#2 Support Male Reproductive Health and Fertility Zinc is a critical mineral for robust testosterone levels, and the cells of the male prostate require a very high concentration of zinc to work optimally. Low zinc in men impairs testosterone production, puts them at risk for developing prostate cancer, and causes infertility. Inadequate zinc has also been linked to low libido. One recent study of 88 men aged 40 to 60 years showed that those with normal testosterone levels had significantly higher zinc compared to those with low testosterone levels. Low zinc was directly correlated with low testosterone levels, which put the men at greater risk of symptoms of male menopause. Just as important, zinc is used to produce enzymes that initiate cell division, but the male prostate tissue requires ten times more zinc than other cells in the body to stay healthy. Adequate zinc level in the prostate protects the cells from damage, inflammation, and cancer development. Also, once the prostate cells are damaged and become cancerous, they lack the ability to accumulate zinc, leading to greater propagation of cancer cells that produce to tumors. Giving a large dose of therapeutic zinc to rats with prostate cancer halted cancer cell proliferation and helped the rats maintain body weight, which is an indicator of better overall health and homeostasis. There was reduced evidence of biomarkers that indicate oxidative stress and inflammation in the prostate from the zinc supplement. Overall enzyme levels were better. In contrast, a placebo group had a rapid increase in cancer cell growth and decrease in body weight. There was also a 50 percent increase in DNA damage and inflammation during the study period, indicating a progressively diseased prostate cancer state. Researchers write that zinc is a “promising anti-cancer treatment” and that regular supplementation when men are healthy with no evidence of cancer is the best prevention. They also suggest zinc can prevent related cancers such as ovarian, breast, and colorectal.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Nov 2014 16:43:02 +0000
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