Research on animals proved that fat-free diet may reduce prostate cancer growth. In contrast, foods high in fat can cause the growth of prostate cancer cells more quickly.
How the mechanism of fat can increase the risk of prostate cancer?
The role of fats in increasing the risk of prostate cancer occurs with several mechanisms.
- First, it proved that the fat may affect levels of testosterone, the hormones necessary for growth of prostate cells, both benign or malignant. Men who ate less fat would have the level of testosterone is relative low.
- Second, fat is a source of free radicals, and
- Third is the result of fatty acid metabolism is thought to be carcinogenic. Examples are unsaturated fatty acids omega 6 that may stimulate prostate cancer cell growth.
Correlation between fat consumption and prostate cancer risk was also demonstrated in several epidemiological studies. Giovannucci and his colleagues did a prospective study of the relationship between diet and prostate cancer. This research proved that a diet high in fat increase the risk of developing advanced prostate cancer.
In addition, there are still some other studies that support such a cohort study in Hawaii. Unfortunately, few other epidemiological studies failed to prove the same thing, among others, is a prospective study in Norway.
Thus, although many epidemiological studies and biological studies that prove the relationship between high dietary fat and risk of prostate cancer, still needed additional epidemiological studies to prove this with certainty.
