ALA/Prostate Confusion

[Guest guest]

From the available research, it seems prostate problems are

correlated with chronic inflammation and malnutrition. BPH seems to

me more likely to be chronic inflammation and BPC to be from

malnutrition, and the former does not equivocally imply the latter.

In diets high in ALA, most of the delta-5 desatures will be used in

the Omega-3 pathway, leaving little available to convert DGLA into AA

in the Omega-6 pathway. So, it doesn't make too much sense to me

that ALA is the problem, unless the delta-5 desaturase is somehow

being co-opted by the Omega-6 pathway for AA. The Omega-6 pathway

does have GLA and PGE1 which are anti-inflammatory counterparts to

Omega 3's DHA and EPA. Yet if LA is supposedly so good for

preventing prostate problems, then why are modern diets excessively

high in LA compared to ALA? LA, saturated fat and trans-fat also

inhibit EPA/DHA conversion up to 40% and unimpeded ALA conversion to

EPA is already limited to 15% for EPA and 5% for DHA.

Estrogen is clearly linked to both prostate and breast cancer. Soy,

a phytoestrogen, blocks the estrogen receptors on the prostate.

Resveratrol, a phytoestrogen, has efficacy. Beta sisterol (saw

palmetto), a phytoestrogen, has efficacy. Pumpkin seed, a

phytoestrogen, has efficacy. Probably so do various other estrogen

receptor blockers that haven't been specifically researched for the

issue or bad-estrogen-destroyers, such as TMG and I3C.

Wasn't it even said in here that phytoestrogens were responsible for

improving total cholesterol?

Interestingly, flax seed is high in a particular phytoestrogen,

lignan, which is thought to inhibit estrogen production, behavior

quite different than acting as a receptor blocker. Maybe it is the

lignan and not the ALA that is the culprit.

Environmental xenobiotics are also phytoestrogens, which are thought

to increase estrogen levels, behavior quite different than acting as

a receptor blocker. Pesticides, milk, plastic wrap and Tupperware-in-

microwave comes to mind.

And, of course, there's the selenium and boron soil defenciencies in

the regions with high prostate problems. Maybe the same regions

don't eat much tomatoes (lycopene) either.

Logan