What are the nutrients for healthy prostate cells?

Currently, the nutrients that have been verified by clinical studies and can indeed support healthy prostate cells include lycopene, selenium, phytosterols and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. There is still a lot of controversy over the effectiveness of other commonly promoted ingredients. Not long ago, I came into contact with a 42-year-old online ride-hailing driver. Because he had been sitting for a long time and drank little water, he had been up at night three or four times for half a month. He went to the hospital to check that his PSA (prostate specific antigen) was 0.8 higher than the normal value. The doctor did not prescribe any medicine, so he asked him to adjust his diet first and supplement these nutrients in a targeted manner. After 3 months, the index was completely back to the normal range when he was reviewed again. Even the problem of waking up at night was mostly cured.

The first well-known lycopene is actually a fat-soluble carotenoid, which is equivalent to wrapping an antioxidant "protective shield" on prostate cells. It can actively remove free radicals that can damage cell structure and reduce the risk of cell mutation. Don’t believe what is said on the Internet. You can get enough by eating two raw tomatoes a day. It is fat-soluble and needs to be heated with oil to release it. When making tomato stewed beef brisket or tomato eggs, simmer for 10 minutes. The absorption is more than 8 times higher than eating raw tomatoes. If you really want to achieve the preventive dose, you can take purified lycopene supplements. There is no problem.

Selenium is also a core component inseparable from the operation of prostate cells. It is a necessary component of antioxidant enzymes in the prostate. Epidemiological surveys in domestic selenium-deficient areas also show that the incidence of prostate abnormalities in local men is about 30% higher than in selenium-rich areas. However, don’t be greedy for too much selenium supplement. For adult men, 100 micrograms per day is enough. Long-term excessive consumption will lead to hair loss and nail deformation, which will put a burden on the body.

Phytosterols, which many people have never heard of, are actually very important for the stability of prostate cells. They are found in the seed coats of whole grains and nuts and can reduce the absorption of dihydrotestosterone by prostate cells. To put it bluntly, they prevent the prostate from being over-stimulated and causing abnormal hyperplasia. Many middle-aged and elderly men with mild prostatic hyperplasia insist on replacing one-third of the polished white flour with oats and brown rice. They eat a small handful of plain almonds every day and can feel the number of waking up at night reduced in less than two months. This is not a psychological effect, but is supported by clinical follow-up data.

As for the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in deep-sea fish, they mainly help to suppress chronic inflammation of the prostate. Nowadays, many men eat takeout every day, using oils with high omega-6 content such as soybean oil and corn oil. Long-term consumption will increase the level of inflammation in the body. Prostate cells are equivalent to being soaked in "inflammatory soup" for a long time, which is naturally prone to problems. Eating steamed salmon and saury two to three times a week can bring the inflammation level back to a reasonable range and reduce the burden on prostate cells.

Speaking of this, some people may want to ask, are zinc supplements, pumpkin seed oil, and saw palmetto, which are highly praised on the Internet, useful? This really can't be killed with one shot. For example, zinc, indeed, in vitro experiments have shown that it can inhibit the abnormal proliferation of prostate cells, but a 10-year follow-up of a large sample found that men who supplemented with more than 30 mg of zinc per day had a 20% increase in the risk of prostate disease. There is no unified conclusion yet. If you really want to supplement, it is best to check the serum zinc level first, and then supplement if it is missing. However, pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto are plant extracts and are not essential nutrients for the human body. The clinical effects vary greatly among individuals. Some people take them and their frequent urination is significantly relieved. Some people take them for half a year and have no reaction at all. There is no need to spend a lot of money on Internet celebrity health products and pay the IQ tax.

In fact, for most men who have a normal diet, there is no need to deliberately buy a bunch of supplements. They usually cook with two extra tomatoes and stew them until softened, eat deep-sea fish twice a week, grab a handful of plain nuts every day, and replace the polished rice with white noodles with some whole grains. The nutrients they need are basically enough. If you are really found to have prostate-related problems, you must take targeted supplements under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist. Overeating on your own may cause problems.