If your diet has been lacking some color, now is a good time to change that. New research suggests men who consume colorful fruits and veggies frequently stand a better chance of preventing prostate cancer.
Scientists at the University of South Australia found that a “rainbow” of foods rich in certain micronutrients not only assists in the prevention of cancer but also helps quicken recovery among men with prostate cancer undergoing radiation treatment.
Researchers enrolled a total of 116 male patients with prostate cancer and 132 healthy men who were free from cancer at the time of this study. They measured plasma concentrations of several micronutrients in those who were healthy and in those who had prostate cancer and compared both results.
In the end, the results, which were published in the journal Cancers, revealed that levels of lycopene, alpha-carotene, lutein, and selenium were significantly lower in those living with prostate cancer compared with healthy individuals. They also had higher concentrations of iron, sulfur, and calcium than the controls.
Moving forward, the team observed that the increased DNA damage following radiation exposure was also linked to low levels of lycopene and selenium in the blood.
The risk of prostate cancer tripled for men if their plasma levels of selenium fell below 120 ug/L and their levels of lycopene fell below 0.25 micrograms per liter. They were also more likely to be extra sensitive to the harmful effects associated with radiation.
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men, and until now, the nutritional deficiencies associated with the disease remain unknown. This, therefore, led the study authors to conduct the experiment.
For diets rich in lycopene, some examples include tomatoes, melons, pawpaw, watermelons, peaches, cranberries, and grapes. For selenium, they include white meat, eggs, nuts, shellfish, and fish.
“Our recommendation is to adopt a Mediterranean diet enlisting the help of a dietician because people absorb nutrients in different ways, depending on the food, the digestive system, the person’s genotype, and possibly their microbiome,” said Dr. Permal Deo who is the lead author of the study.
The study authors note that consuming foods high in lycopene and selenium is far better than taking supplements due to the limited benefits.
Prior studies have found evidence suggesting that a person who is overweight and tall has a higher chance of developing prostate cancer.
Another study also found diets high in dairy products and low in vitamin E could elevate the risk as well, although the evidence is still less clear, according to the team.
It’s worth noting that other popular risk factors that are also tied to prostate cancer are family history, age, and ethnicity.
