[ad_1]
A diet low in meat and dairy but high in fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts is linked to lower rates of erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence and other persistent side effects in prostate cancer patients, according to a new study.
Led by researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, the analysis of more than 3,500 men with prostate cancer explored whether eating a more plant-based diet was linked to the quality of life problems that often occur. After this they arise. Treatment. Dividing patients into five groups (quintiles) based on the proportion of plant versus animal foods the men ate, the authors found that the quintile consuming the most plants had better performance on measures of sexual function than the group 8 Scored 11% better than %. Whose consumption is lowest.
Also read: 6 things to know about prostate cancer
Similarly, results revealed 14% better scores for urinary health with fewer instances of incontinence, blockage and irritation. The authors found 13% better scores in hormonal health (which assesses symptoms such as low energy, depression and hot flashes) among the highest quintile of plant-based diets compared to the lowest.
“Our findings provide hope for men who are looking to improve their quality of life after undergoing surgery, radiation and other common treatments for prostate cancer,” said the study’s lead author and urologist Stacey Loeb, MD. “Are looking for ways that could cause significant side effects.” “Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, while reducing meat and dairy products, is a simple step that patients can take,” said Loeb, MD, professor in the department of urology and population health at NYU Langone Health.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prostate cancer is one of the most common and deadliest forms of cancer in American men. Previous research from the same team had already found that eating a plant-based diet could reduce the risk of developing the disease. Other investigations have linked this diet to a lower risk of sexual dysfunction in general, but not specifically for people with prostate cancer, who are at particularly high risk for such issues.
Loeb says the new study, to be published online Feb. 13 in the journal Cancer, is believed to be the first of its kind to show improved urinary health in these patients based on nutrition.
For the research, the team analyzed data from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, an investigation that began in 1986 and was sponsored by the Harvard Chan School. The data set is made up of information from more than 50,000 male dentists, pharmacists, optometrists, osteopaths, podiatrists and veterinarians. This project was designed to better understand how nutrition affects the risks associated with cancer, heart disease and other serious diseases.
As part of the project, men with prostate cancer answered a questionnaire every four years about what types of foods they ate and in what proportions. Another survey, conducted every two years, assessed frequency of incontinence, difficulties maintaining an erection, and problems with bowel, energy and mood, among many other health concerns. Loeb notes that most patients (more than 83%) had received treatment for prostate cancer, and all included in the current study had early forms of the disease that had not yet spread to other organs. She adds that when exploring potential connections between a plant-based diet and health, the research team took into account weight, physical activity, and many other factors that can affect quality of life.
Among the findings, researchers say, regardless of demographic factors, lifestyle differences or history of other medical issues like diabetes, eating more of any plant-based food was associated with better sexual health, urinary health and vitality scores. Was connected to. Eating more healthy plant-based foods was also associated with better bowel function, which Loeb says may be explained by the dietary fiber found in plants.
“These results add to the long list of health and environmental benefits of eating more plants and less animal products,” Loeb said. “They also clearly challenge the historical misconception that eating meat promotes sexual activity in men, when in fact the opposite appears to be the case.”
Loeb cautions that the men evaluated in the study were mostly white health care professionals. As a result, she says the team next plans to expand their research to a more diverse group of patients and to those with more advanced stages of the disease.
[ad_2]
