Lignans – Natural Sex Hormone Regulators

Lignans have been highly researched for their ability to mimic natural human hormones. When first identified in human secretions, lignans were thought to be a newly discovered class of human hormone. Ultimately researchers discovered that “mammalian” lignans could only be produced in the body through the dietary ingestion of “plant” lignans from vegetative food sources. When high-in-lignan foods are ingested, bacterial action in the colon converts plant lignans to biologically active mammalian lignans.

Particularly impactful is the ability for lignans to mimic human sex-hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. A strong physical resemblance between lignans and sex hormones make it possible for them to bind and occupy hormone receptors on the prostate. While lignans structurally resemble natural hormones, they do not have the power to provoke cancer sensitive cells. The effect of lignans on hormonally sensitive cells is 1,000 times less than that of testosterone and estrogen. With lignan fortification, the percentage of lignan vs. estrogen can be raised in the body to a ratio of 10,000-to-one. By significantly outnumbering estrogen and other steroidal hormones, lignans can bind to, and occupy a statistically significant percentage of hormone receptors on the prostate. With no place for the more powerful steroids to dock, they are merely eliminated in urine, feces or other secretion.

Body and Nature In Balance

Through what can only be attributed to the innate intelligence of the human body, lignans cannot fully saturate available receptor sites, but instead provide a near perfect hormonal balance. Therefore, healthful metabolic processes reliant upon hormonal balance remain intact. The result is a gentle balance between body and nature – just as nature intended. In fact, evidence exists to suggest that the body was purposely created or evolved to rely upon plant lignans to buffer human estrogens. Perhaps this is the reason why researchers are referring to lignans as nature’s “natural sex-hormone modulators.”

Complete Prostate Protection

Lignans offer the additional advantage of blockading enzyme systems that are instrumental for the development of prostatic disease. Research cites that lignans are capable of blocking an enzyme that converts testosterone to Dihydrotestosterone, (DHT). DHT is up to five-times as powerful as testosterone in promoting prostate disease.

Lignans block another enzyme (aromatase) that is responsible for converting testosterone to estrogen. Only about 33% of estrogen in males is synthesized and secreted by the testes. The remaining 67% is formed by the enzymatic conversion of testosterone to estrogen. When the enzyme is blocked, testosterone is spared because it is not being converted to estrogen. In what one could visualize as a see-saw like action, the ratio of testosterone to estrogen begins to move back in favor of testosterone. Sparing testosterone from conversion to other metabolites may hold greater implications than the obvious.

For example: A drop in testosterone is often correlated to a loss of muscle tone, strength and sexual libido. By preserving testosterone many men and women may be able to retain their youthful appearance and sexual vigor. In fact, agents that block the conversion of testosterone to estrogen have been shown to increase testosterone levels by as much as 10%. Speaking of sexuality, the surgical treatment of choice for prostatic disease is the leading cause of impotency in men over 50. This fact alone should be powerful motivation for men of all ages to consider a nutritional regime to lower the incidence of prostate cancer and Benign Prostatic Hypertropy (BPH).

Modern Diet Lacks Lignans

Unfortunately, researchers believe that the western world's digression from a lignan-rich diet, abundant in quality whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits, to a refined "Standard American Diet" may be a contributing factor in the escalation of prostate cancer.

Most men are not getting an appreciable amount of lignan in their everyday diet. The quantity of lignans in most food sources is fairly small, and the food sources highest in lignans are often missing. Even the most lignan rich foods (flax for example) can vary up to 300% in lignan content. Furthermore, because lignans pass through the human system within 24-48 hours, it is important to ingest adequate quantities of lignan daily to maintain their protective effect.

Prior to the industrial revolution, mankind had consumed a lignan-rich diet through natural and unrefined foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Such a diet had assisted in the natural elimination of excess estrogens, decreasing the possibility for health consequences related to these hormones.

With the industrial revolution came the processing of natural foods, with the result being a reduction of lignans in the food chain. Compound this with a shift in dietary patterns away from whole foods to refined and processed shelf-stable foods, and the result is a diet significantly lacking in lignans compared to approximately 100 years ago.

Lignans in Supplemental Form

PR_xOVAIL is the world's first and only commercially available lignan product, making it easy for men to raise their physiologic concentration of lignans with a single daily nutritional supplement.

PR_xOVAIL is concentrated, standardized, and purified from natural food sources to provide a guaranteed potency product at exacting dosages. The proprietary manufacturing methods used to produce PR_xOVAIL significantly concentrate lignans and additional phytochemicals, as well as accessory and antioxidant nutrients into a single capsule per day.

Though PR_xOVAIL is many hundred-fold higher in lignan concentration than most lignan-bearing natural foods, it has no known adverse side effects. PR_xOVAIL is the first and only product of its kind to have undergone stringent human, oral-dosing, pharmacokinetic studies to determine the optimal dose range to meet or exceed lignan concentration in men consuming a high-in-lignan diet and with a traditionally very low incidence of prostate disease.

Based on mounting scientific research and prevailing wisdom, we should aspire to ingest high-in-lignan foods and/or consider dietary supplementation with an enriched lignan-bearing product, such as PR_xOVAIL, in order to achieve lignan concentrations similar to individuals on a very conscientious or vegetarian diet.