Melatonin can help lower your risk of prostate cancer

Thursday, January 23, 2014 by: Josh Anderson
Tags: melatonin, prostate cancer, sleep hormone

(NaturalNews) Recent research has pointed to a link between prostate cancer and the sleep hormone melatonin. The study, which included 928 Icelandic men, indicated that individuals who have a higher level of melatonin are less likely to develop prostate cancer.

The research was presented at the American Association for Cancer Research, and until it is peer-reviewed, the data is considered preliminary but very promising. The lead author of the study, Sarah Markt, had this to say regarding its outcomes: "Men who had higher levels of melatonin had a 75 percent reduced risk for developing advanced prostate cancer compared with men who had lower melatonin. The risk was especially reduced when it came to advanced disease."

Over 235,000 United States citizens will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, with over 29,000 dying from the disease. Nearly 40 percent of men over the age of 50 have prostate cancer. Most of the individuals will never even know it and live a healthy life. The trouble can come when it is diagnosed and overtreated with Big Pharma protocols, making prostate cancer one of the most overtreated cancers.

The potential link between melatonin and prostate cancer is that low melatonin levels and the accompanying disrupted sleep have been associated with an increase in the risk of developing cancer. Melatonin levels have been linked to prostate cancer, but it has also been associated with other cancers, including breast cancer.

Not only has melatonin been show to decrease the risk of prostate cancer, a 2012 study by the University of South Carolina indicated that daily vitamin D consumption can also help prevent prostate cancer. Another natural way to prevent or cure prostate cancer is ginger extract (Zingiber officinale). A British Journal of Nutrition study demonstrated that a daily dose of ginger extract was capable of cutting prostate tumor growth in half.

While the preliminary research in the Icelandic study is too early to recommend men taking daily melatonin supplements, it does warrant further research on the topic. It also offers hope for a connection between many types of cancer and the sleep hormone, and therefore a potential way to prevent or treat certain cancers. The study author, Markt, concluded, "Prospective studies to investigate the interplay between sleep duration, sleep disturbance and melatonin levels on the risk for prostate cancer are needed."

Sources for this article include:

http://www.philly.com

http://sciencedaily.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://www.naturalnews.com

http://science.naturalnews.com

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