Nothing is more American than backyard grilling in the summer, but this All-American pastime may have serious health consequences. Barbecuing meat, particularly red meat, creates certain chemicals which can have carcinogenic effects. Prostate cancers and other types of cancer may occur more frequently in people who eat grilled meat regularly.
Causes
The chemical culprits that could increase your risk of prostate cancer if you eat grilled red meat frequently include heterocyclic amines, or HCAs and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. Both chemicals can cause cell mutations that lead to cancer. Two different processes create these chemicals. Cooking meat over high temperatures creates HCAs, which form when creatine, found in meat muscle, sugars and amino acids react. Meat cooked at high temperature is the main source of HCAs. The process that creates PAHs starts when fat from the meat drips on the hot coals or heating element. The smoke this process creates contains PAHs, which then stick to the meat.
Effects
A study presented in the April 2007 issue of "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention" looked at the HCA in prostate cells related to grilled meat intake. The study, reported by lead author Deliang Tang of Columbia University, found that presence of an HCA called 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, or PhlP, in prostate cells correlated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Men who ate grilled red meat, most specifically hamburger, were most likely to have been diagnosed with prostate cancer. A 2009 National Cancer Institute study reported in the "American Journal of Epidemiology" reported similar results.
Study Issues
It's difficult to assess the exact amount of exposure to HCA and PAH people get when eating grilled meats, since cooking time and methods can vary. Since studies of this type rely on dietary questionnaires, results can be skewed by faulty memory or imprecise estimations of the amount of doneness of meat or length of cooking time. You can also be exposed to PAH from cigarette smoke or other environmental sources, such as car exhaust.
Reducing Risks
While avoiding grilled red meat might be the best alternative, particularly if you're at risk of developing prostate cancer, certain steps can reduce your HCA and PAH intake. Marinating meat before cooking it reduces HCAs, the University of Alabama reports. Using lean meats and cooking meats for less time can also reduce the risk. Don't eat charred parts of the meat.
References
- National Cancer Institute: Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk
- "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention": Grilled Meat Consumption and PhIP-DNA Adducts in Prostate Carcinogenesis; Deliang Tang et al; April 2007
- "American Journal of Epidemiology:" Meat and Meat-related Compounds and Risk of Prostate Cancer in a Large Prospective Cohort Study in the United States; Rashmi Sinha et al; Oct. 6, 2009
- UAB Medicine: Grilled Foods (Health Risks)
