When it comes to reducing the odds of developing prostate cancer or
beating the disease if it’s present, supplements may not work the miracles many
men believe they can. Researchers have found, in fact, that men’s health
supplements play no significant role in lowering risk of metastasis for those
who are battling this form of cancer.
Prostate cancer strikes an estimated 220,000 American men each year.
Some 27,500 men die from the disease annually, according to the American Cancer
Society. Many of those diagnosed with the disease incorporate supplements into
their lives to help reduce cancer’s effects. Studies, however, have shown that
supplements like saw palmetto have little to no impact on the disease. What’s
more is that some supplements may actually lower the benefits
of cancer treatments, such as radiation and chemo, essentially doing more
harm than good.
One of the more recent studies into the topic was conducted by the
Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. There doctors looked at 2,207 men who
were treated with IMRT for localized prostate cancer. Of these men, about 10
percent reported using supplements, most especially saw palmetto, along with
their treatments. Researchers found at the five-year mark, there was no lower
risk for metastasis in men who took supplements versus those who did not.
The bottom line, researchers noted, was that men’s health supplements
can impede successful treatments in some cases and provide false hope in
others. To avoid issues with treatment, men are urged to discuss all products
consumed during prostate cancer treatment with their healthcare providers. Even
basic, over the counter, nutritional supplements may cause more harm than good
during cancer treatments. With that in mind, it’s best to check before taking.
