Pomegranate juice

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Anna Meyer - 11 Jul 2006 20:14 GMT

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

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Glowing in the Dark - 11 Jul 2006 20:31 GMT

> 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
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> 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.

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Glowing in the Dark

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I.P. Freely - 11 Jul 2006 22:20 GMT

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.

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Glowing in the Dark - 11 Jul 2006 23:12 GMT

[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.

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I.P. Freely - 12 Jul 2006 01:45 GMT

> [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.

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NICK - 12 Jul 2006 05:43 GMT

> Langer's 27% pomegranate juice to check out its taste.
> but its second ingredient is that dang high fructose corn
> syrup and it runs 140 calories per 8 oz.

High fructose corn syrup is bad, bad, bad for you,
not just from the calories.

The soda pop companies are killing Americans.

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Johnhamcoex - 12 Jul 2006 16:13 GMT

> 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
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> the concentration is done by heating the raw juice to drive off the water. I
> would think that the heat would affect the polyphenols.

I'm buying Lakewood juice. I found it at Whole Foods. It is organic and
NOT from concentrate and a little cheaper than POM.

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