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Experts at the Mayo Clinic analysed the results of 47 studies that delved into the link between diet and the disease. They found men who regularly ate dairy were between seven to 76 per cent more likely to get prostate cancer. However, the results on cheese, milk and butter have thrown up mixed results and the risk is thought to be small.
It is thought eating large quantities of dairy increases the amount of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) inside the body. The protein interacts with cells and causes a ‘cascade of reactions’, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International. Prostate Cancer UK says the link between the disease and dairy products ‘might be because of the calcium in them’ – but added that scientists don’t know for certain.
But the charity warns it is important to get 700mg of calcium – three glasses of milk – each day to ‘keep your bones healthy’. The review, which analysed studies published since 2006, was published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. Dr John Shin, lead author, has now called for more trials to investigate the link between dairy products and prostate cancer.Discussing the findings, he said: ‘Our review highlighted a cause for concern with high consumption of dairy products.
’The results did not say what amount of dairy was linked to an increased risk. Results also showed men who stuck to plant-based diets were less likely to develop prostate cancer.The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends a plant-based diet to slash the risk of cancer because of the ‘protective nutrients’. The study found no link to an increased risk of prostate cancer from other animal-based foods, such as red and white meat or fish. Dr Shin and colleagues pointed out the rate of prostate cancer is higher in Western countries, where people tend to consume more dairy.
More than 47,000 men each year are diagnosed with prostate cancer in Britain. The disease claims the lives of 11,000 people each year. Figures show around 175,000 men are diagnosed with the killer disease each year in the US. Some 30,000 people die from it each year. Professor Tom Sanders, an expert in nutrition and dietetics at King’s College London, said: ‘The methods used in this review suffer from a number of weaknesses.’ Dr David Montgomery, director of research at Prostate Cancer UK said: ‘This paper has reviewed some of the previous studies which looked at whether certain foods have an impact on prostate cancer risk.
Source: The Sun