AN HONEST TALK ABOUT PROSTATE HEALTH AND BCP

At a recent event I was asked if our products containing Beta Caryophyllene (BCP) were any good for the prostate— I truthfully couldn’t answer, so I did some digging, and here’s what I found :-

Natural Ways to Support the Prostate

When it comes to prostate health, there’s always interest in natural ways to support the body. Since our Canna Oils Ultra is widely used for stress, systematic balance, and inflammation, it’s a fair question: could it also benefit the prostate?

What the research says

I went digging into the scientific studies, and here’s the simple truth:

• Beta-caryophyllene (BCP) is a natural compound found in black pepper, cloves, oregano, and many other plants.“E)-β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a natural sesquiterpene hydrocarbon present in hundreds of plant species”  
  Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Quarello 15/a, 10135 Turin, Italy.
• BCP works mainly by activating the CB2 receptor in the endocannabinoid system (ECS). That activation can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress – two processes that play a big role in many prostate issues.  
  •   “…β-caryophyllene, a dietary phytocannabinoid, possesses a neuroprotective capability through decreasing oxidative stress and stabilizing mitochondria ….” 
    Hammad Ullah, A. Di Minno, Cristina Santarcangelo, H. Khan, M. Daglia Antioxidants·2021 “Oxidative stress damage to the prostatic tissue is not only limited to the structure and function of the proteins, but also to alterations in the DNA repair machinery and post-translational modifications” 
    Thierry Roumeguère Joseph Sfeir Elie El Rassy Simone Albisinni Pierre van Antwerpen Karim Zouaoui Boudjeltia Nassim Farès Joseph Kattan Fouad Aoun September 19, 2017 
• Some studies show that BCP (and its close cousin, beta-caryophyllene oxide) can slow the growth of certain cancer cells, including prostate cancer cells in test-tube studies.
  • “Cells treated with BCP, in a dose-dependent manner, exhibited morphological changes, showed lower cell growth, underwent apoptosis and lost the ability to metastasis through the suppression of NF-ҡ B via PI3K/AKT signalling pathway. These results elucidate that the inhibition of NF-ҡ B and PI3K/AKT is one of the most important mechanism by which BCP suppresses cancer cell proliferation and enhances  apoptosis”  
    Duraisamy Ramachandhiran, C. Sankaranarayanan, Raju Murali, Sukumar Babukumar, V. Vinothkumar Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry·2019
• BCP has also been shown to enhance antioxidant defences and lower markers of stress and inflammation in the body.
  • “Experimental results show the ability of BCP to reduce pro-inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), thus ameliorating chronic pathologies characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress, in particular metabolic and neurological diseases.” 
    Rosaria Scandiffio, Federica Geddo, Erika Cottone, Giulia Querio, Susanna Antoniotti, Maria Pia Gallo, Massimo E Maffei, Patrizia Bovolin 26 October 2020

What the research does not say

There are currently no clinical trials in humans proving that BCP can prevent or treat prostate problems like enlargement (BPH), prostatitis, or prostate cancer.

What this means for you

• While the science is exciting, it’s still early days. We can’t claim that BCP is a proven treatment for prostate conditions.
• HOWEVER, because BCP is well-known for supporting a healthy inflammatory balance and oxidative stress response, it may still be a useful ally for overall wellbeing, which indirectly supports prostate health too.
• Importantly, BCP is considered safe and non-psychoactive, making it a gentle, natural option to include in your daily wellness routine.

The bottom line

I hope that this was helpful to someone, and even though there’s no DIRECT correlation to prostate health, the INDIRECT benefits of lowered inflammation, reduced oxidative stress and overall better wellness are still a great reason to incorporate Canna Oils Ultra into your prostate health toolkit!!!

Disclaimer:  The information in this post is for reference purposes only and not intended to constitute or replace professional medical advice or personal research. Please consult a qualified medical professional before making any changes to your diet, medications or lifestyle. Effects are provided as a guide only.  Statements have not been evaluated by the TGA.