Mediterranean diet benefits men with prostate cancer

Mediterranean diet benefits men with prostate cancer

Auckland researchers have found that a Mediterranean-style diet may benefit New Zealand men with prostate cancer.

The small-scale pilot study, led by University of Auckland cancer research fellow, Dr Karen Bishop ( from the University’s Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre), monitored 20 men mainly from the Auckland region who had diagnosed prostate cancer and adhered to a Mediterranean-style diet (with specific adaptations) for three months.

“We showed that dietary change to a Mediterranean-style diet is both achievable and beneficial for men with prostate cancer in New Zealand, albeit in a small and motivated group,” she says. “While there have been many studies looking at the impact of this diet on clinical indicators of disease, this is the first time such a study has been carried out in men with prostate cancer in New Zealand.

“This result adds weight to the notion that a low-inflammatory, high antioxidant diet may benefit men with prostate cancer,” says Dr Bishop.

She worked with nutritionist Sharon Erdrich who says evaluation at the University’s cancer research centre for a prostate specific antigen, C-reactive protein, and DNA damage was carried out at baseline and after three months of following the diet. Dietary data was also collated from the men’s diet diaries and a Mediterranean diet questionnaire.

“While no effect on inflammatory markers was shown, baseline inflammation in this small cohort was low,” says Sharon.

“Significant reduction in DNA damage was found especially where the men adhered closely to the Mediterranean-style diet and increased their consumption of pulses and green tea,” she says.

“This diet is most effective where men seek to improve their health outcomes and are willing to take on board new ways of eating,” says Dr Bishop. “It’s not so much a prescriptive diet, but more a new way of eating.”

“It’s not too far removed from the usual kiwi way of eating, depending of course on an individual’s existing diet,” she says. “Anyone into fast foods is going to find this is a huge change.”

A more western-style diet, high in processed foods, is associated with an increased incidence of prostate cancer.

The Mediterranean diet is usually high in olive oil, fruit and vegetables, legumes (pulses), whole-grains and poultry with some fish and seafood. Consumption of red meat, dairy products and processed or refined foods is traditionally low.

A more western-style diet, high in these other foods, is associated with an increased incidence of prostate cancer.

For this study, the traditional Mediterranean diet was augmented with other foods known to reduce inflammation including broccoli, pomegranate juice, salmon (an oily fish) and green tea.

“In the study, the men were encouraged to limit their dairy consumption to one or two servings per day, and we found at the three-month evaluation, that DNA damage was related to how much dairy fat they consumed,” says Dr Bishop.

“Consumption of red meat was also linked to DNA damage. We asked the participants to reduce their consumption of red meat to the Cancer Society recommendation of less than 500 gms per week and replace it with fish or poultry,” she says.

“We also asked the men to modify their cooking method and not to cook with a high heat as in frying or barbequing,” says Dr Bishop. “They found that quite a challenge in summer with the barbeque being such a feature of the kiwi lifestyle.”

In an associated study, the same researchers looked at the link between DNA damage and dietary fatty acid in this group of men with prostate cancer.

They found that a dietary change to consume more oily fish and olive oil as part of a Mediterranean-style diet and a reduction in red meat, processed meats and dairy products, resulted in a significant reduction in DNA damage.

ENDS

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