A side-effect of Lupron, Trelstar, etc. is muscle loss. The December 2009 edition of “Nutrition Action” speaks favorably of the compound “creatine” as a “safe” aid to muscle-building. But is it “safe” for someone with advanced prostate cancer? I’d like to not lose any more muscle than I already have, but I don’t want to do anything that might work against Trelstar’s holding my cancer in place. Any thoughts on creatine and prostate cancer? Thanks much.

Creatine will not maintain muscle but it will help you have better workouts. Another words, it provides energy to muscle so that if you bench pressing, for example, you can get an extra repetition or two and stimulate the muscle more. Whey protein is what you should use to provide muscles with good protein. A good source is Designs for Health – paleomeal or Whey cool. Lastly, you want to exercise 4 to 6 times a week – include some type of resistance exercises (weightlifting) about 3 times a week.

Ask Dr. Espinosa

Geo Espinosa, N.D., L.Ac, CNS, RH (AHG) is the Director of the Integrative Urological Center at New York University Langone Medical Center. Before joining NYU, Dr. Espinosa was a clinician, researcher and director of clinical trials at the Center for Holistic Urology at Columbia University Medical Center. He is a licensed naturopathic doctor, licensed acupuncturist, a Certified Nutrition Specialist and a Registered Herbalist. Dr. Espinosa is an author of the naturopathic entry in 1000 Cures for 200 ailments, by Harper Collins; March 2007 and “Prostate cancer – Nutrients that may slow its progression,” Food and Nutrients in Disease Management - Maryland: Cadmus Publishing, 2009.

Ask Dr. Myers

Medical oncologist and prostate cancer survivor, Dr Charles "Snuffy" Myers was a key player in creating AZT, Suranim, and Phenylacetate while working at the National Institute of Health. With over 250 research papers published, Myers is one of the leading developers of today's prostate cancer canon on both the research and treatment side of the test tube. Former Cancer Director at the University of Virginia, Myers opened the American Institute for Diseases of the Prostate in 2002 to provide men with the kind of comprehensive care that saved his own life. Dr. Myers has long been popular among prostate cancer patients as a speaker because of his ability to explain science and medicine in easy-to-understand language.

Ask Dr. Latini

Dr. Latini welcomes your questions about the psycho-social dimensions of Prostate Cancer, particularly those presented by Gay and Bisexual men. Dr. Latini is an assistant professor of urology at Baylor College of Medicine. Before joining Baylor, he spent six years in the Department of Urology at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Latini is a clinical health psychologist whose work concentrates on cancer survivorship and symptom management for persons living with genitourinary cancer.