Reap big prostate protection benefits with two easy, delicious strategies

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most common type of cancer in men. And if you develop an aggressive variety, sadly, the mortality rate is high.

That’s the bad news. But here’s the good news…

Men have two simple methods at their disposal to significantly lower their PC risk. And better yet, both are easy and delicious.

A wealth of healthy nutrients

The first method is to follow the Mediterranean diet — one of the healthiest diets in the world, especially for men either with or at risk of prostate cancer.

In fact, a 2018 case-control study — including more than 700 men with prostate cancer and nearly 1,230 healthy men — found that the Mediterranean diet significantly reduced risk of aggressive forms of the cancer.

The lead researcher concluded: “Our results show that a diet oriented towards the prevention of aggressive tumors in the prostate should probably include important elements of the Mediterranean diet such as fish, legumes, and olive oil… and suggest that a high intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains might not be enough.”

It’s no coincidence that Dr. Marc Micozzi recommends this same diet in his Insider’s Ultimate Guide to Perfect Prostate Health, but offers up a few more key specifics…

He says, “Don’t overlook the fact that full-fat dairy (like cheeses and yogurts) are a key part of the Mediterranean-style diet.

“When people talk about the Mediterranean diet, they don’t typically mention all the cheese which is eaten at virtually every meal…because cheese doesn’t really fit with the medical mythology about foods.

“But make no mistake about it — cheese is an important source of healthy nutrients, and should be included in the Mediterranean diet.”

Speaking of healthy nutrients, Dr. Micozzi recommends getting ample omega-3 fatty acids, which brings us to the second effective method for lowering PC risk.

Of course, fish and seafood are already a part of the Mediterranean diet, but Dr. Micozzi recommends going above and beyond to get a sufficient amount, in both food and supplement form.

Furthermore, he believes that the two primary omega-3s — EPA and DHA — provide a bedrock of PC prevention, but only if you’re getting a sufficient amount.

The superstar standout in prostate support

The amount of research that links omega-3 intake with reduced PC risk is truly impressive. Here are just four of the handful of studies highlighted in the meta-analysis that Dr. Micozzi cites…

A 2004 study of nearly 48,000 men found a trend toward decreased risk of prostate cancer as levels of EPA and DHA were increased.
A 2007 Harvard study of almost 15,000 men found a lower incidence of prostate cancer in men who had higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
A 2013 Harvard study of over 293,000 men found increased omega-3 fatty acid intake was associated with significantly lower rate of fatal prostate cancer.
A 2012 Harvard study of 525 men found a 40 percent lower prostate cancer death rate among men with the highest intake of omega-3 fatty acids.

From this meta-analysis, researchers concluded that overall, higher consumption of omega-3-rich fish resulted in a whopping 63 percent lower risk of dying from prostate cancer.

“The bottom line,” he adds, “is that omega-3s from fish oil are among the most important nutrients to support all aspects of your health. Especially your prostate — whether it’s benign disease or prostate cancer.”

Choose wisely when it comes to omega-3s

Given the importance of fish oil in prostate health — as well as heart, brain, and gut health, of course — Dr. Micozzi has a lot to say when it comes to recommendations about choosing the right omega-3 supplement.

For instance, he points out the importance of using a trusted, high-quality fish oil, produced with proper quality control procedures. Without these procedures, fish oil products may contain contaminants such as arsenic, lead, mercury, and other heavy metals.

And he offers this caution: “Pay close attention to the ‘Supplement Facts’ label on the back of the bottle, where the EPA/DHA concentrations are listed. Some cheaper fish oils may have 2,000 mg of omega-3 fish oil listed on the front of the bottle, but — as the ‘Supplement Facts’ label will show — it really only contains a measly 300 mg of EPA/DHA.”

And finally, dosage is a key factor. In fact, Dr. Micozzi recently modified his omega-3 dosage recommendations based on the latest research, to ensure you’re getting enough (and these, of course, aren’t only applicable to men…).

Based on your weekly fish consumption, Dr. Micozzi recommends:

If you eat fatty fish or seafood (like wild-caught Pacific salmon, Atlantic mackerel, trout, shrimp, or sardines or anchovies in olive oil) at every meal — every day — there’s really no need for you to take fish oil supplements.

If you eat fatty fish or seafood almost every day (about 3 to 5 times per week), then you only need to supplement with 1 to 3 gramsof fish oil daily. And when choosing a fish oil supplement, make sure you choose a product that contains 400-950 mg of EPA fatty acids and 300-700 mg of DHA fatty acids per dose.

If you eat fish or seafood two to three times a week, Dr. Micozzi recommends taking 4 to 5 gramsof fish oil every day. This supplement should include: 1,400-1,800 mg of EPA fatty acids and 1,000-1,300 mg of DHA fatty acids in your daily dose.

If you eat fish less than three times a week, Dr. Micozzi recommends supplementing every day with 6 gramsof fish oil. Choose a product that contains: 2,000 mg of EPA fatty acids and 1,500 mg of DHA fatty acids.

By supplementing with substantial levels of omega-3s and nourishing your body by following a Mediterranean-style diet, your defense against prostate cancer will be formidable.

Of course, Dr. Micozzi shares many more methods to protect, support, and monitor your prostate health in his Insider’s Ultimate Guide to Perfect Prostate Health. Click here to learn more about this helpful tool, or to enroll today.

SOURCES

“Mediterranean Dietary Pattern is Associated with Low Risk of Aggressive Prostate Cancer: MCC-Spain Study” Journal of Urology 2018; 199(2): 430-437. doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2017.08.087