If you want to lower your risk of prostate cancer, the real answer is often doing nothing at all.
Naturally, Big Pharma has other ideas for you. They’re selling a new study as evidence that the drug Avodart can decrease the odds of developing prostate cancer.
But that’s only half the truth–and when you hear the whole story, you’ll want to stay far away from this risky med.
The study, which you’ll find in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that men given Avodart had a 23 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer over four years than men on a placebo.
But don’t sign yourself up for this one just yet… because that number only applied to the kinds of low-risk tumors that rarely hurt men, much less kill them.
When it came to potentially deadly high-risk tumors, men on Avodart actually did much worse: They had a higher risk of the most aggressive tumors than men on the placebo.
And what’s more, men on this med had almost twice the risk of heart failure.
In other words, if you’re looking to avoid potentially deadly conditions, then by all means avoid this drug.
Don’t expect to hear that message from the mainstream, though–they’re still desperately trying to push prostate pills. Just last year, a panel of experts recommended that patients who get regular prostate screenings also consider a med like Avodart.
This isn’t ironic–these experts knew (or should have known) this study was wrapping up, yet they rushed out their far-reaching recommendation anyway instead of waiting for all the facts.
And the experts are still missing the point.
Dr. Otis Brawley, now chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, actually helped to run this study early on. Dr. Brawley told the Associated Press that men on this med should be watched for heart failure… and if they develop it, "it’s reason to stop the drug."
Of course it’s a reason to stop taking the drug–it’s hard to give meds to a dead man!
Here’s a better idea: Avoid drugs that can lead to heart failure and more aggressive tumors and focus instead on reducing your risk of prostate cancer the right way, and that often means doing nothing at all beyond maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
Sounds simplistic, but just look at the facts: Obese men have a higher risk of getting the most aggressive and advanced form of the disease. They’re also more likely to encounter cardiac problems such as heart failure.
Of course, you can be healthy and slim and still face those same risks… all you need are some prostate meds.
Edward Martin is a health journalist who writes about today's most pressing health issues. He chronicles the most cutting-edge alternative methods for beating everything from diabetes to cancer and reports on the latest FDA foul-ups and Big Pharma conspiracies.
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