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Vitamin E Consumption and Prostate Cancer Prevention: Supplements may cause more harm than good.

A recent ten-year study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, set out to prove the benefits of vitamin E and the mineral selenium in preventing prostate cancer. This study took place in many areas of the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. The findings did not show any positive association between Vitamin E and prostate cancer prevention. When researchers further examined the study participants, there was evidence that the supplement may have actually caused prostate cancer in some participants. Based on the data, it’s hard to say if increasing Vitamin E actually causes prostate cancer, however, in the study of 35,000 men, there was a 17% increased risk of prostate cancer among those taking 400 IU/ day of vitamin E.

Dr. Samadi of the Mount Sinai Medical Center believes that prostate cancer prevention begins with the basics. “There are simple things that men can do to optimize their prostate health,” he says, “Maintain a healthy weight through regular, moderate exercise. Plan a balanced diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, that’s where the antioxidants are. And get your annual PSA
(Prostate Specific Antigen) screening. It does work and it gives us vital information about your prostate health.”

Chicago Prostate Center agrees with Dr. Samadi. Many Americans choose supplements as an easy fix for health. Prostate Cancer is a tricky cancer.  There are really no signs or symptoms of
early stage cancer. Eating healthy foods, exercise and having a yearly prostate screening is important. Prostate screening includes a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test and digital rectal exam (DRE).

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