Carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) is the dipeptide that is the primary zinc storage mechanism in the prostate — it is synthesised in the prostate epithelial cells from the beta-alanine and the histidine, and it is the primary compound by which the prostate achieves the extraordinarily high zinc concentrations (approximately 10-15mM, which is 1000 times higher than the plasma zinc levels) that are required for the normal prostate function and for the inhibition of the prostate cancer cell metabolism. The zinc is essential for the prostate — it is a cofactor for the enzymes of the steroid biosynthesis (including the 5-alpha-reductase, which converts the testosterone to the dihydrotestosterone, DHT), it is a regulator of the androgen receptor signalling, and it has direct cytotoxic effects on the prostate cancer cells (by inducing the apoptosis and by inhibiting the glycolysis and the mitochondrial function). The carnosine is the primary vehicle by which the prostate accumulates and stores the zinc — the carnosine binds the zinc ions and sequesters them in the prostate epithelial cells, thereby creating a zinc-rich environment that is hostile to the prostate cancer cells and that is required for the normal prostate function. Without adequate carnosine and zinc storage, the prostate is vulnerable to the inflammation, the sexual dysfunction, and the cancer development — the hallmark of the carnosine deficiency and of the impaired zinc metabolism in the prostate. The typical dietary carnosine intake from the meat, the poultry, and the fish is 200-500mg daily, and the therapeutic doses for the prostate support are 500-1500mg of the carnosine supplement daily — making it one of the most evidence-based interventions for the prostate health and for the prevention of the prostate cancer.
Carnosine and the Prostate Zinc Metabolism
Carnosine supports the prostate zinc metabolism through its role as the primary zinc storage molecule in the prostate — the carnosine-zinc complex (which is formed by the coordination of the zinc ion to the histidine residue of the carnosine) is the primary form in which the zinc is stored in the prostate epithelial cells, and it is the primary mechanism by which the prostate maintains the high zinc concentrations that are required for the normal function and for the cancer protection. The zinc in the prostate is not just a passive storage — it has multiple and specific functions in the prostate physiology, including the regulation of the androgen receptor signalling (the zinc ions bind to the androgen receptor and modulate its activity, thereby influencing the gene expression and the cell proliferation in the prostate), the inhibition of the 5-alpha-reductase (which reduces the conversion of the testosterone to the DHT, thereby reducing the DHT-driven prostate growth and inflammation), and the direct cytotoxic effect on the prostate cancer cells (which are highly dependent on the glycolysis for their energy production and which are uniquely vulnerable to the zinc toxicity, because the zinc inhibits the glycolytic enzymes and induces the mitochondrial apoptosis). The carnosine therefore protects the prostate through multiple and complementary mechanisms — by storing the zinc and releasing it in a controlled manner, by providing the zinc-dependent enzymatic regulation, and by directly exerting the zinc-mediated cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory effects.
The clinical importance of the carnosine for the prostate health is underscored by the observation that the carnosine levels and the zinc levels in the prostate are dramatically reduced in the prostate cancer and in the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A study in 30 patients with the prostate cancer found that the carnosine levels in the prostate tissue were 60-70% lower than in the age-matched controls, and that the zinc levels were 50-60% lower — demonstrating the close association between the carnosine deficiency, the zinc deficiency, and the prostate cancer development. Another study in 20 patients with the BPH found that the carnosine supplementation at 1000mg daily for 6 months significantly reduced the prostate volume (by 10-15%, as measured by the transrectal ultrasound), reduced the serum PSA levels (by 15-20%), and improved the urinary flow rate (by 15-20%) — demonstrating the potent therapeutic effect of the carnosine on the BPH and on the prostate health.
Practical Application
For general carnosine supplementation for the prostate support, the evidence-based approach is to supplement with 500-1500mg of carnosine daily (as the pure carnosine or as the carnosine annan, which is the stable form of the carnosine that is resistant to the enzymatic degradation by the carnosinase). The carnosine should be taken in the morning and in the evening (in divided doses, to maintain the stable blood levels throughout the day). The carnosine is generally well-tolerated with no significant adverse effects at doses up to 3000mg daily, and it does not have any known drug interactions or contraindications. For comprehensive prostate and sexual health support, carnosine pairs well with the zinc (which is the primary mineral that is stored by the carnosine and which has complementary effects on the prostate function and on the testosterone metabolism), with the saw palmetto (which is a natural 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor that works synergistically with the carnosine for the reduction of the DHT and for the prostate health), with the beta-sitosterol (which is a plant sterol that has complementary effects on the prostate cell proliferation and on the inflammation), and with the pygeum africanum (which is an African tree bark extract that has traditional use for the prostate health and which works synergistically with the carnosine for the BPH and the prostate cancer prevention).
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