Prostate-specific antigen or PSA levels may rise when men have prostate or urinary tract infections. Some are diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia, which simply refers to an enlarged prostate. As men get older, PSA levels may also rise. However, prostate cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in men. Approximately 15 percent of the cases diagnosed are serious enough to require aggressive medical intervention. Men may decrease their risk of malignancy development by reducing PSA levels using various options.
Meat and Fat Restrictions
According to the Washington University Medical School, prostate problems are triggered by hormones, which are influenced by diet. Eating meat on a daily basis has been shown to triple the likelihood of having an enlarged prostate. A diet featuring regular milk consumption doubles the likelihood. Diets consisting of a high number of animal-based foods and high fat content also contribute to malignancy development.
Eat Tomatoes
Freshly sliced tomatoes, spaghetti sauce or ketchup are all tomato-based foods that are recommended for prostate health. Tomatoes contain lycopene, which acts as an antioxidant. A study performed by researchers from the Harvard School of Medicine revealed that men including at least 10 servings of tomatoes in their daily diet reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 35 percent. An article published in the British Journal of Urology also indicated that men diagnosed with prostate cancer, undergoing surgery and taking four milligrams of lycopene daily successfully reduced their PSA levels by 65 percent. The men taking the supplement additionally had a nine percent greater survival rate. Daily intake of pomegranate juice has also been helpful in reducing the chance of developing prostate cancer according to UCLA researchers.
Increase Exercise
Scientists from the University of California, San Francisco combined efforts with the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to evaluate the effects diet and exercise had on more than 90 prostate cancer patients. They learned that men who adopted a healthier diet and regularly engaged in moderately intense physical exercise lowered their PSA levels by the end of one year. Tumor growth also stopped in 70 percent of the men in the lifestyle change group. Some researchers speculated that maintaining a healthier weight may also have been a contributing factor in their findings.
NSAIDS
Physicians often recommend that patients having cardiovascular disorders take an aspirin daily to regulate blood clotting ability and to protect the heart. However, research performed at Vanderbilt University discovered that men regularly using aspirin or other OTC anti-inflammatory drugs had PSA levels nine percent lower than men who did not use the medications. While not having any effect on prostate enlargement, regular NSAID use also demonstrated a dramatic reduction in prostate cancer development.
