As we age our testosterone levels begin to decline. While your total testosterone level may remain “normal” the amount of your bioavailable testosterone declines due to an increase in SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) with age so despite “normal” total levels you get symptoms.

Even worse estrogen levels tend to increase with age or the ratio of estrogen to testosterone increases, which are both are bad news. Estrogen is an erectile function inhibitor and can increase prostate cancer risk.

It is estimated that about 5% of us men with low testosterone receive treatment. This is a disturbing figure considering the benefits I have seen with patients receiving testosterone therapy, which include:

• weight loss (especially central obesity)
• increased energy
• increased sex drive
• better erections (men only)
• improved performance at work
• feeling and looking younger
• less night time urination (men only)
• improved sleep
• better mood (happier)
• less pain (testosterone is a natural pain reliever)

Of course, we never just do testosterone replacement alone because we want to treat the whole person. The decline in your testosterone was likely so insidious that some of your problems may not even be evident until we get you treated. Some of the treatments commonly used include:

1. prescription grade dhea, progesterone, hcg, melatonin, and oxytocin
2. herbs and nutrients that support healthy hormone metabolism
3. diet and exercise that promote better hormone ratios and reduce risks of prostate cancer and other diseases like diabetes

For those of you who want to increase our growth hormone levels (hgh) there are several ways to do this and many of the above mentioned treatments, including testosterone replacement, will help increase growth hormone levels naturally.

We also monitor treatment witth lab tests and physical exams to improve results and decrease risks. Some doctors may only monitor your testosterone levels. The problem with this is that estrogen levels may increase or may already be elevated before treatment but when we keep an eye on estrogen with lab tests it can easily be reduced.

The other problem we always want to address is keeping your testosterone levels fairly stable. Basically, we want to copy nature. When we get your testosterone levels optimal you can expect to have daily morning erections (men only). The two main approaches we use most often for men are cream or injections. With testosterone cream we can use a daily dose applied to the skin or mucosal surface so your daily levels stay pretty consistent. For injections, we usually do this once weekly along with a couple doses of hcg injections later in the week to help keep your levels from dropping off. If we need to do treatments to prevent conversion of testosterone to estrogen we have natural and prescription approaches.

Call now for your FREE consult – (425)516-5500.

Many people are concerned over the safety of vaccinations and the potential long-term and short-term effects. Mandatory vaccines have been required by law in the past for disease outbreaks. Currently, there are vaccinations required by schools, for health care workers, and in emergency situations. Immigrants are often required to be vaccinated for a number of conditions. This is also the case in the military where some enlistees may or may not know what they are even being vaccinated for.

Perhaps the biggest concern is school vaccinations because our children may have the most vulnerable immune systems. The last time there was a true “mandate” for vaccinations (legalese) was during World War I. For those looking to NOT be vaccinated there are a number of exemptions that can be used:

• Medical exemptions
• Religious exemptions
• Philosophical

And how these exemptions can be used is going to depend on the state you are located in. Failure to vaccinate can result in denial of the ability to attend school, civil fines or penalties, and even criminal penalties (very rarely).

In Canada, vaccines cannot be made mandatory because of their constitution. In situations where the school is private it may be required for enrollment. My opinion is that vaccinations should be optional as trying to “force” someone to inject a foreign dead virus or bacteria into their body is against our civil liberties.

So why vaccinate at all?

Herd Immunity

The benefits are biased towards the group and not the individual. In college I took a public health course and even the instructor stated that she would not vaccinate her children. The vaccines are to protect us from getting sick from others in most cased. My opinion is that proper nutrition and exercise for our youth would go a lot further to benefit society. However, exercise and nutrition are harder to enforce than an injection.

Tetanus vaccines don’t apply as they only protect the individual and tetanus is not contagious. Tetanus is more of a problem in areas where there are horses but getting tetanus is certainly a problem when it happens. I have been vaccinated for this several times but as I live in the city now it is unlikely I will be coming in contact with it any time soon.

Informed Consent or Lack Of

Soldiers and students alike are not presented the dangers as well as they should be, in my opinion. Aluminum in vaccines used for soldiers has been linked to Gulf War Syndrome (Petrik et al.) and our babies are injected with aluminum far before they are fully developed. Perhaps if a person knew the potential risks better they would think twice about getting that shot. Considering the amount of money involved in the vaccine industry there is no surprise to me that vaccines are being marketed and pushed so heavily. Consider reading “Vaccinating for Profit – From Cradle to Coffin” by Evelyn Pringle.

Safety of Vaccinations

There are many concerns that vaccines have effects on our immune systems that may lead to disease. Some vaccines even contain mercury as a preservative. There has been allegations that vaccines increase the risk of autism but whether or not this is true is still unclear. Also, getting sick may provide more benefit such as in the case of childhood chicken pox. I have heard anecdotal reports that chicken pox contributed to the child’s intellectual development. However, getting sick always has its risks. We know the risks of getting chicken pox pretty well but I am not sure we know the risks of getting vaccinated for chicken pox as research can take decades.

When we look at the data there are appears to be correlations with vaccines and increased risks for neurological problems and other diseases. A lot of the safety assessment is done post-marketing via VAERS which is, in my opinion, quite disturbing.

Conclusion

Medical exemptions have a history of NOT holding up in court. Vaccinations should be the decision of the individual or parents of a child. I hope someday we realize that proper nutrition, exercise, and decreasing pollution are the safer way to go to improve the health of, and protect our society. Vaccines certainly may still have their place for outbreaks but determining the safety and efficacy is essential.

Getting the flu vaccine can give you the symptoms of the flu. People have been getting the flu for a long time. Consider consulting a naturopath before doing this because there are many things that can help prevent and treat the flu. If you get sick easily that is a sign that you may have a nutritional deficiency. Is there such a thing as a vaccine deficiency?

Disclaimer: These just my opinions and will not likely hold up in court. I suggest you contact your elected officials if you feel mandatory vaccinations are unfair.

Oxytocin is a natural hormone secreted by the brain that in the past has been mostly correlated with pregnancy and breast feeding. New research is showing that both men and women produce this hormone and it is crucial for social confidence and sexual enjoyment.

Some individuals may have low oxytocin levels for a number of reasons such as a genetic predisposition or environmental influences. Women, after menopause, will have greatly reduced levels of oxytocin which can cause major relationship problems. It is no surprise that many marriages end in divorce after mid-life.

For men, the most extreme example of oxytocin deficiency is seen in autism. Low oxytocin is also correlated with ADHD and social anxiety and while still not fully understood, males seem to have a greater risk.

There are also connections between depression and low oxytocin. Every know that a hug can help make you feel better when you’re “feeling down”. Not surprisingly, hugging and spending time with others increases your oxytocin levels! Unfortunately, anti-depressant medication over long-term leads to depletion of oxytocin in our brains! Supplementation with oxytocin can help reduce the sexual side-effects (such as decreased libido) of Prozac and other anti-depressants.

A brief list of the benefits of oxytocin supplementation:

• Enhances social interactions (such as your ability to make eye contact and touch others)
• Reduces social anxiety
• Multiple orgasms in women
• Increases libido in women and helps treat impotence in men
• Generates a feeling of calmness (as one would experience after sex or with good friends)
• Bonding – helps you connect better with others
• Reduces stress
• Lowers blood pressure in some
• Reduces cravings and addictions
• Eases depression

While big pharma is still trying to find a way to patent oxytocin many of us can benefit from custom formulated prescription oxytocin. Call 425-516-5500 for your free consult today!

American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine

Dr. Barry Wheeler has helped educate hundreds of doctors around the world about bio-identical hormones, hormone replacement for men and women, and other healthy aging topics. Here are some articles he has written in the past year:

Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement: Selecting the Right Hormone Test(s) for Your Male Patient

5-Alpha Reductase Over-Inhibition

New Test For Erectile Dysfunction – Urine NOx Test

How Food Allergy Tests Can Help You

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) can cause several problems when abused. However, this article is about increasing your HGH levels naturally and the potential benefits one may receive. Healthy aging is all about slowing the decline in our hormones and feeling the difference which some call “feeling younger”.

• Human growth hormone, while increasing height in children and young adults, it also has many other potential benefits for your body:
• Decreasing calcium loss and strengthening bone as well as increasing bone density
• Increasing muscle mass – no wonder athletes abuse it (Liu, Bravata et al. 2007)
• Promotes weight loss
• Stimulates organ growth except the brain – sorry
• Maintaining metabolism and fuel status
• Reducing liver uptake of glucose and promoting production of glucose – abuse may cause diabetes
• Improving function of the pancreas – decreasing diabetes risk
• Stimulating the immune system – maybe that’s why the “aged” get sick more often?

How can you naturally increase your growth hormone?

• Deep sleep (Van Cauter, Latta et al. 2004)
• Fasting (Norrelund 2005)
• Vigorous aerobic exercise (Kanaley, Weltman et al. 1997)

Does growth hormone cause cancer? There is some evidence that supplementation of HGH may mildly increase your risk for colon cancer and prostate cancer (Ogilvy-Stuart and Gleeson 2004). Other side effects with regular supplementation may include joint swelling, joint pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and an increased risk of diabetes (Liu, Bravata et al. 2007).

Liu, H., D. M. Bravata, et al. (2007). “Systematic review: the safety and efficacy of growth hormone in the healthy elderly.” Ann Intern Med 146(2): 104-15.
Ogilvy-Stuart, A. L. and H. Gleeson (2004). “Cancer risk following growth hormone use in childhood: implications for current practice.” Drug Saf 27(6): 369-82.
Van Cauter, E., F. Latta, et al. (2004). “Reciprocal interactions between the GH axis and sleep.” Growth Horm IGF Res 14 Suppl A: S10-7.
Norrelund, H. (2005). “The metabolic role of growth hormone in humans with particular reference to fasting.” Growth Horm IGF Res 15(2): 95-122.
Kanaley, J. A., J. Y. Weltman, et al. (1997). “Human growth hormone response to repeated bouts of aerobic exercise.” J Appl Physiol 83(5): 1756-61.

Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. Any treatments should be supervised by your physician.

In the New England Journal Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, 18,882 men over the age of 55 years with normal DRE and PSA’s below 3.0 were randomly assigned placebo or Finasteride (1). This cohort was followed for 7 years. The results were highly unexpected.

Finasteride Group:

• Cancer 18.4%
• 37% of these more aggressive types

Placebo Group:

• Cancer 24.4%
• Of these 22.3% more aggressive types

The group receiving Finasteride, a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, had lower incidence of prostate cancer but a greater incidence of high grade (worse) prostate cancers than placebo. The researchers concluded “Finasteride prevents or delays the appearance of prostate cancer, but this possible benefit and a reduced risk of urinary problems must be weighed against sexual side effects and the increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer.”

Is there such a thing as age-related Finasteride deficiency? Is the reason men get prostate cancer because they’re deficient in Finasteride? No and no, on both counts. Elevated levels of DHT may increase your male patient’s risk of developing prostate cancer but the metabolites of DHT may actually help prevent and reduce the grade of prostate cancers.

Testosterone is converted to DHT via the 5-alpha reductase enzyme. DHT is the most potent androgen and along with T causes proliferation and secretion (dedifferentiating) by activating androgen receptors. BUT then DHT is converted to androstanediol via a 3-beta HSD reaction (2). Androstanediol is a differentiation (redifferentiating) agent that activates estrogen beta receptors (2). The process of cancer development is primarily a dedifferentiation process.

There is considerable debate about the outcomes of the NEJM Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (3).

1. Thompson IM, Goodman PJ, Tangen CM, et al. The influence of finasteride on the development of prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 349(3):215–24, 2003.
2. O. Imamov, G.-J. Shim, M. Warner, and J.-A. Gustafsson “Estrogen Receptor beta in Health and Disease” Biol Reprod, November 1, 2005; 73(5): 866 – 871.
3. Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT). National Cancer Institute http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/prevention/pcpt

Basic Principles

Eat mostly vegetables.

Eat protein that covers the palm of your hand 3 times daily.

Eat fruit between meals.

Avoid sugar, refined foods, and factory made fats.

Chew your food and enjoy it!

Why Is This Diet So Important?

This diet will help control your blood sugar and maintain any corrections made to your body. These are just general guidelines. Please consult with your physician before making any changes.

This diet removes the toxic foods from your diet and gives you adequate amounts of fiber and protein. If you do not feel prepared at this time to follow these diet guidelines then please let us know your concerns so we can find another diet plan that may work better for you.

If you have any allergies to any of the foods listed here it is better to talk to us first before trying to add that food into your diet.

Organic Vs. Conventional

Organic foods tend to have more minerals. If you can afford it buy organic and local whenever possible. Read the book, “Empty Harvest,” by Bernard Jensen if you want to know more about how our soils have become very depleted.

Some foods have thick peels that absorb most of the pesticides such as avocados, lemons, and limes – making them safer to eat as long as you peel them! Other safe foods include broccoli, asparagus, onions, and sweet peas. Do NOT eat apples, peaches, strawberries, bell peppers, and other thin skinned fruits unless they are Organic.

TOP 5 Foods To Avoid

The “five fingers of death” to avoid are grains, dairy, soy, corn, and sugar. It really depends on what we are treating but as a general rule I have patients avoid ALL these at first. Corn is the usually the most tolerated of the 5.

Protein Is Very Important

Protein is very important to help balance and control your blood sugar changes and any food cravings. It is very important to eat a piece of animal protein the size of the palm of your hand three times a day. Many patients may be severely protein starved.

Good sources of protein include eggs, beef, pork, fish, chicken, turkey, and lamb. Raw animal protein is too risky because of parasites but you can enjoy your free range egg yolks raw.

Balance protein with cooked vegetables for fiber. Chewing is also something we often forget and is extra important with veggies because they contain cellulose which is hard to break down and digest without adequate chewing.

Good Oils Burn Fat

The best oils are olive oil and butter. Avoid the rest and keep things simple. Lard, suet, palm oil, and coconut oil may be okay on occasion if high quality.

Butter is great because it is used for immediate energy by your body. If you have an extreme dairy allergy it may be best to avoid butter and eat ghee until you can tolerate butter better.

Fruit In Moderation

Fruit is often a big problem when you are trying to get a handle your blood sugar because it has a lot of sugar. Wait 2-3 months before reintroducing fruit into your diet.

Blood sugar problems and candida will be near impossible to control until fruit is removed from your diet for 2-3 months.

Ileocecal Valve Syndrome – Problem In Disguise

Then there is another concern that involves the “mysterious” Ileocecal Valve (ICV) Syndrome. ICV Syndrome is caused by the irritation of a sensitive valve between the large and small intestines.

Common irritants include parasites, allergens, nuts, seeds, other roughage such as chips and crackers, and spicy foods (cinnamon and black pepper included). Even emotions and spinal misalignment may cause ICV Syndrome.

Typical symptoms include low back pain, dark circles around the eyes, feeling crummy in the morning, and diarrhea alternating with constipation – similar to IBS/dehydration combined.

Patients with ICV Syndrome will have a really hard time detoxifying and may be constantly doing “detoxes”. This valve prevents back flow and controls proper forward flow between the large and small intestines.

The purpose of the liver is basically to detoxify the intestines so do it a favor and watch what you eat. Alcohol and toxins in our environment will make this more difficult.

Alcohol – The 2x2x2 Rule

Never drink more than 2 drinks in a day. Never drink 2 days in a row. Never drink more than 2 days a week. This will give your body a chance to recover.

In general, the higher quality the alcohol the less harm it will do. Wine tends to have too many sulfites and chemicals and beer can be hard to digest. Some people may be extra sensitive to certain sources of alcohol. I know wine is not good for me because I feel crummy when I drink it.

Drink Distilled Or Mineral Water

One last thing I would like to comment on is water. Drink it! Mineral water is the best if you can afford it and distilled with a small pinch of sea salt added is second best.

Tap water, reverse osmosis, Fiji water, ionized water, and other waters may dehydrate your body even more. Unless you have kidney or heart disease you will probably need to drink 1 liter for every 50 lbs. body weight. Please ask your doctor before increasing you water intake.

Herbal teas are medicine and should not be consumed unless prescribed by an expert. Cinnamon tea or lemon tea are good options if you must.

Coffee is okay in the morning, but not after noon. Black tea is full of pesticides unless it is organic.

Enjoy Yourself

If you break any “diet rules” enjoy it and get back on track ASAP. Lifestyle is one of the hardest things to change. The best time to begin implementing these changes is in the morning.

Drink water upon waking and then eat a breakfast with protein, butter, and vegetables. This will get you off to the right start.

Special occasions and holidays are the best times to break any rules. It is more about what you most time than what you once in a while.

Summary:

Give yourself one day a month to enjoy your favorite meal.

Avoid: Soy, Corn, Dairy, Wheat, and Sugar

Eat: Butter, Olive Oil, Pork, Beef, Fish, Chicken, Eggs, Lamb, and Organic Vegetables unless you are allergic to these foods.

Dog food allergies are linked to skin diseases in dogs (1). The gold standard for dog food allergies is the elimination diet. By removing suspected food allergens from your pet’s diet you may see a decrease in your best friend’s food allergy related symptoms.

Dog food may contain many highly allergenic foods such as wheat, corn, dairy, and soy (2). Based on a September, 2002 study published in Advances in Small Animal Medicine and Surgeryhese are the foods that may be the most allergenic for dogs:

• Beef – 34%
• Dairy – 20%
• Chicken – 20%
• Wheat – 16%
• Egg – 7%
• Lamb – 5%
• Soy – 5%
• Corn – 3%
• Pork – 2%
• Rice – 2%
• Fish – 1%

It looks like the foods dogs eat the most might be, or maybe “beef”, the cuplrits. After eating these foods your pet may experience an allergic reaction or it may not. There are common types of food allergies: IgE and IgG.

The IgE type reaction usually causes an immediate reaction and can cause swelling of the throat and other tissues that come in contact with the allergen.

The other type of dog food allergy is called an IgG type reaction or delayed hypersensitivity. The effects of this food allergy, if your dog experiences them, may take days to manifest. Thus, this type of food allergy is often hidden from the pet owners and more difficult to diagnose.

As I said at the beginning of this article, the gold standard for food allergy testing is the elimination diet. Many doctors prefer skin testing for IgE food allergies because elimination diets can be difficult to do because the diet can be very restrictive. A skin test involves injecting a small amount of the food allergen under the skin of the dog and waiting to see if a redness develops around the site. The bigger the red area or inflammation the more likely a food allergy has been detected.

There are other blood tests that seek to determine IgE food allergies. These involve drawing a sample of blood from the dog and testing it to see how many antibodies for different foods there are present in the dog’s blood stream. The accuracy of these tests is often disputed and some food allergies may be missed. Thus, if you suspect your dog has a food allergy and the test says its negative you do not have enough evidence to give your dog that food. It may be dangerous to base your dog’s diet on a blood test!

Currently, there is no test that I know of specifically to determine IgG dog food allergies. These are the “hidden food allergies” I discusses above. The benefit of testing for these types of food allergies is that you then have a guide to do a rotation diet. Rotation diets involve removing the suspected food for several days to see how symptoms change and then reintroducing the food to see if the symptoms reappear.

Research is being done at Meridian Valley Lab on dog food allergy testing and if you leave a comment below I will update you when this becomes available.

1. Griffin, CE. Skin immune system and allergic diseases. In: Scott, DW; Miller, WH; Griffin, CE (eds). Muller and Kirk’s Small Animal Dermatology. WB Saunders,Philadelphia PA, 2001.
2. Which Ingredients are Most Likely to Cause Food Allergies in Dogs and Cats?

“The Symptoms Of Adrenal Fatigue…
Can Effect You In Many Ways”

Adrenal Fatigue is very common. If you experience chronic stress or pain your adrenal glands are likely depleted. The great thing about the Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) Test is that it check the function of your organ. Normal blood tests will tell you if you have disease of the adrenal glands which is much more rare than adrenal stress or fatigue. With an ASI we can see how well your adrenal glands are working before treatment.

Then when we have completed treatment we can do another ASI test to measure the REAL impact. This way we will know that when you are no longer receiving treatment for adrenal fatigue you will keep the benefits. Some treatments may give you more energy but are only temporary. For example, many people self-treat with coffee and this works in the short-term to give you more energy but only depletes your adrenal glands more. Coffee is even more depleting if used after 12pm.

The adrenal stress test that I use requires saliva samples that you collect at home during different times of the day. It is very easy and painless. This test gives us a lot of information about your you body is functioning and responding to stress. You learn about your cortisol rhythm, DHEA levels, progesterone levels, and estradiol levels.

Call (425) 516-5500 to get pricing.

For some time there has been some controversy over the use of soy to prevent prostate cancer. Soy has a long history and has been increasingly the topic of research related to prostate health.

This paper will discuss some of the evidence in favor of its use to treat prostate cancer and some of the evidence that indicates its misuse in the treatment of prostate cancer and even the potential for its relation to increasing the risk of prostate cancer.

To begin, we must first understand some of the history around soy and why it has been thought to be related to prostate cancer as a potential treatment or preventative dietary supplement. Soy has been consumed in Asia, starting in China, for hundreds of years. However, it was not until the grain was fermented that it became a part of the daily Chinese diet in the form of miso, tempeh, and natto(1). This is due to the multiple enzyme inhibitors found in unfermented soy beans, such as phytates and trypsin inhibitors.

Consumption of excess unfermented soy may lead to mineral deficiencies. Furthermore, soy may not be consumed in the amounts as is commonly thought. The Cornell study found that legume consumption in China varied from 0 to 58 grams per day with an average of about 12.41 grams(2).

Even if two-thirds of the 58 grams/day was consumed daily that would only be 40 grams and less than 3 tablespoons and an average consumption of 9 grams, which is less than two teaspoons. One study found that legume intake is more associated with reduced prostate cancer risk than isoflavone intake(7).

Men in Asia are much less likely to get prostate cancer than men in the Western world (3), but they are also more likely to have other types of cancer such as stomach and esophageal. Soy may be one of the many factors; however, it should be noted that soy variety currently consumed was only first reported 60 years ago, which is Glycine max(4). The ancestor of Glycine max is Glycine soya.

Glycine max is noted for its high isoflavone content and little is known of content of its ancestor. Glycine max has been a very successful cultivar, partly due to its high isoflavone content and other naturally occurring toxins which act as a natural pesticides. Furthermore, the levels of soy isoflavones varies widely among different crops of Glycine max.

A recent study by the UK government found no link between isoflavones in foods and their positive health benefits(4). Another study found that localized prostate cancer is assocaited with a reduced risk with a diet containing isoflavones, specifically, genistein, daidzein, miso soup, and soy food. More research is needed to differentiate the effects of different forms of soy and isolated isoflavones.

There seems to be no question that soy affects the prostate. Orally administered isoflavones can be found as glucaronides in prostate tissue after administration (6). Another study found that orally administered isoflavones can decrease PSA levels in the blood and concluded that more research is needed but there is evidence that soy supplements have biological activity in the prostate. The FDA is currently not allowing companies to make claims that soy can prevent cancer but many companies are implying exactly that in their advertising(1).

In my opinion, research is focusing on specific isoflavones isolated from soy and in larger studies is not determining the isoflavone content in participant diets so that there is a disconnect between the epidemiologic evidence suggesting that soy in the diet may prevent prostate cancer and the actual potential treatments that are being studied. The isoflavone content in mature whole soy beans may be 5.1 ug/g protein and 2.0 ug/g protein in soy milk, but as already discussed this varies depending on the crop(8). Thus, any future FDA recommendation in terms of prostate cancer prevention related to isoflavone content should take this into account.

Another problem using large population studies studying prostate cancer risk and diet is that certain food combinations may affect participant outcomes. One study found that combining soy protein and tomato products to increase blood levels of lycopene was effective at decreasing PSA levels in patients undergoing conventional prostate cancer treatment(9). Dietary soy and tea combinations showed potentially synergistic effects on reducing leptin and testosterone concentrations in male rats(21), which may be due to their efficacy in alleviating metabolic disorders.

Soy protein isolates were found to reduce proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), epidermal growth factor receptor, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), but not PSA in another study(10). In older Scottish men, one study found that isoflavones had no association between prostate cancer risk dietary intkae but dietary lignans were protective(11). Thus, the evidence is mixed as shown by the variance of outcomes in multiple studies. Further research on the mechanism of action is warranted.

Prostate cancer is thought to be related to an increase in DHT possibly due to overconversion of testosterone to DHT by 5 alpha-reductase, which is inhibited by soy isoflavones. This has been shown in one study using rats where DHT was reduced by dietary consumption of soy flour and purified soy isoflavones(12). However, environmental oestrogens have been associated with the pathogenesis of prostate cancer in humans(13).

The greatest hazards assocaited with oestrogens and prostate hyperplasia may start during development where the prostate is most sensitive to hormones. This may cause the prostate to be hypersenstive to estrogen later in life(14). Effects in rodents phytoestrogens had similar results to DES exposure in higher doses(17). When genistein was given to mice via maternal milk or fortified feed there was a dose dependent increase in prostate and other tissues(18).

Doses of genistein given to puppies that were high enough to negatively affect sexual development were low enough to be achieved dietarily in humans(20). Another study found that isoflavones may reduce SHBG but increase DHT levels(15). Again, epidemiologic evidence suggests that diets rich in phytoestrogens may reduce prostate cancer risk but there is no direct evidence that phytoestrogens are beneficial(16). In another study, men consuming tofu instead of meat showed lower testosterone to estrogen ratios and changes in other hormone levels(19).

In conclusion, the negative effects of soy consumption as isolates does not warrant its use as a treatment for prostate cancer with current research inconclusive of its efficacy. Epidmiological evidence suggests that soy is associated with decreased risk for prostate and breast cancer, but by this same logic we would associate it with an increased risk for cancer of the esophagus,stomach, pancreas, liver, and thyroid(1).

The potential hazards of soy causing endocrine disorders (16) warrant more a more intensive search for alternatives to soy in the treatment of prostate cancer. One cannot ignore the commercial pressures that are driving the intense search for the use of soy in all sectors of the economy.

A holistic approach to prostate cancer treatment should not include soy, in my opinion, due to the many hazards discussed in this report as well as the inconsistent changes in prostate cancer markers from study to study, which has also been discussed.


Learn More About Naturopathic Philosophy

Learn More About Naturopathic Philosophy