Pomegranate juice
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From: Anna Meyer on 11 Jul 2006 15:14 I have recently read a couple of articles that suggest that pomegranate juice may slow down the doubling time of PSA and possible other beneficial effects on prostate cancer. I am wondering if anyone in this group may have tried it already and if they did, with what results? My father is thinking about tryring it, but I would like to have some information about it before I encourage him to start. Thanks for any feedback you may share with me, Anna
From: Glowing in the Dark on 11 Jul 2006 15:31 On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 15:14:29 -0400, Anna Meyer wrote (in article <pMSsg.119164$mF2.73662(a)bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net>): > I have recently read a couple of articles that suggest that pomegranate > juice may slow down the doubling time of PSA and possible other beneficial > effects on prostate cancer. > I am wondering if anyone in this group may have tried it already and if they > did, with what results? > My father is thinking about tryring it, but I would like to have some > information about it before I encourage him to start. > Thanks for any feedback you may share with me, > Anna > > Here's a link to the recently published results: http://www.pomwonderful.com/pdf/Clinical_Cancer_Research.pdf and here's a link to the ongoing trial: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/show/NCT00336934 I don't think the information has been out long enough for anyone here to have seen any results from drinking it. I know I have started... I like the taste. -- Glowing in the Dark
From: I.P. Freely on 11 Jul 2006 17:20 Anna Meyer wrote: > I have recently read a couple of articles that suggest that pomegranate > juice may slow down the doubling time of PSA and possible other beneficial > effects on prostate cancer. > I am wondering if anyone in this group may have tried it already and if they > did, with what results? > My father is thinking about tryring it, but I would like to have some > information about it before I encourage him to start. > Thanks for any feedback you may share with me, > Anna A tip, Anna: anecdotal experiences mean virtually nothing, whether choosing a cancer treatment, a car, or a puppy. What you really want are clinical trials, which GlowingInTheDark provided. At least with puppies and cars, results are usually forthcoming within months. With slow-growing medical issues, such as those involving PSA, "results" (i.e., survival data) can take many years and hundreds to thousands of patients. Even if a product suppresses PSA, the question remains whether it is suppressing the CANCER or just hiding its MARKER. That said, I just bought some pomegranate juice. Unlike grapefruit juice, it (apparently) does not interfere with some common medications. I.P.
From: Glowing in the Dark on 11 Jul 2006 18:12 On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:20:46 -0400, I.P. Freely wrote (in article <_AUsg.31$2I3.4(a)fe02.lga>): [snip] > That said, I just bought some pomegranate juice. Unlike grapefruit > juice, it (apparently) does not interfere with some common medications. So what brand did you buy ;-) POM Wonderful, which sponsored the trial, is the most expensive I found: it costs $2.19 per 8 oz dose around here. I picked up Frutmost which seems to be equivalent at $1.45 per 8 oz. Old Orchard is cheaper, but seems to be apple juice with pomegranate flavoring. I also did some checking on the web for bulk pricing. POM Wonderful direct wants $25 for shipping! Won't be doing that. Brownwood Acres has a concentrate that I figure would work out to $1.19 a dose, shipped. They also sell some softgel extract capsules which would be cheaper still, more convenient, and don't have all that sugar. One thing I noticed is that they are all made from concentrate... even POM Wonderful. The juice used in the trial was fresh squeezed. While I am no biochemist, what I have read is that the most significant compounds in pomegranate juice with respect to prostate cancer are polyphenols and the most abundant polyphenols in pomegranate are hydrolysable tannins, particularly punicalagins. I wonder if the process of concentration preserves the polyphenols. I assume the concentration is done by heating the raw juice to drive off the water. I would think that the heat would affect the polyphenols. As for the softgels, I can't tell what the corresponding dose would be and if they have the same polyphenols as the juice. The other problem with buying in bulk is that the stuff has a short shelf life and has to be refrigerated. I guess the concentrate has the advantage there. Brownwood Acres says you can freeze it in the plastic bottles it comes in and it will keep for a year. If you buy a smaller amount, the shipping drives the price up until you might as well just buy retail and let the grocery store store it. I'm on a quite limited budget to start with and this ain't cheap :-( Hate to think what I am taking is not at least equivalent in efficacy to what they used in the trial. I'd be interested if anyone else has researched these issues and what they found out. -- Glowing in the Dark
From: I.P. Freely on 11 Jul 2006 20:47
Glowing in the Dark wrote: > On Tue, 11 Jul 2006 17:20:46 -0400, I.P. Freely wrote > (in article <_AUsg.31$2I3.4(a)fe02.lga>): > > [snip] > >> That said, I just bought some pomegranate juice. Unlike grapefruit >> juice, it (apparently) does not interfere with some common medications. > > So what brand did you buy ;-) I just wandered into Walmart and bought some Langer's 27% pomegranate juice to check out its taste. Tastes great, but its second ingredient is that dang high fructose corn syrup and it runs 140 calories per 8 oz. Two quarts cost < $3. Before I'd even consider paying real money for any such "treatment", I'd want to see proof it will benefit me, especially with my G8 cancer, which was blocked from the trials. Don't forget that many trials implied antioxidants fought cancer before bigger, more rigorous, longer trials shot 'em down. I.P. |