Blood PSA levels correlate with the risk of developing prostate conditions. Studies have demonstrated a link between PSA levels and cholesterol levels.
Lowering cholesterol levels is beneficial not only for reducing the risk of cardiovascular conditions but may also contribute to lowering elevated PSA levels.
Strategies to lower cholesterol help improve overall health, including prostate health.
What is PSA?
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a protein made only by cells within the prostate gland. It is released by the prostate into the semen to help liquefy it and promote sperm cells’ movement. Generally, PSA leaves the body in semen, but small amounts can leak into the bloodstream.
A range of factors can influence the blood level of PSA. For instance, age, size of the prostate, and tissue integrity of the prostate influence the amount of PSA leaking into the bloodstream.
Healthy men have low amounts of PSA in their blood compared to those with prostate conditions. Disruption of prostate tissue due to inflammation, infection, enlargement, or cancer increases the amount of PSA leaking into the circulation.
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What is the significance of high PSA levels?
The level of PSA in the blood is a useful marker for prostate health. PSA level can increase through several genitourinary states, including disease and normal function. High levels may indicate prostatitis (prostate inflammation), benign prostate hyperplasia (prostate enlargement), urinary infection, prostate cancer, or recent ejaculation.
Since cancer and several non-cancerous conditions increase blood PSA, its use in monitoring prostate health is controversial.
For prostate cancer, high PSA levels may also indicate cancer progression and can be used to guide treatment decisions. Since cancer and several non-cancerous conditions increase blood PSA, its use in monitoring prostate health is controversial.
A man can have one or more of these conditions and develop prostate cancer. Independently, PSA levels are not a good measure of prostate diseases. Your medical team will need to assess other risk factors and tests to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Cholesterol and PSA Levels
Cholesterol, a steroidal lipid, is an essential precursor in androgen synthesis (Freeman and Solomon, 2004). Androgens (testosterone) are made from DHEA, which is produced from cholesterol through a four-step process.
One mechanism for PSA production regulation involves the conversion of free testosterone to the potent Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and DHT binding to the androgen receptor to mediate the production of PSA (Murtha et al., 1993).
Consistently, androgen deprivation therapy and statin treatment both decrease PSA levels. After beginning statin treatment to lower LDL cholesterol levels, men experience an up to 40% reduction in PSA level (Sidaway, 2015). Some studies suggest that for every 10% decrease in cholesterol due to statin, PSA levels reduce by 1.6 ng/ml. These observations support the role of cholesterol in PSA production.
However, the relationship between cholesterol and PSA levels seems to occur in white but not black men (Sidaway, 2015). In white men, high serum PSA correlates with total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels.
Studies have not consistently demonstrated an association between total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol levels in black men. It is noteworthy that a significant proportion of studies examining the association between cholesterol and PSA employed statin treatment to lower LDL cholesterol levels.
Thus, it is possible that statins directly reduce PSA levels rather than solely through the reduction of cholesterol. Indeed, statins exhibit other functions, including reducing inflammation. We need further studies to show that elevated cholesterol causes an increase in PSA levels conclusively.
Can Lowering Your Cholesterol Levels Lower Your PSA Levels?
Recent research studies suggest that reducing cholesterol, particularly LDL cholesterol, may be associated with lower PSA levels. This relationship depends on individual characteristics, such as ethnicity (Sidaway, 2015).
It is not definitively known that cholesterol levels correlate with PSA across all ethnicity (Sidaway, 2015). Men with high PSA levels have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate. Thus, lowering PSA levels is useful for improving prostate health.
However, it remains unclear what impact reducing PSA levels through cholesterol reduction treatment would have on the risk of developing prostate diseases.
How to lower cholesterol
High cholesterol negatively impacts health, including increased risk of cardiovascular complications, risk of metabolic syndrome, and promotes cancer development.
Several lifestyle changes and medications are effective in lowering cholesterol levels, and these strategies may also contribute to preventing the development of prostate conditions.
Lifestyle changes
Regular physical activity, healthy diet, and statins are some of the ways that reduce cholesterol to healthy levels.
Regular physical activity can improve cholesterol. Regular physical activity can reduce LDL cholesterol and simultaneously increase HDL cholesterol (considered good cholesterol). Extra weight contributes to high cholesterol, and regular exercise is the best way to consistently lose those extra pounds.
Concerning prostate health, there is evidence that losing weight reduce PSA levels and modify the risk of developing prostate conditions (Prezioso et al., 2007).
Alongside regular physical activity, reducing daily calorie intake and maintaining a balanced diet can contribute to lowering cholesterol levels. A low-fat diet rich in fruit and vegetables improves prostate health. Finally, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption can improve HDL cholesterol. The benefits of both lifestyle changes seem to occur quickly.
Medication
Doctors recommend cholesterol-lowering medications if your cholesterol level has not gone down after dietary and lifestyle changes. It is also a preferred option for patients with an increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Your doctor will recommend the most appropriate medicine, depending on your clinical characteristics. Statins are the most common treatment for lowering cholesterol levels. Statins, the most common treatment for lowering cholesterol levels, work by reducing the production of cholesterol in the body. Other medications for high cholesterol include fibrates, resins, and alirocumab, which your doctor may consider if statins prove ineffective.
Supplements
Lowering cholesterol through the discussed lifestyle changes may be challenging. In addition to physical activity and dietary changes, natural supplements may help improve your cholesterol profile. Some of the well-researched natural supplements and studies are listed below.
Conclusion
An elevated PSA is not the cause of prostate disease, and instead, it is an indicator of prostate state and health. High cholesterol links with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Studies suggest that elevated cholesterol levels are associated with increased blood PSA levels, indicating a potential negative influence on prostate health, particularly with regard to LDL cholesterol.
Lowering cholesterol levels is desirable, and methods promoting prostate health, such as lifestyle changes including regular physical activity and a healthy diet, are effective in achieving this goal.
In some cases, medications and supplements may be necessary to effectively reduce cholesterol levels and optimize the balance between HDL and LDL cholesterol.
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