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Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Study shows supplement successfully fights lethal prostate cancer

GP24 profile image
GP24
36 Replies

This prospective study observed 5,182 men from 1986 to 2012. The conclusion is:

„Alcohol drinkers had a lower risk of lethal prostate cancer“

and

„Compared with none, 15 to 30 g/d of total alcohol after prostate cancer diagnosis was associated with a lower risk of death (HR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.50 to 1.00])„.

This means alcohol drinkers lower their risk of lethal PCa by 29%!

ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.12...

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36 Replies
Shooter1 profile image
Shooter1

Glass of red wine for sure!

GreenStreet profile image
GreenStreet

I will raise a glass of red wine to that! Thanks for posting!

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen

No, unfortunately it only shows an association between men who had that drinking habit and their risk of lethal PC. It does not mean that one can lower one's risk of lethal PC by drinking alcohol. Are men who drink that amount more likely to do some other healthy thing?

jimreilly profile image
jimreilly in reply to Tall_Allen

yes, they're likely to have more sex!

TFBUNDY profile image
TFBUNDY in reply to jimreilly

Only with ugly women ;-)

jimreilly profile image
jimreilly in reply to TFBUNDY

with anyone available at bar close

PhilipSZacarias profile image
PhilipSZacarias in reply to Tall_Allen

Hello Tall Allen, your frequent reminders of the value of evidence based medicine and cautions about the differences between associations/correlations and actual direct linkages are always valued and appreciated. Many of us desperate characters need to be reminded every so often. Thank you again. Cheers, Phil

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13

Some might remember my numerous threads on the SAM cycle. Vitamin B12 is a cofactor in the conversion of homocysteine back to methionine. Folate/folic acid is the common methyl donor. Vitamin B12 insufficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia are associated with protection against aggressive PCa. The probable cause is the withholding of methyl from PCa cells. PCa cells tend to be hypermethylated & this is associated with the silencing of tumor suppressor genes.

Alcohol consumption is associated with vitamin B12 insufficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia too [1]. & so the association between alcohol & protection against PCa mortality has plausibility.

Notice that I used association/associated 4 times. One has to be careful when posting.

As a drinker, I am pleased to see the new study.

"the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study ... included 47,568 cancer-free men. Our analysis of alcohol intake among men with prostate cancer was restricted to 5,182 men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer during follow-up."

It's a large study. The countless papers generated from this database over the years have been very useful to me. IMO, it would be foolish to ignore such associations. Few of us have enough time remaining to wait for "proof".

-Patrick

[1] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/155...

PhilipSZacarias profile image
PhilipSZacarias in reply to pjoshea13

Hello Patrick, I always learn something new from you, which has been very helpful and appreciated over the last several years. I believe many on this forum would readily call you Professor O’Shea.

I stopped taking the occasional multivitamin (containing folate) and mineral supplement when my B12 rose to above the median. Even when I was deficient and taking metformin homocysteine levels were normal. The effect of metformin has been discussed on this forum - it lowers B12 as well. Cheers, Phil

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply to pjoshea13

Patrick, did you see my post on the relationship between cobalt and B12? My recent blood tests showed my B12 at 2,000, which is double the high end of the normal level. My cobalt is virtually zero. It said .001 but didn't show at all on the bar graph. It appears that my body is not absorbing the B12 very much because I'm not taking any supplements that have B12 in them. Getting cobalt into the normal range is supposed to have some real benefits. You're about the only person I can think of that might now the answers to this problem. I didn't get any usable responses when I posted the question.

thanks, and I hope you're doing well.

george

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply to GeorgeGlass

Hi George,

I somehow missed your post, but have caught up with it & the comments.

My own situation more than a dozen years ago, was that my hair showed no cobalt at all & my homocystein was elevated. That was enough for my integrative doc to suggest B12 injections. I had been taking a B12 supplement, but seemingly not taking it up in the gut. The injections seemrd to work because my PCa lapped up the methyl that suddenly became available & the PSA went up. I stopped the injections & I really don't know my B12 status now. I should get it checked because when symptoms occur the damage cannot be reversed. Thanks!

I have no idea why your body would accumulate so much B12. I see that high levels might be due to liver issues (or kidney & diabetes), but I don't where utilization would breakdown in your situation. The liver will store up to 3 mg B12 (enough for 5 years) - perhaps that isn't happening? I don't think that you need cobalt.

One symptom of B12 not being available is a breakdown of the folate cycle, where B12 is a cofactor. This would cause a build-up of homocysteine.

A natural way of treating the liver is to take milk thistle. e.g.:

lifeextension.com/search#q=...

I wish I could be more useful.

Best, -Patrick

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply to pjoshea13

thanks Patrick, I am taking milk thistle. Tests say my liver is doing fine. I may need to do another B12 test to see if the result is the same. I did read articles saying that the cobalt would help absorb the B12 but like you said, maybe we dont want the B12 absorbed due to the cancer growth. Cobalt can help reduce or stabilize arterialschlorosis plaque as well. My kidneys test well and no prediabetes etc. thanks for your ideas. I appreciate it.

treedown profile image
treedown in reply to pjoshea13

So I was deficient on B12 and started taking it and found at least at my first blood test an increase in RBC and Hemoglobin which has been low since radiation. Am I reading this right that I am trading mild anemia for aggressive pc by increasing my B12?

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply to treedown

IMO we should avoid outright deficiency and use only he lowest of B12 doses to achieve that.

In European countries & others that did not adopt the FDA mandate for 'enriching' grain products with folic acid, men have easier control over folate intake - a better way to thwart the SAM cycle. i.e. no need to gamble with B12.

-Patrick

treedown profile image
treedown in reply to pjoshea13

I don't eat enriched anything and reduced meat intake drastically. Myblast test was 342 after the start of the supplement and there's a note onthe test that below 400 could have hematological effects. I assume they meant negative effects. So I get your talking about higher amounts in the blood. I will research the SAM cycle. Thanks.

tango65 profile image
tango65

In vino veritas, Pliny The Elder: Back in AD 77. He did not published his study.

westof profile image
westof in reply to tango65

Hmm... Ok, I get it (did study Latin in HS).

However, what did Pliny the younger say?

PARTY ON!!

Only kidding. I do my homework!

"Gaius Plinius Caecilius Secundus, best known as Pliny the Younger, was a successful Roman lawyer prosecuting corruption, government official (including in the treasury), and author of famous letters that paint an important picture of the Roman world around his lifetime."

Think about it!

I have no idea why I made this reply. ADT??

Best

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n in reply to westof

I have no idea why I made this reply. ADT??

I don't either...........(maybe)

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 02/04/2020 9:12 PM EST

westof profile image
westof in reply to j-o-h-n

Hmm.. just a momentary reaction.

I didn't take the time to proof read or edit!

best

GreenStreet profile image
GreenStreet

Well association or lowered risk or not I intend to continue with an average moderate red wine intake of one glass 4 days in 7. No evidence that this can do much harm and has other benefits imo

addicted2cycling profile image
addicted2cycling in reply to GreenStreet

Cheapo California Organic Red with no sulfites added for me. ;0)

podsart profile image
podsart

So, is it the alcohol or the resveratrol in the red wine that’s key?

RonnyBaby profile image
RonnyBaby in reply to podsart

I believe it relates to gut bacteria.

The good bacteria is 'supported' by the red wine.

I have read numerous times that resveratrol does next to nothing for PCa.

podsart profile image
podsart in reply to RonnyBaby

Thanks

So it’s been only the alcohol that’s key element

Interesting, dr Myers believed strongly in resveratrol; he always did a lot of research for all supplements he advised to take

RonnyBaby profile image
RonnyBaby in reply to podsart

A lot of claims have been made about resveratrol.

I supplemented with it for awhile, until I discovered that it made no significant difference in PCa outcomes.

This is consistent with many other supplements that have NO effect on certain types of cancers.

Beware of the snake oil salesmen.

Note that I take many supplements - some are related to PCa and others with arthritis or insomnia.

I keep an open mind about them but have learned enough to not get suckered by every claim of benefit(s).

Of course, I might be wrong - wouldn't be the first time .....

podsart profile image
podsart in reply to RonnyBaby

I understand

Drphil1938 profile image
Drphil1938

My motto is a "martini a day is, my way" I think Sinatra would agree.🍸🍸🤠

sewmom profile image
sewmom in reply to Drphil1938

My great grandmother lived to 94 riding her 3 wheeler and drinking a martini a day 😁

Helpmate77 profile image
Helpmate77 in reply to sewmom

My grandmother lived to 106 and didn't drink alcohol at all.

Helpmate77 profile image
Helpmate77 in reply to sewmom

Studies have shown that Mormon men in Cali (UCLA study) live ten years longer than other men and Mormon women live 8 years longer.

monte1111 profile image
monte1111

Study didn't include metastatic pca. I didn't notice a definition of moderate alcohol use. I'm thinking Sinatra had more than a martini a day? What I get from this is that Pliny the Drunkard lived longer than Pliny the Elder or Pliny the Younger.

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

I''ll drink to that...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Tuesday 02/04/2020 9:08 PM EST

johnscats profile image
johnscats

Brilliant where's the wine lol

treedown profile image
treedown

My B12 was low on a blood test and I started taking it hoping to address my anemia. Now I am unsure if this is a poor choice for my cancer. This supplement stuff is all so very confusing and so hard to proceed with any confidence in my opinion.

sewmom profile image
sewmom

MTHFR gene mutation in 30-40% of world population. Related to B12 and Folate (NOT folic acid). I can't go into this as it is very complicated but it is related to processing of B12 and Folate, and then other drugs and supplements thru the system. Depending on whether you have the 677 (heart related diseases ) or 1298 version (everything else!!) or even both and whether it is 'homozygous' or 'heterozygous', it complicates even more what you have.

Discovered this when trying to figure out what was wrong with my mother, endoscopy anesthesia (69 yo and working as nurse) forced her brain forward in fast motion to Lewy Body dementia (one of the worst dementias). Still alive but definitely after 10 years maybe in her final years? Even after a broken femur and surgery Mar 7, 2020 she still is going.

So, be glad you at least have your minds, able to eat, walk, run, drive your car, love your loved ones and KNOW them. I have grieved for at least 8 years (she knows me not for at least 6 years. My father even more so. With CV we have not seen her in person in months, and not sure how much longer that will be the 'rule'. Sorry, just a sad day for me.

Drphil1938 profile image
Drphil1938

Hell! I knew this all the time.🍸🍸🤠

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