10 Amazing Functions of the Prostate Gland?

The Prostate's Purpose:

1. Gland: The primary job of the prostate is to produce and secrete some of the alkaline seminal fluids during ejaculation (about 30-35% of the semen ejaculate). Being alkaline, the prostate fluid, which is milky whitish in color, helps the sperm survive in the acidic vaginal environment. The prostate is considered to be a gland since glands secrete something.

2. Mix Master: The prostate mixes its fluids with those from the seminal vesicles to transport the sperm made in the testicles. Together these fluids surge through the prostate into the urethra during ejaculation. The urethra doubles as the semen tube during ejaculation and as the urine tube from the bladder, both fluids exiting the tip of the penis. The section of the urethra that runs through the prostate gland is called the prostatic urethra and is about 3cm (1½") long.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a fluid produced in the prostate, playing a key role in enabling the sperm to swim into the uterus by keeping the semen in liquid form. It counteracts the clotting enzyme in the seminal vesicle fluid, which essentially glues the semen to the woman's cervix, next to the uterus entrance inside the vagina. PSA dissolves this glue with its own enzyme so that the sperm can dash into the uterus and impregnate an egg if it is there.

It is this same PSA that is tested during the PSA blood test, a very controversial test because of the many factors that can cause the results to vary widely.

3. Muscle: The prostate is also a muscle that pumps the semen out through the penis with enough force to enter into the vagina to help the sperm succeed in reaching the cervix and ensuring procreation of the species.

4. AH!: An added bonus for males, the pumping action of the prostate sure feels good, making sex desirable and thus helping procreation.

5. G: The prostate is the male G-spot. Prostate stimulation can produce an exceptionally strong sexual response and intense orgasm in men that are receptive to this sexual technique. The ability to control ejaculation at the prostate can also lead to prolonged orgasms and "injaculations" where no semen is expelled. This is done in advanced Taoist and Tantric sexual practices to contain the sexual energy internally.

6. Filter: The prostate also filters and removes toxins for protection of the sperm, which enhances the chance of impregnation and ensures that men seed with the optimum quality of sperm. This is perhaps the prostate's most important function and, at the same time, can be one of the main reasons there is a growing epidemic of prostate disease and cancer as men deal with more and more toxins in food and the environment.

7. Erections: The prostate erection nerves are responsible for erections. These nerves trigger the penis to swell and harden with extra blood flow into it, producing an erection.

If these nerves, which attach to the sides of the prostate, get damaged then erectile difficulties are guaranteed. That is why many medical prostate procedures (surgery or radiation) have an unwanted side effect of erectile difficulties or impotence.

8. Secretions: Prostatic secretions also play a valuable role by protecting the urethra from urinary tract infections, which seem to be much more rare in men than women.

9. Valves: The prostate, which surrounds the upper part of the urethra tube just below the bladder (the prostatic urethra), controls the flow of urine. It prevents urine from leaving the bladder, except when released by urination. It also prevents urine from damaging ejaculate during orgasm.

It does this with two small prostatic muscles called sphincters. They act as gatekeepers with shut-off valves to control and regulate the dual-purpose urethra tube. These gatekeepers ensure the right fluids flow at the right time - urination or ejaculation. Not a bad design!

One sphincter is located where the bladder and the upper part of the prostate meet (the internal upper sphincter). When functioning properly, it prevents urination until it's time to go and stops seminal fluid from shooting backwards into the bladder during ejaculation. When damaged, semen is forced back into the bladder and eventually exits with normal urination. This is known as retrograde ejaculation and is another possible side effect of prostate surgery - no chance of seeding a woman then!

The second, external lower sphincter is at the base of the prostate and is subject to our control. It prevents dribbling after peeing and is how we voluntarily can delay urination when inconvenient to go. Incontinence occurs when control of either sphincter is damaged and urine leaks or flows uncontrollably, thus forcing many men with prostate problems to wear adult diapers.

It's easy enough to voluntarily control the lower sphincter and to stop urine or semen from exiting if you have enough Kegel muscle control, the ability to squeeze the flow shut. Either one of these sphincter muscles will block the urine until the urge to pee happens and the timing is right to release and let the urine flow.

An enlarged prostate or BPH can squeeze the prostatic urethra tube and the upper or lower sphincter, making urination difficult with a host of unpleasant, uncontrollable symptoms. BPH surgeries that remove part of the prostate can easily have side effects of incontinence or retrograde ejaculation.

10. Hormones: The prostate gland contains a crucial enzyme, 5-alpha-reductase. This enzyme converts the hormone testosterone in the body to DHT (dihydrotestosterone), which is at least ten times more powerful than simple testosterone. This potent hormone DHT has several purposes including male sexual drive and function. Over time, a build-up of toxins in the prostate may affect the production of this enzyme, which is then responsible for the declining sex drive in men as they age.

DHT and testosterone have mistakenly been targeted as guilty hormones in prostate problems rather than the excessive rise in modern male estrogen levels, leading often to medical interventions with serious side effects including lack of libido. Estrogen levels rise because of the prevalence of estrogens in factory foods, commercial meats and dairy, and estrogen-mimicking chemicals present in body-care and household products. It's even found in municipal water and some plastic food packaging.

Conclusion:

With such a complex gland having so many functions, prostate disease can wreak havoc on a man's health. Men would be wise to do all they can to enhance the health of their prostate - an unhealthy prostate can have an enormous impact on sexual function and simple daily urination.

The prostate is a powerhouse: a remarkable gland with huge repercussions on a man's quality of life!

Ronald M Bazar is a health enthusiast and author of the new comprehensive book on the prostate called "Healthy Prostate: The Extensive Guide To Prevent and Heal Prostate Problems Including Prostate Cancer, BPH Enlarged Prostate and Prostatitis", which is available on Amazon, iTunes, Kindle and more outlets, or as an ebook from the address below.

He experienced complete urinary retention at 55 and was diagnosed with BPH, an enlarged prostate. Bazar was scheduled for two emergency surgeries but declined due to the risk of side effects of conventional prostate surgeries.

Ron saw top alternative practitioners of all kinds, diligently following their advice but failed to see any results. After over eight years of extensive research and experimentation, Ron finally discovered how to heal his prostate naturally.

In Healthy Prostate, Ron shares his unique perspective with many breakthrough insights not found elsewhere to assist in empowering men to succeed and heal themselves-no matter what kind of prostate problem they face.

http://www.naturalprostate.com/

http://www.healthyprostate.co/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ronald_M_Bazar
http://EzineArticles.com/?10-Amazing-Functions-of-the-Prostate-Gland?&id=6999634

Possibilities of treating prostate cancer

In order to prevent prostate cancer scientists are trying to find abnormal genes that are related to this disease and so identify those who are at risk of developing prostate cancer.
For these people special treatment will be instituted earlier in order to stop the disease from occurring.

Nowadays the scientists use the DNA micro-array technology for studying many genes at the same time and discover those that are related to prostate cancer. This screening could save a lot of time and could replace the currently used PSA blood test.

DNA micro-array identified a product of one gene (named EZH2) that seems to appear more frequently in advanced prostate cancers than in early staged cancers. Scientists want to find out if this gene product signalizes that the cancer is more aggressive or not. This could help doctors decide whether that form of cancer needs treatment or must only be supervised carefully.

Researchers have discovered that tomato and soybeans contain some substances that are useful in preventing prostate cancer (lycopenes and isoflavones). Vitamins are also useful: vitamin D, E and selenium decrease the risk of prostate cancer.

A new clinical trial has been developed in order to see if patients with prostate cancer respond to medication that decreases the level of the androgen hormone called DHT. These drugs (Finasteride and dutasteride) have been used until now only for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Staging prostate cancer is very important for doctors because it helps them institute the most proper treatment. CT and MRI are not so efficient in this case. Instead, enhanced MRI is quite helpful because it detects the possible cancer cells in the lymph nodes.

As a possibility of treatment is surgery. The radical prostatectomy could have some risks. If the nerves that control erection have to be removed the man will end up being impotent. Doctors are testing a replacement of those nerves with the Sural nerve but they are not positive about the usefulness of this technique.

Radiation therapy is also possible. If using conformal radiation therapy (CRT) and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) the radiation will be directed straight to the prostate gland and affect less other normal tissues.

Chemotherapy seems to be effective in prostate cancer too. Chemotherapy drugs can be successfully used in combination with other drugs like: Taxotere associated with Calcitriol, a form of vitamin D.

A vaccine has also been tested with amazing results on prostate cancer patients. This vaccine is not like the others that are designed to prevent a disease. This is made to treat advanced prostate cancer by increasing the immune system’s response to cancer cells. The vaccine has been made out of a genetically engineered protein and a dendritic cell provided from the patient’s bloodstream. Three shots of the vaccine (Provenge) were made over the course of a month. The immune system will react and will activate immune T-cells to find and destroy the cancer cells.

Monoclonal antibody treatment can also be applied in this case. They stimulate the body’s natural cell-killing mechanism or they carry a radioactive molecule that will destroy the cancerous cell.

Another treatment is using angiogenesis inhibitors. These drugs prevent the growth of blood vessels and so, the tumor cells will not be nourished any more.

Sometimes the prostate cancer spreads in the body and affects the bones. For stopping the bone pain doctors use radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and CT. with this technique they will destroy the tumor by heating it.

For recovering patients are advised to adopt a certain lifestyle. They must not eat meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products, keep an active lifestyle and even perform yoga.

About Author: For more information about prostate cancer prevention and about early symptoms prostate cancer please review this web site http://www.prostate-cancer-center.com

Article Source: ArticlesAlley.com

Prostate Cancer Death Rates

According to the American Cancer Society, the death rate for patients with prostate cancer is at an all-time low. This is great news for all men who have been diagnosed with this disease. But what has caused the death rate for prostate cancer patients to decline?

More than 200,000 new patients are diagnosed with prostate cancer worldwide each year. Prostate cancer affects approximately 190,000 new patients annually in the United States and around 30,000 patients die each year from prostate cancer.

Death Rate Decline Causes
The biggest reason for the decline in the death rate of prostate patients is the fact that more men are having annual exams performed by their physicians. This has enabled physicians to catch the disease in its earliest stages. The earlier the stage of cancer is detected, the better the treatment options and the better chance for a cure.

The survival rate increases for those who have the earlier stages of this type of cancer when treatment is received. If the cancer continues to progress, then the survival rate decreases. Because men are now receiving annual exams, more and more cases of cancer of the prostate are being detected in the earlier forms, which have now caused the death rate to decline.

Because of the many men who are now seeking the annual exam, more and more cases of this type of cancer has been diagnosed. The PSA blood test and the digital rectal exam have allowed physicians to diagnose patients who might have otherwise never been diagnosed with prostate cancer. The PSA blood test helps detect prostate problems even earlier than the digital rectal exam. However, some prostate cancer grows at such a slow pace that if left untreated, it may never affect the patient. So now, physicians are trying to determine how to better take these results and interpret the needed treatments.

Hormone treatments have been proven to slow down the progression or growth of prostate cancer, but until now, there has not been a link between hormone therapy and the fact that this approach saves lives. However, with the current death rate at an all-time recorded low (since 1950 for Caucasian men; since 1969 for African American men), studies now show that there is sufficient evidence that hormone therapy is an appropriate treatment for the cancer of the prostate.

More than 5,000 studies have been performed on the effectiveness of hormone therapy with the results being inconclusive; however, when all of that data is analyzed from all 5,000 studies as a group, there is sufficient evidence that supports the idea that hormone therapy does work. New studies are now being performed to determine whether hormone therapy in conjunction with other treatment options will be even more effective.

Go to the new Prostate Cancer Community to get your free ebooks on Prostate Cancer at Prostate Cancer Death Rates [http://prostatecancercommunity.com/]. The new Prostate Cancer Community also has information on Prostate Cancer Survival Rate [http://prostatecancercommunity.com/] along with a lot of other free information. Come by our new Prostate Cancer Community site today for free ebooks and other free information that can help you today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Brennan
http://EzineArticles.com/?Prostate-Cancer-Death-Rates&id=2910913

Prostate Cancer Survival Rate

Survival rates for prostate cancer are usually talked about in terms of a 5-year relative survival rate. (Relative survival means compared to patients who have died specifically from the cancer involved.) This means that the patient will either have a chance of surviving longer than five years or less than five years after diagnosis. At the present time, the chances for exceeding the relative 5-year survival rate are excellent. If the cancer is caught in the earlier stages, treatment options allow the patient a good prognosis.

Now, with annual prostate cancer exams such as the PSA blood test, chances of catching prostate cancer in the earliest stages of development are higher; therefore, the survival rate of diagnosed patients is on the rise.

Statistics
In cancer patients with early stage prostate cancer, the relative 5-year survival rate is 100%. The same patients have a relative ten-year survival rate is 91%. (Patients who die of other causes are not counted in these figures.) The relative fifteen-year survival rate is 76%. In all, the prognosis of prostate cancer, if caught in the earlier stages, is relatively high, which is exceptional.

These are only statistics, and statistics cannot determine what will happen exactly in every diagnosed case of prostate cancer. Each patient is different, as well as the cancer in each patient. Some prostate cancer patients experience such a slow growth that they never experience any type of problems throughout their life. Autopsies have been performed that have revealed that men have had prostate cancer and they and their doctors did not know it.

The relative survival rate for five years refers to patients who were diagnosed and treated more than five years ago. The relative ten-year survival rate refers to patients who were diagnosed and treated more than ten years ago. Along with this information, please keep in mind that medicine and treatments change over time, so patients with more recent diagnoses possibly will have a better prognosis, as medicine usually improves with time.

This type of cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among men and accounts for about 10% of cancer related deaths; the first is lung cancer. Approximately one in every 35 men will die from this type of cancer. Every year approximately 192,000 men are diagnosed with this type of cancer. Approximately 27,000 men will die from this type of cancer each year.

Outlook
With advances in medicine, the chances for the survival rate to increase and the death rate to decline among this type of cancer patients is actually very good. This type of cancer clinical trials are constantly being conducted across the globe by many different researchers, in hopes of finding new combinations of therapy, new treatment options, new prevention techniques, and much more. Findings are published so that the scientific community can move forward with additional research. It may take many more years, but eventually a cure will be discovered and cancer patients will overcome their disease.

Go to the new Prostate Cancer Community to get your free ebooks on Prostate Cancer at Prostate Cancer Survival [http://prostatecancercommunity.com/]. The new Prostate Cancer Community also has information on Prostate Cancer Survival Rate [http://prostatecancercommunity.com/] along with a lot of other free information. Come by our new Prostate Cancer Community site today for free ebooks and other free information that can help you today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_Brennan
http://EzineArticles.com/?Prostate-Cancer-Survival-Rate&id=2910944