunogen under inflammatory conditions and result in antibody production to both tTG and gluten. Anti-tTG antibodies and inflammation can also lead to attack on other tissues, such as the thyroid and skin, leading to a variety of celiac-associated autoimmune conditions.

The prostate produces its own transglutaminase. I think it is likely that prostatitis in some cases progresses to an autoimmune disease and prostate transglutaminase is a likely candidate for one of the autoantigens involved. This also predicts an association with celiac and a requirement for chronic systemic infection with a likely elevation of C-reactive protein and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF). Deficiency of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids are probably major contributors. Increased risk attributed to consumption of a high fat diet and meat, is probably actually due to inflammation from a high carbohydrate diet and high omega-6 vegetable oils (or perhaps corn-fed meat.)

Protect Prostate with Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Prostate problems are frequently assumed to be a natural result of advancing age, but they are actually symptoms of mismanaged chronic inflammation. Men should not just stand and wait for prostate problems.

Avoidance and treatment of prostate problems seems to be an obvious application for an anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle.

Simple Remedies

Simple is usually best. Traditional herbal cures are tried and true. I learn a lot about biology by studying what works in herbal medicine. Some simple plant products, such as Vicks Vaporub, are very potent cures for what typically ails you. Castor oil is an excellent topical pain killer.

Herbs and spices excite our senses and dominate cuisines. Cultures are identified by their food, but the use of particular plant materials to food is not a random act of history, nor is it limited to the regions where the herbs and spices first appeared. Research by Paul Sherman at Cornell, and others has shown that herbs and spices that are used in a culture are also the most effective at inhibiting pathogens and parasites where that food is traditionally served.

I must talk about some related experiences that touch on the same subject, but are simply fun explanations of cultural practices. Milk is used in some interesting cultlural practices, because it has very potent anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal components -- milk keep newborns well nurished, but also safe from nasty germs, etc. while the immune system the baby matures. Two astoundingly disparate applications of milk come to mind: pruning fruit trees and walking hot coals. I have observed both. I previously worked with plant pathologists and I watched pruners sanitize their shears in milk between trees. The milk stopped the spread of viruses and bacterial pathogens. I also observed firewalking in the Sri Mariamman temple in Singapore. The firewalkers stepped from the coals into a pool of milk to stop infections of their singed feet. In both examples, milk provided an abundance of anti-microbial molecules that were retasked from protecting babies to protecting trees or adult feet.

Herbs and spices are plant products that are toxic to plant pathogens or herbivores, which are retasked to protect people. Some of these, such as the curcumin in turmeric, are potentially more effective that commercial drugs. I want to point out some of the common plant materials that are very useful in our diets and to remedy common infections, aches and pains.

My current champion cure-all is Vicks Vaporub. This thick ointment has the pleasant scent of its ingredients, menthol, eukalyptol, camphor and terpentine. I associate the smell with childhood treatment for congestion. I also remember that my father used to rub it on his arthritic hands to loosen them up before a day’s work. There is a solid physiological basis for the action of Vicks. Many of the ingredients are powerful antibiotics effective against a variety of bacteria and fungi. Vicks is one of the most effective topical treatments for athlete’s foot and ringworm fungal infections. The menthol is cooling, because it binds to the cold sensing receptors and it is an effective analgesic and anti-inflammatory, because it triggers acupuncture like responses through the vagus nerve. I would also try Vicks on autoimmune conditions of the skin, because of both the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. I have even seen Vicks recommended for the same reasons for the treatment of acne. TMJ pain and inflammation apparently responds to the menthol.

Castor oil binds to heat detecting receptors of the skin and works similarly to hot pepper capsaicin. Castor oil can be used to stop many aches and pains in arms and legs by topical applications. Since most of these plant products act through the pain sensors in the skin, they don’t actually penetrate to the joints involved, but rather they trigger release of neurotransmitters from nerves that do penetrate to the sites of interest. I also think that the use of castor oil packs applied to the skin of the abdomen, may have systemwide anti-inflammatory impact.

Garlic is the most anti-bacterial of the herbs, but most of the common herbs added to food probably affect the gut flora and shift it to a more anti-inflammatory composition. Many herbs and spices are used as topical cures for acne, because of their combined antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory qualities. Plant materials are very potent. They contain many compounds that are highly effective at low concentrations in neutralizing plant pathogens and herbivores, and so they are also very potent in their impact on the bacteria of our gut and potential on our own systems. Plants are powerful, but just because they are natural does not mean that they are safe. Plants are also rich sources of poisons. Domesticated plants are safer, because we have selected for variants that have lower levels of the compounds that the plants need to otherwise protect themselves. This also means that the compromised varieties need to be sprayed with antibiotics, e.g. apple trees sprayed with streptomycin, fungicides and herbicides. We have traded one group of plant toxins for manmade toxins. All this aside, plants are necessary for our health, but it is better to browse over many different plants than eat a lot of just one. Grains are a relatively recent addition as large components of the human diet, and should also be limited because of their high starch and inflammatory omega-6 oil content.

Turmeric, red pepper and black pepper are commonly ground together and used to enhance many dishes in a variety of different cuisines. It turns out that the curcumin in turmeric and the capsaicin in red pepper are very potent anti-inflammatory agents, but they are enzymatically modified as they are absorbed through the intestines. The black pepper piperine inactivates the enzymes of the intestines and enhances the effectiveness of the other two chemicals. Thus, there has been a lot of trial and error optimization in the use of spices. It makes a lot of sense to eat the way that locals eat when traveling.