Research Suggests That Vegetarian Diets Decrease Prostate Cancer Risk
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, affecting an estimated 3.2 million men in the country. While we don’t know exactly what causes prostate cancer, risk factors for the disease include age, family history, diet, obesity and ethnicity.
Research has indicated that there may be some association between obesity and diet and the prevalence of prostate cancer. These past studies suggest that regular exercise and a balanced diet may help to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Urologist Dr. Stephen Freedland, director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle, recently conducted a study to determine if diet could have an effect on prostate cancer risk. More specifically, Freedland and his colleagues were interested in finding out if eating a plant-only diet had any effect on one’s risk of developing prostate cancer. The researchers analyzed the results of a comprehensive review of the body of literature on prostate cancer risk and plant-based diets.
They found that in addition to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, vegetarian diets also had the potential to improve prostate cancer outcomes.
Generally, vegetarian diets have proven to be effective at increasing cancer protection and boosting overall health. This is thanks to a variety of anti-cancer compounds such as tannins, resveratrol, and flavonoids that occur in plants naturally. As a result, subsisting on a plant-based diet can provide individuals with a constant supply of anticancer compounds and potentially limit their risk of developing prostate cancer. In comparison to eating meat, which produces two kinds of carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines, a vegetarian diet seems to be much healthier.
According to the researchers, their analysis revealed that meat eaters developed prostate cancer at a higher rate than plant eaters; 60% of the interventional studies the researchers reviewed also showed that plant eaters exhibited a slower buildup of prostate-specific antigens (PSA) compared to meat eaters. Higher PSA levels tend to be indicative of worsening or recurring prostate cancer in men who had already received treatment for the disease.
The researchers used the presence of elevated PSA levels coupled with better health outcomes for prostate cancer patients who only eat plants to develop the conclusion that a plant diet could have anti-cancer properties. However, Freedland stated that large-scale clinical trials will be needed to determine if there is actually a connection between vegetarian diets and a diminished risk of developing prostate cancer.
As studies are undertaken to understand how different cancers start and grow, effort is also being directed by entities such as QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) to develop better treatments for people who are already afflicted with these conditions.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QSAM
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the BioMedWire website applicable to all content provided by BMW, wherever published or re-published: http://BMW.fm/Disclaimer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in American men, affecting an estimated 3.2 million men in the country. While we don’t know exactly what causes prostate cancer, risk factors for the disease include age, family history, diet, obesity and ethnicity.
Research has indicated that there may be some association between obesity and diet and the prevalence of prostate cancer. These past studies suggest that regular exercise and a balanced diet may help to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Urologist Dr. Stephen Freedland, director of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Center for Integrated Research in Cancer and Lifestyle, recently conducted a study to determine if diet could have an effect on prostate cancer risk. More specifically, Freedland and his colleagues were interested in finding out if eating a plant-only diet had any effect on one’s risk of developing prostate cancer. The researchers analyzed the results of a comprehensive review of the body of literature on prostate cancer risk and plant-based diets.
They found that in addition to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, vegetarian diets also had the potential to improve prostate cancer outcomes.
Generally, vegetarian diets have proven to be effective at increasing cancer protection and boosting overall health. This is thanks to a variety of anti-cancer compounds such as tannins, resveratrol, and flavonoids that occur in plants naturally. As a result, subsisting on a plant-based diet can provide individuals with a constant supply of anticancer compounds and potentially limit their risk of developing prostate cancer. In comparison to eating meat, which produces two kinds of carcinogens called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic amines, a vegetarian diet seems to be much healthier.
According to the researchers, their analysis revealed that meat eaters developed prostate cancer at a higher rate than plant eaters; 60% of the interventional studies the researchers reviewed also showed that plant eaters exhibited a slower buildup of prostate-specific antigens (PSA) compared to meat eaters. Higher PSA levels tend to be indicative of worsening or recurring prostate cancer in men who had already received treatment for the disease.
The researchers used the presence of elevated PSA levels coupled with better health outcomes for prostate cancer patients who only eat plants to develop the conclusion that a plant diet could have anti-cancer properties. However, Freedland stated that large-scale clinical trials will be needed to determine if there is actually a connection between vegetarian diets and a diminished risk of developing prostate cancer.
As studies are undertaken to understand how different cancers start and grow, effort is also being directed by entities such as QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) to develop better treatments for people who are already afflicted with these conditions.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to QSAM Biosciences Inc. (OTCQB: QSAM) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/QSAM
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the BioMedWire website applicable to all content provided by BMW, wherever published or re-published: http://BMW.fm/Disclaimer
