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The protective effects of cranberries regarding urinary tract health may also extend to men’s prostates, according to a new study from the Czech Republic—the first of its kind to report such benefits. Writing in the British Journal of Nutrition, scientists from Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, report that six months of supplementation with 1,500 mg per day of dried powdered cranberries significantly improved measures of prostate health. The scientists reported improvements in the International Prostate Symptom Score "quality of life" measures, urination parameters and lower levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA). "Our trial is the first to evaluate cranberry in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) specifically in men with [benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)], elevated PSA levels and non-bacterial prostatitis," wrote the researchers, led by Dr. Jitka Vostalova. "Unlike currently used medication for prostatitis and LUTS, cranberry has no adverse effects. Our findings may assist men suffering from LUTS, and also their clinicians, to decide on a treatment that is both inexpensive and natural, like cranberry," they added. The link between cranberries and urinary tract health is well established and linked to its proanthocyanidin (PAC) content. In 2004 France became the first country to approve a health claim for the North American cranberry with at least 36 mg of PAC to "help reduce the adhesion of certain E. coli bacteria to the urinary tract walls," and subsequently fight urinary tract infections (UTIs). Both BPH and chronic prostatitis are linked to lower urinary tract symptoms. BPH is a non-cancerous swelling in the prostate gland of older men. It affects approximately 25% of American Caucasians over the age of 50. According to the European Association of Urology, 30% of men older than 65 are affected by BPH. The Czech researchers recruited 42 men with an average age of 63 to participate in their six-month study. Results showed that people in the cranberry group experienced statistically significant improvements in all of the targeted markers, while no significant improvements were seen in the control group. "The results of the present trial are the first firm evidence that cranberries may ameliorate LUTS, independent of benign prostatic hyperplasia or C-reactive protein level," the researchers said. British Journal of Nutrition Published online ahead of print. |
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