Prostate cancer
From The Nutritional Health Bible by Linda Lazarides (1997). This free database is provided for interest only. Linda's later writings refer to more up-to-date research.
Some causative factors- Cadmium toxicity
- Deficiency of plant foods rich in carotenes and isoflavones
- Selenium deficiency
- Zinc deficiency.
In a study on 47,894 subjects it was found that higher intakes of foods rich in the carotenoid lycopene (mainly tomato products) were associated with lower rates of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 87(23):1767-76, 1995.
Isoflavonoid (plant oestrogen) levels in blood samples were compared in Japanese and Finnish men. Levels were 7-110 times higher in the Japanese men. since isoflavones, which are found in soya products, inhibit the growth of several types of hormone-dependent cancer cells, the authors conclude that a life-long high intake of soya products may explain why prostate cancer is rare in Japanese men. Lancet 342:1209-10, 1993.
While cadmium stimulates prostate growth, selenium inhibits this effect of cadmium. Webber MM: Selenium prevents the growth stimulatory effects of cadmium on human prostatic epithelium. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 127(3):871-7, 1985.