By James Culp
www.prostaide.org
As men age, they become increasingly likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, there are a few prevention measures that can be taken to decrease risk. Selenium supplementation has recently found strong support, as has greater consumption of fatty fish. Certain kinds of foods such as BBQ can actually increase risk, and foods containing soybeans can decrease risk. All of this is good to know, but does the evidence actually support any of these prostate cancer prevention methods?
The answer is a resounding "yes" for selenium supplementation. After several scientific studies, supplementing with 200 micro grams of selenium per day can cut prostate cancer risk in half. A current study entitled SELECT (Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial) will more conclusively answer questions about the combination of vitamin E and selenium. SELECT is expected to be concluded in 2013.
For now, it is well established that selenium is one of the best ways to decrease one's chances of getting prostate cancer (J Natl Cancer Inst, Vol. 96, May 5, 2004, 696-703) (J Natl Cancer Inst, Vol. 96, May 5, 2004, 645-47).
Another supplementation that has been studied quite extensively are fish oil supplements. Men who daily consumed at least 470 milligrams of fish oil were less likely to develop prostate cancer than men who consumed less than 125 milligrams per day. However, studies have shown that the benefit is more likely to come from eating actual fatty fish, such as tuna and salmon, as opposed to taking supplements. This may be due to the absence of certain required vitamins in the supplementation (Am J Clin Nutr, Vol. 80, July 2004, 204-16). Adding fatty fish to the diet may be a way to move outside the risk zone, but there are a few foods which should be removed from the diet to even further increase prevention.
These foods are meats cooked at high temperature, such as BBQ and fried foods. There is some evidence that a compound called PhIP, which has been shown to be carcinogenic in only animals so far, is produced when meat is cooked very quickly. Although the evidence is inconclusive so far as to whether PhIP can produce cancer in humans, a prudent strategy may be to cut down on such foods in the diet. In addition to this, there is one other food choice that can be added.
It's a chemical called genistein, and it's found in plant tissue. It can be consumed in food made from soybeans, such as tofu and miso soup. So far, evidence shows that it can stop cancer growth by blocking the activity of chemicals in the body's cells that control growth and cellular division. Although animal studies are continuing, research into the effects on humans is in its infancy (Lancet, Vol. 361, March 8, 2003, 859-64).
While age is the major contributor to prostate cancer risk (80% of men of age 80 will get prostate cancer), there are quite a few small dietary changes that can increase the likelihood that men will fall into that small percentage that will never get the disease. And these are not life-altering changes, either.
Adding a 200 micro grams per day selenium supplement, eating more tuna and salmon, decreasing consumption of quickly-cooked meat such as BBQ and fried meat, and increasing soybean consumption can all contribute to cancer prevention. Of course, any supplementation such as with selenium should be discussed with a doctor first, as some prescription medications can have interactions with certain supplements.
Prostate Health
