First Anniversary and is vitamin E good for hot flashes?

[SpencerBoy11]

Happy Cinco de Mayo. Basically my first anniversary with PCa and had another 3 month Eligard shot today. PSA still <.1 and only major complaints beside fatigue and brain fog are hot flashes. The MO and I agree that less meds are better and he said that vitamin E in doses less than 800 mg may help the hot flashes. Has this helped anyone?

[Shooter1]

Don't know, but let us know the minute you find out. I'll be sweating at 0530 tomorrow and check back for answer.

[Tall_Allen]

Vitamin E is a med. It's a med that has been proven to cause prostate cancer:

jamanetwork.com/journals/ja...

It has no known effect on hot flashes. If you want to avoid more meds, acupuncture has been found to be effective in randomized trials.

Estrogen patches are effective and may have other benefits. Megace patches also work. Some find Effexor (venlafaxine) effective.

Your MO who told you to take Vitamin E is an idiot, imo. Do yourself a favor and find a new MO.

[noahware]

There actually ARE studies that suggest vitamin E may be helpful, but those were studies on menopausal women. And yes, E is one of the supplements that would seem to be contraindicated for men with PC. So I'd skip it.

It makes a lot more sense to do the low-dose estrogen patch, because that will also help with the loss of bone density you are experiencing (which is not impacting QoL now, but very well may impact it down the line) and may help with your brain fog, too.

The side effects that appear to all be related to loss of T actually include many that are related to loss of estrogen (E2), which men produce from their T. Doing ADT means low E2, but E2 can be added back. If your MO says there is danger in this, that danger is with ORAL estrogens. Getting some E2 back via patch has now been proven not only safe, but beneficial in multiple ways.

[Grumpyswife]

Anyone?

Is there a way to purchase those low dose estrogen patches without going through a doctor-- like from India? His onco doesn't recommend them.

My husband just started on Effexor and we aren't very hopeful it will help.

[noahware in reply to Grumpyswife]

I don't know of a way to get them directly without prescription (other than through a third party with contacts in other countries) but you might start a new posting to get more input, with that as the topic.

Has the onc given you a detailed reasoning of the reluctance? Perhaps still confusing them with oral estrogens? There is plenty of evidence suggesting the patches should not pose a problem for most men, and can be highly beneficial. You may just need to push a little harder.

It really bothers me that docs are so casual in prescribing treatments that have horrible side effects but then resist prescribing anything to help treat those side effects!

[ARIES29 in reply to noahware]

Yes noahware, I have tried everywhere to buy these patches from anywhere & they will not send without a prescription & soon as they hear or read the destination is Australia, NO WAY.It is hard to believe that these cancer ONC will not consider even these patches that have been proven beneficial & without side effects, But then they do not have this dreaded disease!

[pjoshea13]

Does it seem absurd that a vitamin might cause cancer?

"A vitamin is an organic molecule ... that is an essential micronutrient which an organism needs in small quantities for the proper functioning of its metabolism. Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized in the organism, either at all or not in sufficient quantities, and therefore must be obtained through the diet." [1]

However:

"For prostate cancer, there are conflicting results. A meta-analysis based on serum alpha-tocopherol content reported an inverse correlation, with the difference between lowest and highest a 21% reduction in relative risk. In contrast, a meta-analysis of observational studies reported no relationship for dietary vitamin E intake.[90] There were also conflicting results from large RCTs. The ATBC trial administered placebo or 50 mg/day alpha-tocopherol to male tobacco smokers for 5 to 8 years and reported a 32% decrease in the incidence of prostate cancer. Conversely, the SELECT trial of selenium and vitamin E for prostate cancer enrolled men ages 55 or older, mostly non-smokers, to consume a placebo or a 400 IU/day dietary supplement. It reported relative risk as a statistically significant 17% higher for the vitamin group." [2]

The SELECT study was incredibly costly, yet poorly designed. Mark Moyad predicted its failure. [3]

There are 8 isomers of vitamin E.

"Of the many different forms of vitamin E, gamma-tocopherol (γ-tocopherol) is the most common form found in the North American diet, but alpha-tocopherol (α-tocopherol) is the most biologically active." [2]

Gamma is high in the diet, but alpha is higher in the blood. Conclusion: the body needs alpa more than gamma. Not so.

PCa studies have reported that one's gamma status is important.

What the SELECT trial designers seemed not to consider is that the isomers compete for transport. Supplementation with alpha tocopherol drives down uptake of gamma tocopherol.

The SELECT trial demonstrated that it is risky to drive down gama tocopherol in the blood. But those who are constitutionally against any form of supplementation applaud SELECT.

***

Hot flashes?

"Vitamin E. Taking a vitamin E supplement might offer some relief from mild hot flashes. In high doses" (Mayo Clinic) [4]

-Patrick

[1] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin

[2] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitam...

[3] pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/119...

[4] mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

[fish7days]

I take Megace 20mg, Mg threonate, 5HTP and melatonin 20mg at night and it works well for me.

[EdBar]

My MO, told me to avoid B12 and vitamin E, prostate cancer love them.

Ed

[RonnyBaby]

There is some published data about NOT using Vit E when you have PCa. I would pay attention to that and I note that others are basically saying the same thing.

Your 'doctor' is unqualified, based on that type of suggestion. .....

[SpencerBoy11 in reply to RonnyBaby]

I agree. Isn't the 1st MO I've shed, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of competent ones in Tucson AZ. He also couldn't remember the names of a couple of meds. Again, I greatly appreciate the information and input from this site.

[j-o-h-n]

Caution, Take Vitamin E after Vitamin D and before Vitamin F.

youtube.com/watch?v=PwAW4oK...(Not working as expected?)

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Friday 05/07/2021 7:08 PM DST

[SpencerBoy11 in reply to j-o-h-n]

😎

[Nukepharmd]

I found black cohosh with every meal helps tremendously. Use OTC from any retailer, suggest using good manufacter such as Natures Bounty. Dose was 540 mg.