Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancers found in men, second only to skin cancer in prevalence. Typically striking males older than 50, prostate cancer is generally treatable if you catch it early, and is characterized by symptoms such as difficult urination, bloody or pus-filled urine, pelvic pain and unintended weight loss. Although prostate cancer is not caused exclusively by nutritional factors, adopting a vegan diet may be one way to reduce your risk for this disease.
Definition
Vegan diets are based on plant foods such as grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, tubers, nuts and seeds, the Vegetarian Resource Group explains. This form of strict vegetarianism eschews any foods of animal origin, including meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs and honey. Because vegans do not consume foods with naturally occurring vitamin D or vitamin B-12, vegan diets should either include supplements or foods fortified with these nutrients.
Benefits
Adopting a balanced, low-fat vegan diet may offer protection against prostate cancer. According to a study published in the December 2008 issue of "Urology," men with early-stage prostate cancer were able to avoid or delay conventional treatment by consuming low-fat, plant-based diets, engaging in exercise and reducing their stress levels. Additional research published in the September 2006 issue of "Integrative Cancer Therapies" suggests that plant-based diets may lower levels of prostate-specific antigen, the main indicator of prostate cancer progression. Although the mechanisms aren't completely understood, vegan diets may help fight prostate cancer growth by lowering insulin secretion, reducing levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 and increasing activity of the hormone glucagon.
Drawbacks
Although strict vegan diets may lower your risk of prostate cancer or reduce its progression, diets that exclude all animal products may result in nutritional deficiencies if not adequately planned. The Vegetarian Resource Group notes that vegans should take care to eat foods rich in omega-3 fats, iron, zinc and calcium, which tend to be low on vegan diets, and should also find fortified foods or supplements containing vitamin B-12 and vitamin D, which do not naturally occur in plant foods.
Considerations
Even if you don't adopt a completely vegan diet, increasing your intake of nutritious plant foods may slash your risk of prostate cancer. A study published in "Nutrition and Cancer" in 1999 found that higher intakes of green vegetables, tomatoes, lentils, nuts, beans and cruciferous vegetables was associated with lower occurrences of prostate cancer. Adding these foods to your diet may help protect against this disease, even if you don't exclude all animal products from your diet.
References
- FamilyDoctor.org: Prostate Cancer
- The Vegetarian Resource Group: Veganism in a Nutshell
- "Urology"; Clinical Events in Prostate Cancer Lifestyle Trial: Results From Two Years of Follow-Up; Joanne Frattaroli, et al.; December 2008
- "Integrative Cancer Therapies"; Adoption of a Plant-Based Diet by Patients with Recurrent Prostate Cancer; Jacquelyn Y. Nguyen; September 2006
- "Medical Hypotheses"; Vegan Proteins May Reduce Risk of Cancer, Obesity, and Cardiovascular Disease by Promoting Increased Glucagon Activity; M. F. McCarty; December 1999
- "Nutrition and Cancer"; Plant Foods, Antioxidants, and Prostate Cancer Risk: Findings from Case-Control Studies in Canada; M. G. Jain; 1999
