L-Arginine and Prostate Cancer - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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L-Arginine and Prostate Cancer

GeorgeGlass profile image
33 Replies

Some of you may have coronary artery disease from a bad diet or from genetics. I am one of the latter. I use L-arginine before moderate+ level exercise and it allows me to get my heart rate up much higher without Angina symptoms. It does so by dilating the arteries so more blood and oxygen can flow through. Could the increased oxygen/blood flow help or hurt the fight against prostate cancer? According to this article: livestrong.com/article/5510... it does not make a difference in the cancer but it does say it improves immunes health. Using it to enhance exercise sessions would likely be another benefit. This is an article that endorses L-arginine and mentions increased Natural Killer (NK) cells from taking L-arginine - drsircus.com/cancer/largini...

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GeorgeGlass
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33 Replies
depotdoug profile image
depotdoug

I used to use L-arginine way back in 2013 as a very good supplement to help my super polyneuropathy. Yes, in my feet and legs and yes it did increase circulation and relieve tingling and burning from neuropathy. Then my old er cardiologist told me to stop taking that L-arginine because it was affecting my cardiomyopathy. I’d better read your Livestrong article you posted now.

Depotdoug

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply todepotdoug

How was it affecting you cardiomyopathy?

depotdoug profile image
depotdoug in reply toGeorgeGlass

I believe my cardiologist said or stated that it enlarged my heart and made my heart wall thicker. Boy that was long time ago. It fact, 2 yrs post Cardiac Arrest.I could sure use some research on cardiomyopathy and L-Arginine effects. Steroids too. Like super athletes use.

Doug

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply todepotdoug

Doug, I wish I could speculate on why opening the arteries and getting some arginine into the heart would make it thicker? Is that a bad thing? Maybe thicker means stronger? I don't know. How did her know that the arginine caused it? I just do stress tests. The last stress test result was better than four years ago but maybe I need a scan to see the thickness and size of my heart. Was that from a CT scan that they saw that? If you find any answers in your online research then let me know. I have been using Taurine to better my heart health but that's another reason than arginine.

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13

George,

You asked "Could the increased oxygen/blood flow help or hurt the fight against prostate cancer?"

When tumors outgrow their blood supply, hypoxia occurs. I once figured that it would not be a good idea to increase the oxygen supply to a growing tumor, but changed my mind when I learned about hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha.

L-arginine temporarily increases nitric oxide [NO], whereas a nitroglycerine patch offers a continuous solution.

See this old post:

healthunlocked.com/advanced...

-Patrick

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply topjoshea13

Thanks Patrick, Do you use a nitroglycerine patch? My cardiologist gave me a prescription last year for pills that were designed to have a similar effect but they had frequent headache type side effects so I have not started on them.

pjoshea13 profile image
pjoshea13 in reply toGeorgeGlass

George,

I use a patch. Headaches are a possiblity but there is no pattern to my infrequent headaches.

Are the pills slow-release? Perhaps the dose could be lowered?

-Patrick

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply topjoshea13

Thanks Patrick,

I'm not sure if they are slow release. I'll have to try to determine the name of the pills. I just read that there is a high rate of serious headaches with them before I decided not to fill the prescription.

What is the name of the patch?

George

I think a good plant based diet will provide all or the l-arganine a person needs. This is not an essential amino acid so your body will produce as much as is required.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply to

My body doesnt produce it nearly enough, which is why my narrowed arteries cause angina during moderate exercise. After taking arginine supplements the arteries dilate and I can exercise to a higher level.

in reply toGeorgeGlass

I'm not trying to give you a hard time but how do you know the vessels are dilating? There is another supplement on the market called beta-aline and its suppose to help maintain workouts..it does make the skin tingle but I'm not sure my workouts were anymore intense.

My motto is always...you are a grown man..not my job to make your decisions but I should be able to inquire about the decision process that was used.

Good luck and keep up the workouts.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply to

I dont know it for sure but I've read studies saying that arginine dilates arteries that allow greater blood blow. Graham shared one on this thread as well. I dont know what else would cause me to be able to breath easier at higher exercise levels. It does not happen when I exercise without the arginine taken before the workout.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply to

Here is some study info - healthunlocked.com/advanced...

rscic profile image
rscic

Beets/Beet Root Juice might do something similar as they stimulate nitric oxide production which dilates arteries.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply torscic

The arginine is easier for me. My bigger question is whether the arginine could be having a beneficial or detrimental effect on the cancer, the heart and on the immune system.

rscic profile image
rscic

Consider info @ nutritionfacts.org to help with angina ..... just plug-in "angina" or "heart disease" into the search.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply torscic

My bigger question is whether the arginine could be having a beneficial or detrimental effect on the cancer, the heart and on the immune system.

rscic profile image
rscic in reply toGeorgeGlass

The biggest question is how to mitigate heart disease (vascular disease) through Diet.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply torscic

I eat big salads with nuts, seeds, veggies, EVOO, some fruit - all organic, a lot of broccoli and some high quality high fat/omega fish like rainbow trout, organic almond butter, carrots, homemade hummus. Thats my standard routine and I mix in a few other things.

rscic profile image
rscic in reply toGeorgeGlass

You might get a lot of info at: nutritionfacts.org

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply torscic

I already have all the info. I researched the food aspect for years. What are you trying to tell me? I already know how to mitigate with food. I'm trying to do something additional to make it even better. Vitamin K2 helps as well.

rscic profile image
rscic in reply toGeorgeGlass

Just wanted to give you a source for research based nutrition decisions ..... some who post on this site go by what is sometimes said/theorized rather than what the research says. This might be an additional source for you .... or not. Most coronary artery disease is contributed to by diet .... even heart disease with a genetic component. The site I gave you is research based. An additional source might be some of the "Blue Zone" books.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply torscic

thanks man. I agree and try to brush up on what they say in case I slack off or forget what to eat or why I'm eating certain things and not others etc. I read about blue zones long ago but I didn't get specific enough. I should have been eating more salads and veggies instead of glyphosate sprayed Kashi cereals a lot due to convenience and speed. I also should have been taking vitamin D supplements and getting some sun instead of calcium supplements. My actions were sadly directed by my dermatologist and family med doctors.

rscic profile image
rscic in reply toGeorgeGlass

I am a retired Doc & they teach VERY little about nutrition in Med. School.

Graham49 profile image
Graham49

If you get angina during exercise without L-arginine maybe you should be on one of the hypertension drugs that dilates blood vessels. In an observational study, see below, ATR blockers have been found to improve Prostate cancer survival.

Antihypertensive drug use and prostate cancer-specific mortality in Finnish men

Aino Siltari , Teemu J. Murtola ,Kirsi Talala, Kimmo Taari, Teuvo L. J. Tammela, Anssi Auvinen

Published: June 29, 2020doi.org/10.1371/journal.pon...

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate pre- and post-diagnostic use of antihypertensive drugs on prostate cancer (PCa)-specific survival and the initiation of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). The cohort investigated 8,253 PCa patients with 837 PCa-specific deaths during the median follow-up of 7.6 years after diagnosis. Information on drug use, cancer incidence, clinical features of PCa, and causes of death was collected from Finnish registries. Hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Cox regression with antihypertensive drug use as a time-dependent variable. Separate analyses were performed on PCa survival related to pre- and post-diagnostic use of drugs and on the initiation of ADT. Antihypertensive drug use overall was associated with an increased risk of PCa-specific death (Pre-PCa: 1.21 (1.04–1.4), Post-PCa: 1.2 (1.02–1.41)). With respect to the separate drug groups, angiotensin II type 1 receptor (ATr) blockers, were associated with improved survival (Post-PCa: 0.81 (0.67–0.99)) and diuretics with an increased risk (Post-PCa: 1.25 (1.05–1.49)). The risk of ADT initiation was slightly higher among antihypertensive drug users as compared to non-users. In conclusion, this study supports anti-cancer effect of ATr blockers on PCa prognosis and this should be investigated further in controlled clinical trials.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply toGraham49

This is useful Graham. I'll read it. Do you know the name of the most effective drug that supported the longevity/survival benefit? Is it also the drug that has the least side effects?

George

Graham49 profile image
Graham49 in reply toGeorgeGlass

George - I don't think these studies state the particular arb used. All arbs end in 'sartan'. I use Valsartan well suited to kidney problems. Some other guys on this forum use Losartan. Best discussing this with your MO to choose an arb to suit your other medical needs.

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply toGraham49

Thanks, good information. I'll look into it. My MO never seems interested in off label treatments but I'll work on it. My gut tells me that these may not be good for me because my blood pressure is usually about 110/74 sometimes lower, so if I'm on these drugs, it might lower my pressure to risky levels.

Graham49 profile image
Graham49 in reply toGeorgeGlass

Yes, I agree, with a blood pressure that low you don't need a hypertensive drug.

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

Thanks George,

I will ask my Kardiologist..... He charges me by the question and I've got one left.....psssst don't mention it but it's "who's going to die first, me or j. b.?"

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 01/16/2021 7:07 PM EST

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply toj-o-h-n

thanks John, I sound like a neurotic genius, slightly more impressive than the guys on the streets of Manhattan preaching to the passers-by. It's all a result of having too much knowledge from research on these sites and then having about 3 minutes to ask the doctors all the questions. To make matters worse, since they want to dictate everything or else their feeling get hurt, I basically tell them what needs to be done and then add, " does that make sense, what do you think?" just so they will feel like they are the keepers of the knowledge. sad, too many patients and not enough doctors. To answer your question... Good news - Not you.

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

Well thank you for the good news...

" does that make sense DOC, what do you think?"

Reminds me of that old tv show "Are you smarter than a 5th grader?"

They get all the prestige and the big bucks..... and free white coats....

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Monday 01/18/2021 11:16 PM EST

GeorgeGlass profile image
GeorgeGlass in reply toj-o-h-n

lol, exactly

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