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Tag: high PSA

Leading Men’s Health Problems

Men’s health is important! Yet, it’s often said that men tend to take better care of their car than they do their health. What I believe this means is that many men tend to ignore “little” health symptoms more often than women. If it’s not too much of a problem, men just keep going. Some women do too. Yet, little problems can turn into major health issues when left untreated. Here’s a look at some of the leading health problems men face.

  1. Heart disease ranks as the top cause of death for men and women, but men are usually affected at a younger age. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure when it comes to heart disease. Identifying and controlling symptoms such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diet and other lifestyle choices can help prevent or control heart problems. When you evaluate men’s health, check heart symptoms.
  2. Prostate cancer is a leading health problem for men. Many are slow growing and treatable. Tests aren’t always definitive, so the best action is to discuss your test results and overall risks regularly with your doctor. Read my article on Dealing with High PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) Levels for more information on testing and supplement suggestions.
  3. Type 2 diabetes is a silent health issue that can affect organs, cause strokes, kidney failure and more. This can be a major issue in men’s health. Identifying and controlling this disease is important to helping prevent long-term health complications. Exercise and diet help maintain your target weight, which can help control and/or reduce your chance of developing Type 2 diabetes. Discuss your risk with your health care professional.
  4. Liver disease is another condition that affects men’s health. Many liver diseases can be prevented with lifestyle changes such as eliminating alcohol and tobacco. Talk to your doctor about diet, supplements and lifestyle changes that can help protect your liver.
  5. Skin cancer is a top concern for men. According to the Cancer Foundation statistics, the risk for men over age 50 is more than twice that of a woman. The higher risk is a direct result of wearing less sunscreen, more sun exposure and fewer screenings. Prevention and early detection are the best protection against skin cancer.

Discover what “little” symptoms can mean to men’s health overall, longevity and lifestyle. Schedule a consultation with Serenity Health Care to learn more about optimizing your health so you can continue living your life to the fullest.

Dealing with High PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) Levels

The PSA blood test is commonly used to check for signs of prostate cancer or other prostate problems. When a PSA level comes back high, the next step is usually recommended is a biopsy. But recent information suggests another possible option could be to repeat the PSA test a month or so later to monitor.
This recommendation comes because PSA levels can fluctuate up and down — so a man with a high PSA level may not actually have any prostate problems at all. In fact, studies researching nearly 1,000 men, found that about half of those whose PSA levels were initially high had a normal result in a subsequent test according to James Eastham, MD, FACS, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. There are three possible reasons for a high PSA: cancer, inflammation or infection of the prostate or lab error.
According to Eastham, a man should not undergo a biopsy of the prostate based on one high PSA level. I would agree with this and recommend trying to evaluate other possibilities for a high level and monitor. I would go further to recommend various supplements to assist in lowering the PSA level. Here is a list of supplements and their doses that have been researched and can assist in lowering the PSA level. A word of caution that if you use these supplements and the PSA doesn’t go down you should seek medical care.

  • For PSA levels higher than 1.0 add boron at 6-15mg a day, consider adding prescription Avodart to reduce levels quickly.
  • ECGc (green tea) can be dosed at 1300 mg a day.
  • Lycopene 10 mg a day has been shown to reduce cancer by 30%.
  • Adding DIM or IC3 has been helpful to lower estrogen levels, but a newer Chinese herb called Myomin can be more beneficial because it lowers estrogen further up the pathway.
  • Curcumin can be helpful for inflammation using 300-600 mg a day has been studied.
  • Vitamin D levels should be measured and dosed appropriately.

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Dealing with high PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) levels

The PSA blood test is commonly used to check for signs of prostate cancer or other prostate problems. When a PSA level comes back high, the next step is usually recommended is a biopsy. But recent information suggests another possible option could be to repeat the PSA test a month or so later to monitor. This recommendation comes because PSA levels can fluctuate up and down — so a man with a high PSA level may not actually have any prostate problems at all. In fact, studies researching nearly 1,000 men, found that about half of those whose PSA levels were initially high had a normal result in a subsequent test according to James Eastham, MD, FACS, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. There are three possible reasons for a high PSA; cancer, inflammation or infection of the prostate or lab error.

According to Eastham a man should not undergo a biopsy of the prostate based on one high PSA level. I would agree with this and recommend trying to evaluate other possibilities for a high level and monitor. I would go further to recommend various supplements to assist in lowering the PSA level. Here is a list of supplements and their doses that have been researched and can assist in lowering the PSA level. A word of caution that if you use these supplements and the PSA doesn’t go down you should seek medical care.

For Psa levels higher than 1.0 add boron at 6-15mg a day, consider adding prescription Avodart to reduce levels quickly. ECGc (green tea) can be dosed at 1300 mg a day. Lycopene 10 mg a day has been shown to reduce cancer by 30%. Adding DIM or IC3 has been helpful to lower estrogen levels but a newer Chinese herb called Myomin can be more beneficial because it lowers estrogen futher up the pathway. Curcumin can be helpful for inflammation using 300-600 mg a day has been studied. Vitamin D levels should be measured and dosed appropriately.

If you suffer from a high PSA level get assistance and evaluation for this condition and be monitored closely.