Study: Vegan Diet Cuts Prostate Cancer Risk

[Guest guest]

Nice example of non-animal, clinical research with

humans that yields useful, species-relevant data.

 

 

Source > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/782959.stm

 

Thursday, 8 June, 2000, 15:45 GMT 16:45 UK Vegan diet

'cuts prostate cancer risk'

A vegan diet might lower the risk of developing

prostate cancer, say researchers.

 

 

 

 

They have found that men who eat a vegan diet have

lower levels of a growth factor that is associated

with prostate cancer than either meat-eaters or

vegetarians.

 

The research's publication comes after controversy

about claims that dairy-free diets prevent breast

cancer.

 

Earlier studies have suggested that the risk of

prostate cancer is increased by high levels of the

growth factor IGF-I.

 

Other research has shown that prostate cancer rates

are generally low in countries with a low consumption

of meat and dairy products.

 

The new study, by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund's

Cancer Epidemiology Unit in Oxford, reveals IGF-I

levels are 9% lower in vegans than in meat-eaters.

 

First evidence

 

Dr Tim Key, senior scientist at the charity, said:

" Previous studies have shown that men with prostate

cancer have higher levels of IGF-I and that even small

differences in the circulating level are predictive of

prostate cancer risk.

 

" Our study shows that the circulating level of IGF-I

is different in vegan men than it is in non-vegans,

including vegetarians.

 

" The lower levels of IGF-I found in vegan men might

reduce their risk of prostate cancer. "

 

There has been much coverage in the media about the

possible effect of a dairy-free diet on breast and

prostate cancer risk.

 

The study, carried out in 696 British men, also found

IGF-1 levels were slightly lower in vegetarians than

meat-eaters.

 

 

The men in the study were taken from a larger European

study (EPIC), which is looking at the relationship

between diet and cancer to follow-up and check for

prostate cancer in men with different dietary habits.