But there are special nutrients and nutrient combinations that can level the playing field in the fight against prostate cancer.

Quercetin and curcumin. Studies have shown that quercetin can dramatically reduce prostate gland inflammation and reduce the symptoms of an irritated prostate (especially frequent trips to the bathroom at night). It also effectively protects DNA, which is vital, since studies have shown that the DNA of prostate cells are at a high risk of cancer-causing mutations.

One way quercetin protects is by blocking the LOX enzyme, which is dramatically elevated in prostate malignancies. The cancer depends on this enzyme for growth along with the COX enzymes, just as we saw in breast cancers. Studies have shown that blocking both of these enzyme types dramatically reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer and can also shrink existing prostate cancers and prevent their spread. Page The Blaylock Wellness Report April 2007 Curcumin, when added to quercetin, dramatically reduces the development, growth, and spread of both hormone dependent and nonhormone dependent prostate cancers. Both of these anti-cancer flavanoids can be purchased as supplements.

Lycopene and indole-3 carbinol. Lycopene is the red pigment in tomatoes, watermelon, and other fruits and vegetables. Several studies have shown that large amounts of either tomatoes or lycopene as an extract can significantly reduce prostate cancer risk.

New studies have shown that combining lycopene in a dose of 20 to 30 milligrams with indole-3 carbinol (extracted from broccoli) can dramatically shrink a swollen prostate and greatly reduce the risk of prostate cancer. While important in reducing risk, it is secondary to the importance of reducing the LOX enzyme.

Indole-3 carbinol increased cancer-protecting 2-hydroxyesterone over 16-fold in one study, which explains its cancer reducing effects for both prostate and breast cancer. Both lycopene and indole-3 carbinol can be purchased as supplements.

A healthy diet is also a powerful deterrent to developing prostate cancer. After examining the diets of 28 countries, one study found that the most common link to prostate cancer was the consumption of milk, especially non-fat milk.

In fact, over two-thirds of cases were attributed to milk consumption. The reason appears to be high amounts of calcium, since taking calcium supplements also dramatically increased risk. Other studies have shown that diets containing more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium a day (from all sources) dramatically increases the number of advanced prostate cancers when compared to diets containing fewer than 500 milligrams.

There are two reasons for this: 1) calcium promotes the growth and spread of cancer directly; and 2) it can lower vitamin D-3 levels. Supplements of vitamin D-3 (2,000 IU a day) seem to reduce the risk caused by increased calcium. Vitamin D-3 deficiencies are much more common in men with prostate cancer, which correlates with the lack of sun exposure at this age. Recent studies have shown that only vitamin D-3 is effective, which can be purchased as a supplement.

There is also a strong correlation between calories from sugars and carbohydrates and the early development of prostate cancer. High caloric intake increased risk 267 percent in one study. Since Americans consume tremendous amounts of sugar, this becomes a significant risk factor.

Chinese and Japanese men have one of the world’s lowest incidences of prostate cancer, but not due to soy consumption. Instead, it’s because they eat large amounts of flavonoids. In fact, the Japanese have the highest flavonoid intake of any population in the world. When Asians move to the United States and begin eating Americanized diets, their prostate cancer rates increase 10- to 30-fold.

One study showed that men who consumed the most legumes reduced their risk 38 percent, and those who ate the most yellow-orange and cruciferous vegetables reduced their risk by 41 percent. Surprisingly, those who ate the most fruits increased their risk 51 percent, again because of the sugar content. In other studies, fruits either had no effect or actually lowered risk, especially in advanced prostate cancers.

One double-blind study found that selenium supplementation reduced prostate cancer by 63 percent. Even better results were seen when the selenium was combined with natural vitamin E. In a recent study, researchers found that the gamma-form of vitamin E (tocopherol), which has the greatest anti-inflammatory properties, had the greatest effect in suppressing prostate cancer.

In this study, men with the highest gamma-vitamin E had a five-fold reduction in prostate cancer risk. Combining the gamma E with selenium gave even better results. Our diets naturally contain more gamma E than the alpha form (the most common form in vitamins). Gamma-form vitamin E can also be purchased as a supplement.

If you combine all of the factors that we know can reduce prostate cancer (eating healthy fats, high intake of vegetables, low intake of sugar and bad fats) you can see that your risk of developing prostate cancer would be extremely low. All it takes is discipline.