Zinc Essential to Prostate Healthy

Just as the thyroid requires iodine and the bone marrow must have iron, the prostate cannot function properly without adequate zinc. The prostate gland contains more zinc than any other organ In the body. Zinc is a trace metal needed in only very small amounts, but a deficiency can lead to major medical problems. About 10-14 milligrams are the recommended daily allotment, and most people on a natural diet will receive sufficient zinc from their food.

As used by the body, zinc is found in high concentration in sperm and seminal fluid. The brain must also have adequate zinc in order to keep the thoughts organized and balanced. Excessive sexual activity may lead to depletion of zinc stores which may be followed by both prostatic disease and neurologic and mental disorders, all functions which depend on adequate availability of zinc.

Many prostate patients who have taken high zinc foods or zinc supplements, report improvement. Some patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy have actually had a reduction in prostate size from taking zinc, and many have a reduction in the congestion of chronic prostatitis. Zinc is almost non-existent in refined, processed foods. If the soil is low in zinc, fruits and vegetables grown on it will also be deficient. Zinc-rich foods include the following: nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, wheat bran, wheat germ, brewer's yeast, onions, molasses, peas, beans, lentils, and gelatin.

Does Zinc Fight Prostate Cancer?

Scientists have known for decades that zinc may play a role in maintaining the health of the prostate, the walnut-size gland in males, located just behind the bladder. Now, studies led by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) geneticist Liping Huang are providing new details about how zinc in the foods we eat might keep prostate cancer cells from proliferating and spreading.

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer-related death among American men.

Huang is based at the ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, Calif. She's investigating the roles of zinc-transporter proteins, which move zinc in and out of cells in tissue, such as that in the prostate.

In a series of laboratory experiments, Huang and colleagues compared levels of zinc and zinc-transporter proteins in certain cancerous and noncancerous human prostate cells known as epithelial cells. They exposed the cells to a solution of zinc, then found that the cancerous cells accumulated lower levels of zinc compared to the normal cells. That might be explained by another of the team's findings: The cancerous cells had lower levels of a zinc-transporter protein known as ZIP1.

Although another zinc-ferrying-protein, ZIP3, was present in the cancer cells, it wasn't in the correct location.

In all, the results suggest that reduced levels of one transporter protein, ZIP1, and mislocation of another, ZIP3, may play a role in prostate cancer's progression. These preliminary findings are the first to provide direct evidence of the difference in levels and locations of zinc-transporter proteins in healthy and cancerous prostate epithelial cells.

For the experiments, Huang used cells that had the same genetic background. Dissimilar genetic backgrounds could have skewed test results.

ARS, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency, and the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are funding the research.

Zinc helps tissues grow and repair themselves. In addition to helping heal wounds faster, zinc is probably the most important mineral for keeping the immune system strong. Too little zinc can lead to a drop in infection-fighting white blood cells, which can increase your risk of getting sick. On the other hand, too much zinc may interfere with the workings of another trace mineral you need: copper. As with most minerals, high intake may prove toxic, and too much zinc can damage the immune system. Take no more than 90 milligrams of zinc per day.