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Selenium May Fight Prostate Damage
Feb. 4, 2003 -- Boosting the daily dose of selenium may help elderly men keep their prostates healthy and reduce their risk of prostate cancer. A new study shows elderly dogs that ate a diet supplemented with selenium had less age-related DNA damage to their prostates, which may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Selenium is an essential nutrient required in small amounts by the human body for a number of vital processes, including some that are thought to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. The most common dietary sources of selenium are meats, fish, cereal, dairy products, and eggs.
Researchers say that the effect of aging on prostate cancer development is similar in dogs and humans -- the only two species in which prostate cancer occurs spontaneously and with significant frequency. In fact, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the U.S.
In the study, researchers selected elderly beagle dogs that were comparable to 62- to 69-year-old men and fed them either a diet that had been supplemented with selenium or a regular diet for seven months and compared the effects of the diets on their prostates.
The results appear in the Feb. 5 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Researcher David J. Waters, DVM, PhD, of the school of veterinary medicine at Purdue University, and colleagues found that dogs fed the supplemented diet had a significantly lower percentage of prostate cells with extensive DNA damage than the others. About 80% of the prostate cells in dogs fed a normal diet had extensive DNA damage compared with only about 57% in the selenium-treated dogs.
In addition, dogs fed the enriched diet also had a twofold increase in the number of prostate cells that had undergone a process that removes damaged cells, called apoptosis, which is associated with a lower risk of cancer.
Researchers say the results show that selenium may help protect cells within the aging prostate from initial DNA damage before the cells develop major problems that might lead to cancer, but more research is needed to see if the same effect holds true in humans.
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Indication
Uroxatral® (alfuzosin HCl 10 mg extended-release tablets) is an alpha1-blocker for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of BPH.
Important Safety Information
Do not take UROXATRAL if you have liver problems or if you are taking antifungal drugs like ketoconazole or itraconazole, or HIV drugs like ritonavir.
UROXATRAL can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, especially when starting treatment. This may lead to fainting, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do any dangerous activity until you know how UROXATRAL will affect you. This is especially important if you already have a problem with low blood pressure or take medicines to treat high blood pressure. There may be an increased risk of low blood pressure and fainting when taking UROXATRAL in combination with blood pressure medication or nitrates, or erectile dysfunction medication.
If considering cataract surgery (clouding of the eyes), tell your eye surgeon that you are currently taking UROXATRAL or have previously been treated with an alpha-blocker.
Before taking UROXATRAL, tell your doctor if you have kidney problems.
Also, tell your doctor if you or any family member(s) have or take medications for a rare heart condition known as congenital prolongation of the QT interval.
BPH and prostate cancer can cause the same symptoms. However, UROXATRAL is not a treatment for prostate cancer.
The most common side effects with UROXATRAL are dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, headache, and tiredness.
Please see UROXATRAL full prescribing information.
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