Magnesium and zinc in the prostate

CP/CPPS is currently not connected with magnesium or zinc insufficiency, but the prostate is the most zinc and magnesium-rich organ in the body (up to 20 times higher concentration than in other organs). Magnesium is essential for seminal fluid quality and sperm "survival" and uro-genital health. A study (1) has shown that magnesium levels were significantly decreased in the seminal plasma of normozoospermic chronic prostatitis sufferers. But other studies have shown no such correlation(2). Zinc is essential for sperm quality, prostate and uro-genital health in general (3,4) and also for health in general.

Plasma zinc levels are below normal in patients with malignancies (decreased about 60-70%), but above normal in patients with benign hyperplasia and chronic prostatitis(5). Levels in controls is 94.5±10.38 µg/100 ml; with benign diseases of the prostate between 145 and 173 µg/100 ml (highest in BPH) and patients with malignancy 59.6±3.08 µg/100 ml(6).

It is unclear if the raised zinc levels are causing the illness or are an effect thereof(7). Anecdotal data suggest zinc supplementation may improve semen abnormalities.
Both minerals are tightly regulated in the body and not stored (if one does not include the skeleton).

(Curiously MgCl was suggested in France before WWII as an effective diuretic and uro-prostatic function "corrector" [J. Favier, "Equilibre mineral et sante", Librairie Le François, 1951]. Which is popular to mention on self-help and altmed sites.)

Andra bloggar om CPPS, kroniskt bäckenbottensmärtsyndrom, prostata
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(1) Edorh AP, Tachev K, Hadou T, Gbeassor M, Sanni A, Creppy EE, Le Faou A, Rihn BH. Magnesium content in seminal fluid as an indicator of chronic prostatitis. Cell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand). 2003;49 Online Pub:OL419-23.
(2) Colleen S, Mårdh PA, Schytz A. Magnesium and zinc in seminal fluid of healthy males and patients with non-acute prostatitis with and without gonorrhoea. Scand J Urol Nephrol 9:192-197, 1975.
(3) "Zinc: a key urological element" by IM Bush et al., presentation at the 1974 AMA annual meeting, Chicago, USA
(4) Yan M, Song Y, Wong CP, Hardin K, Ho E. Zinc deficiency alters DNA damage response genes in normal human prostate epithelial cells. J Nutr 138:667-673, 2008.
(5) Goel and Sankwhar, Comparative study of zinc levels in benign and malignant lesions of the prostate, Scand J Urol Nephrol, 108-12, 2006
(6) Goel T, Sankhwar S. Comparative study of zinc levels in benign and malignant lesions of the prostate. Scand J of Urology and Nephrology, 40(2):108-112, 2006.
(7) Antibacterial effect of intraprostatic zinc injection in a rat model of chronic bacterial prostatitis by YH Cho et al., Int J Antimicrob Agents 19:576-582, 2002