Testosterone linked to cancers

BY SHARON KIRKEYCanwest News Service

H o r m o n e s u p p l e m e n t s , already shown to be harmful to women, may pose an “ urgent” h e a l t h r i s k t o m e n , s o m e researchers are warning.

Doctors who treated two men who developed unusually aggressive and fatal prostate cancer within months of them taking the same over- the- counter supplement for stronger muscles and “ enhanced sexual performance” say testosterone supplements may promote the growth of prostate cancer and stop anticancer drugs from working.

“ Given that testosterone supplements are in high demand, there is significant concern that HHDS ( herbal/ hormonal dietary supplements) other than the one evaluated in the current study may pose an urgent h u m a n health risk,” University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center researchers report in the journal, Clinical Cancer Research.
F o r l e g a l r e a s o n s t h e researchers won’t name the supplement, which was removed from the market, and say they have no direct proof that it caused the prostate cancers.
But a leading Canadian urologist warns that men who take nutritional supplements advertised as having male hormones are “ really playing with fire.”

“ Many men are on androgen replacement therapy or some kind of male hormone replacement and there’s always been a concern this may stimulate the growth of prostate cancer cells,” says Dr. Laurence Klotz, chief of the division of urology at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health Science Centre.
“ It’s a very controversial question and the answer is still not clear.”

...from Vancouver Sun

Three Reasons You Should Take Supplements

While there is ongoing debate over optimal use of supplements and their effectiveness, and while supplements cannot take the place of a healthy diet, Dr. Weil recommends them for a variety of reasons:

1. A good daily multivitamin/multi-mineral supplement can work as insurance against gaps in the diet - for example, to cover those days when you are on the road and simply can't get the fruits and vegetables you need.

2. The more regularly we supply our bodies with antioxidants and phytonutrients, the better our nutritional requirements will be met on a daily basis, and the better our overall health will be.

3. Supplements can provide natural therapeutic agents in optimal dosages that may be difficult to obtain from diet alone, and that may help prevent and address age-related diseases


...from Dr. Weil website.

Vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin - may be a potent defense against cancer.

Vitamin D has long been linked with the body's ability to maintain healthy bones and prevent the onset of osteoporosis. And now yet another study adds to the body of evidence that says the “sunshine vitamin” may also help to cut the risk of cancer.

The four-year study, conducted at Creighton University in Nebraska, found that people who took calcium and vitamin D and had higher levels in their blood were 77 per cent less likely to develop cancer after the first year, compared to those who took placebos or only calcium. The study involved 1,024 women over the age of 55.

Based on this finding, the Canadian Cancer Society now recommends that adults take vitamin D – but with caution. After consulting a doctor or healthcare provider, the society suggests that Adults living in Canada
consider taking vitamin D supplementation of 1,000 international units (IU) a day during the fall and winter.

• Adults at higher risk of having lower vitamin D levels should consider taking Vitamin D supplementation of 1,000 IU/day all year round. This includes people who are older, have dark skin and don't go outside often or wear clothing that covers most of their skin.

“We're recommending 1,000 IUs daily because the current evidence suggests this amount will help reduce cancer risk with the least potential for harm,” says Heather Logan, Director, Cancer Control Policy, Canadian Cancer Society. “More research is needed to clearly define the amount of Vitamin D that will maximize health benefits.”

....from MSN Health website.

MORE ON VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, and a growing body of evidence suggests that it also protects against some types of cancer and multiple sclerosis. Now comes word that a deficiency of “D” raises the risk of heart attack. This finding comes from the famed Framingham Heart Study and was published in the Jan. 7, 2008 rapid access journal report of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. Researchers looked at 1,739 offspring (average age 59) of the participants of the Framingham study and found that those with blood levels of vitamin D below 15 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) had twice the risk of heart attack, heart failure or stroke in the next five years compared with those with higher levels of “D.” They also found an increase in cardiovascular risk with each level of vitamin D deficiency and noted that in many areas of the United States 20 to 30 percent of the population has moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency, due to lack of sun exposure, dark skin that prevents absorption of the sun’s rays (which triggers vitamin D production in the body), and a diet lacking in vitamin D enriched foods.

...from Dr. Weil website