Prostate vs. Plants

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All men should consider eating a prostate-healthy diet, which includes legumes (beans, peas, lentils, soy); certain vegetables (like garlic and onions); certain seeds (flax seeds); and the avoidance of refined grains, eggs, and poultry.

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According to a recent review, “The most notable development in the [epidemic of prostate enlargement and lower urinary tract symptoms] is the recognition that modifiable lifestyle factors substantially influence the natural history of these conditions.” There are the factors associated with increased risk: obesity, diabetes, meat and fat. And some associated with decreased risk: exercise, moderate alcohol consumption, and vegetables.

Which vegetables? Garlic and onions appear to help—I like how they call them onion “users.” Cooked vegetables appear to work better than raw, so maybe it’s the carotenoids. And legumes were also found protective: peas, beans, and lentils.

And flax seeds appear so powerful that they may be used to both prevent and treat the condition. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that found that flax phytonutrients not only alleviate BPH symptoms, but their efficacy appeared comparable to the drugs we spend a billion dollars on—without the side effects.

Flax seeds also work against prostate cancer. These researchers had men who were about to get their prostates removed eat three tablespoons of flax seeds a day for the few weeks before surgery. They were skeptical that they would observe any differences in tumor biology between the flax seed-fortified, diet-treated patients, and the controls, with such a short-term dietary intervention. But they found significantly lower cancer proliferation rates, and significantly higher rates of apoptotic cell death—the cancer cell suicide I’ve talked about. Thus, these findings suggest that a flax seed-supplemented, low-fat diet may have an effect on prostate cancer biology.

Just a few things have been found associated with significantly increased risk for the disease: refined grains, like white bread; also, eggs, and poultry—which appeared even worse than red meat or desserts!

“Although these data are observational and [more research is necessary], there is little, if any, downside to promotion of healthy lifestyle interventions – weight loss, exercise, decreasing meat and fat intakes, and increasing vegetable intake – among those with [prostate problems], particularly since these interventions possess proven benefits to overall and cardiovascular health.”

And how about before you’re a prostate patient? “Lifestyle habits associated with a decreased risk of developing clinical BPH are also highly likely to be beneficial in reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. For this reason, urologists should encourage all men to undertake a prostate-healthy lifestyle.”

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Kerry Skinner.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Images thanks to Dr. T. M. Joseph 

According to a recent review, “The most notable development in the [epidemic of prostate enlargement and lower urinary tract symptoms] is the recognition that modifiable lifestyle factors substantially influence the natural history of these conditions.” There are the factors associated with increased risk: obesity, diabetes, meat and fat. And some associated with decreased risk: exercise, moderate alcohol consumption, and vegetables.

Which vegetables? Garlic and onions appear to help—I like how they call them onion “users.” Cooked vegetables appear to work better than raw, so maybe it’s the carotenoids. And legumes were also found protective: peas, beans, and lentils.

And flax seeds appear so powerful that they may be used to both prevent and treat the condition. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that found that flax phytonutrients not only alleviate BPH symptoms, but their efficacy appeared comparable to the drugs we spend a billion dollars on—without the side effects.

Flax seeds also work against prostate cancer. These researchers had men who were about to get their prostates removed eat three tablespoons of flax seeds a day for the few weeks before surgery. They were skeptical that they would observe any differences in tumor biology between the flax seed-fortified, diet-treated patients, and the controls, with such a short-term dietary intervention. But they found significantly lower cancer proliferation rates, and significantly higher rates of apoptotic cell death—the cancer cell suicide I’ve talked about. Thus, these findings suggest that a flax seed-supplemented, low-fat diet may have an effect on prostate cancer biology.

Just a few things have been found associated with significantly increased risk for the disease: refined grains, like white bread; also, eggs, and poultry—which appeared even worse than red meat or desserts!

“Although these data are observational and [more research is necessary], there is little, if any, downside to promotion of healthy lifestyle interventions – weight loss, exercise, decreasing meat and fat intakes, and increasing vegetable intake – among those with [prostate problems], particularly since these interventions possess proven benefits to overall and cardiovascular health.”

And how about before you’re a prostate patient? “Lifestyle habits associated with a decreased risk of developing clinical BPH are also highly likely to be beneficial in reducing the risk of erectile dysfunction, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. For this reason, urologists should encourage all men to undertake a prostate-healthy lifestyle.”

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Kerry Skinner.

Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.

Images thanks to Dr. T. M. Joseph 

Doctor's Note

For background on BPH (enlarged prostate), a condition that affects millions of men, see Some Prostates Are Larger than Others. If flax seeds alone can so dramatically affect prostate cancer cell growth, what about an entire diet based on plants? See Is It the Diet, the Exercise, or Both? and Ex Vivo Cancer Proliferation Bioassay. Prostate vs a Plant-Based Diet explores that same question for BPH. What else can flax seeds do? See Breast Cancer Survival and Lignan Intake; Flax and Fecal Flora; and Just the Flax, Ma’am. What about garlic and onions? See New Mineral Absorption Enhancers Found; and Pretty in Pee-nk. We’ve seen the poultry’s-the-worst story before: EPIC Findings on Lymphoma; Poultry and Penis Cancer; Poultry Exposure and Neurological Disease; and Chicken Dioxins, Viruses, or Antibiotics?

For further context, be sure to check out my associated blog posts: Treating an Enlarged Prostate With Diet; Vegan Men: More Testosterone But Less Cancer;  Pollutants in Californian Breast Tissue; Flax Seeds for Prostate Cancer; and Treating Breast Pain with Flax Seeds.

Update – In 2022, I put out a new video you might be interested in: Natural Dietary Treatments for Enlarged Prostate BPH.

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