Should you have a PSA test for Prostate Cancer?

At my age, I have had a number of friends who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and some after further tests have found that did not actually had the disease and I wondered why. Many of my friends were given a PSA test by their doctor. I found out that this test is not as reliable as one may think. The information below is from the Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health. They do not recommend the PSA be used for screening for Prostate cancer. However, each of is unique and I would recommend that you talk to your doctor about this test.

The PSA test is a blood test that is commonly used to detect possible prostate cancer. Elevated PSA levels may indicate the presence of prostate cancer, but can also be caused by other common non-cancer related conditions such as an enlarged prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH) or inflammation of the prostate gland (also known as prostatitis) due to an infection or other cause.

 2. Why does the CTFPHC recommend against PSA screening for prostate cancer?

The CTFPHC recommends against PSA screening because they found that the potential harms of screening outweigh the benefits.

3. Are there any other tests that can detect prostate cancer?

Currently no other screening tests have been proven to accurately identify prostate cancer. Several tests are being developed to improve the accuracy of PSA screening. However, right now there is not enough evidence to tell us whether or not they are accurate.

4. Why are there harms with PSA screening? Isn't it a simple blood test?

The PSA test is a simple blood test, but if the result is positive, men are likely to then undergo further tests such as a biopsy. There are several harms associated with biopsies, as described below. In addition, there is a risk that you will be diagnosed and treated for a slow-growing cancer that would not have caused any trouble in your lifetime.

5. What if I still want the PSA test?

Because of recent efforts to encourage screening for prostate cancer, some men may still be interested in the test. Talk to your doctor about the benefits and harms of PSA screening.

There is a benefit of having PSA screening. The benefit is a lower risk of dying from prostate cancer

1 out of every 1,000 men will escape death from prostate cancer because they were screened with PSA.

However, the task force sees the following harms with having PSA screening

False-positive results

Most men who have a positive PSA result will undergo a prostate biopsy.

A false-positive result occurs when a man with a positive PSA result undergoes a biopsy, with the biopsy showing that he does not have prostate cancer.

178 out of every 1,000 men screened with the PSA test will have an unnecessary biopsy to confirm they do not have prostate cancer.

Complications of prostate biopsy

Prostate biopsy carries a number of complications, including blood in the urine or semen, rectal bleeding, infection and in rare cases, death.

·       21 out of every 1,000 men who undergo prostate biopsy will have complications severe enough to require hospitalization.

·       2 out of every 1,000 men who undergo prostate biopsy will die within 120 days of the biopsy, because of complications.

Over diagnosis

Over diagnosis is the detection of cancers that grow so slowly they would not have caused illness or death during the man’s lifetime.

Almost half of all the cancers detected through PSA screening would not have caused illness or death in the man’s lifetime. However, because of uncertainty about whether their cancer would progress, most men will choose treatment and may experience complications of treatment.

Harms of treatment

For every 1,000 men who receive treatment for prostate cancer:

·       114–214 will have short-term complications such as infections, additional surgeries, and blood transfusions

·       127–442 will experience long-term erectile dysfunction

·       up to 178 will experience long-term urinary incontinence

·       4 or 5 will die from complications of prostate cancer surgery

Statistics related to benefits and harms were calculated from the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) and the prostate cancer screening review.

Average height over time

As we age we shrink in height, but I was curious as to the Average height for men over time and when I found this information I thought I would share it.

In 2010, the average American man was 69.3 inches. A century ago, the average American man was 67 inches. Though this marks a growth of more than 2 inches, the rate at which Americans are growing has actually slowed relative to other nations.

In 1896, American men were the third tallest in the world. Since then, they've slid to 37th place in height. This is not because Americans are shrinking; it is because other nations are growing at a more rapid rate while American height growth is slowing.

American heights have stabilized over the past 50 years. Every 20 years, Americans gained about 2 inches on their parents, but today's children will average the same height as their parents. This is largely due to better health and nutrition.

Over the last decades, American children have faced fewer growth-stunting nutritional problems or health issues, and so they have grown taller. Because this improvement in health has persisted for the last 20 years or so, children are no longer growing taller than their parents.

A study published in eLife reports that those nations that have experienced more significant improvements in health and nutrition have also grown taller.

East Asians have seen significant height gains over the last century. Iranian men have grown more than any other men, with height increases averaging 6 inches in this time. In Sub-Saharan Africa, poor nutrition has stunted growth, reversing gains in height over the last 2 decades.

Men born in the Netherlands are the tallest, with heights averaging just under 72 inches. Eastern European men also rank near the top of the list.

Indonesian men are the shortest, with average heights of 62.25 inches. Men from Malawi are a close second, with an average height of just 63 inches. Yemen, Laos, and Madagascar also have some of the shortest men.

In Britain and Australia, men average 70 inches tall. In France, the average man is 69.5 inches. In most cases, female height tracks male height, such that nations with taller men also have taller women.

Women in Guatemala and the Philippines are among the world's shortest, with average heights of 58 inches.

Factors that influence height
Height is 60-80 percent heritable, which means that 60-80 percent of the difference in height between people is due to genetic factors. This suggests that genetics influences the height differences between individuals living in environments that offer quality nutrition and little exposure to disease.

In more challenging conditions, factors such as diet and exposure to disease can significantly affect height.

Factors other than genetics that can affect height include, geographic location, and birth weight.

Birth weight: Birth weight is the result of many factors, including genetics and nutrition in the womb. It is a significant predictor of height.

Being born prematurely: Premature babies tend to have a lower birth weight, and prematurity is also an independent factor affecting height. Premature babies may grow into shorter adults.

Hormones: Hormones affect growth throughout life, and especially during puberty. Hormonal imbalances can make people unusually tall or short.

Nutrition: Nutrition is a major factor in height. Individuals who have poor nutrition, especially those who do not get enough calcium, vitamin D, and other vitamins and minerals, may not grow as tall.

Geographic Location: There is a significant relationship between geographic location and ethnicity, which is related to height. Beyond this factor, location affects exposure to natural sunlight, a source of vitamin D. Location can also affect access to healthful food, poverty, and overall health.

Stunted growth: Factors that stunt growth, such as eating disorders, severe illnesses, and exposure to some medications, can cause people to grow less tall than they otherwise would.

Weight and height: How they are related and why it matters
Weight and height are connected in terms of health. A healthy body mass index (BMI) involves a greater weight as height increases. This means that one person could be considered severely obese and another could be seriously underweight if they had substantially different heights while weighing the same.

A healthy BMI ranges from 18.5 to 24.9. BMIs between 25 and 29.9 are considered overweight, while a BMI above 30 indicates obesity. A BMI below 18.5 is considered underweight.

For an average man with a height of 69 inches, a healthy weight is between 128-168 pounds.

People with BMIs that are too low or too high are vulnerable to a wide range of medical conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and metabolic syndromes.

The above was taken from an article in the Medical News Today and published in June 2017 

Be the person you dreamed you be today

Sometimes I think it is just a matter of switching gears, never looking back, and being the person today that you've always dreamed you'd be.

Entertain every thought, say every word, and make every decision from their point of view. Walk the way they would walk, dress the way they would dress, and spend your free time the way they would spend theirs. Choose the friends they would choose, eat the meals they would eat, and love and appreciate yourself the way they would.

After all, that person is who you really are so why not be them now

Do you understand the role Vitamin B12 plays in your body?

I never understood the importance of B12 until a friend of mine was told he needed a B12 Shot. So, I did some research, here is what I found, and I thought it was interesting to share. Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in many functions in the body, including:

• DNA synthesis
• energy production
• nerve cell health
• red blood cell formation
• neurological function

B12 is present in many food sources (mainly animal-based), where it is bound to the protein molecules in that food.

Vitamin B12 is separated from the protein during digestion and is absorbed into the bloodstream.

Adequate stomach acid is required to release the vitamin from the protein, and a substance called intrinsic factor is necessary to ensure its absorption.

People who are unable to absorb vitamin B12 properly may have pernicious anemia, which is a type of anemia characterized by a lack of intrinsic factor.

The average daily intake of vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms (mcg) for men and women over 14. Pregnant and breastfeeding women require slightly more, at 2.6 mcg and 2.8 mcg, respectively.

People with signs and symptoms of B12 deficiency
Anyone who is displaying any of the signs and symptoms of a B12 deficiency or pernicious anemia should consult their doctor immediately.

Some common signs and symptoms include:
• decreased cognitive function, such as issues with memory or understanding
• fatigue
• lethargy
• constipation
• feeling faint
• depression or irritability
• headache
• difficulty maintaining balance
• sore, swollen tongue, which may be pale yellow or very red
• heart palpitations
• mouth ulcers
• paraesthesia (pins and needles)
• vision changes

B12 and Older Adults
Research suggests that vitamin B12 deficiency affects a greater number of older adults than those under the age of 65.

Older adults can be affected by conditions that are linked to a decrease in stomach acid production, including inflammation in the stomach (atrophic gastritis).

Furthermore, lower levels of stomach acid can encourage the growth of certain bacteria in the gut that uses B12, reducing the amount of the vitamin available to the body.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults over 50 meet their vitamin B12 needs with fortified foods, B12 shots, or other supplements, as these man-made forms appear to be more readily absorbed than naturally occurring B12.

B12 deficiency risk factors
Both diabetes and some medications for type 2 diabetes can increase the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.
Also, the following risk factors can increase the chance of developing vitamin B12 deficiency:

• alcohol abuse
• smoking
• certain prescription medications, including antacids and some type 2 diabetes drugs
• having an endocrine-related autoimmune disorder, such as diabetes or a thyroid disorder
• eating a vegetarian or vegan diet
• certain gastrointestinal disorders, such as Crohn's disease
• gastric bypass or the removal of parts of the stomach
• aging

Drug interactions
Never start, stop or change your supplement routine, without checking you’re your doctor. Vitamin B12 may interact with certain medications. People must always inform their doctor about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs they are taking before receiving a B12 shot.

Some commonly prescribed medications that may interact with B12 include:

• Aspirin
• antibiotics
• H2 receptor antagonists
• metformin
• oral contraceptives
• proton pump inhibitors

Allergy and medical conditions
Those who have allergies or medical conditions should always inform their doctor before receiving a B12 shot. Examples of allergies or conditions that may interact with B12 shots include:

• allergy to cyanocobalamin or cobalt
• hypokalemia (low potassium levels)
• kidney disease
• polycythemia vera (a rare blood disorder)
• Leber's disease (an eye disease)
• deficiencies in other nutrients, particularly folic acid and iron

There are several reasons to consider getting a B12 shot, including:

Reduced risk of vitamin B12 deficiency and associated complications

The most obvious benefit of receiving vitamin B12 shots is treating a vitamin B12 deficiency and avoiding its associated symptoms.

In addition, B12 shots reduce the risk of some serious complications associated with vitamin B12 deficiency including:

• heart disease
• neurocognitive disorders
• coordination problems (ataxia)
• peripheral neuropathy
• vision loss
• infertility (although this usually resolves with B12 treatment)
• neural tube defects in the babies of women with B12 deficiency
• High levels of assimilation by the body