Do Health Benefits Outweigh the Risks?
It’s no secret that consuming dairy milk is linked with a number of health benefits. But this recent study has found that drinking dairy milk may also increase your risk of prostate cancer.
Researchers analyzed the dietary intake of over 28,000 North American men who were initially free of cancer. Each participant was required to participate in food questionnaires about their diet and a baseline questionnaire that included demographics, physical activity, family history of prostate cancer, alcohol consumption, prostate cancer screening, and BMI.
Cancer state registries were used to follow up on the participants’ prostate cancer status over an eight-year period. By the end of the study period, the registries reported 1,254 new prostate cancer cases among the participants who consumed the most dairy.
The study found no associations between increased prostate cancer risk and intake of non-dairy calcium, suggesting substances other than calcium play a role in the risk dairy foods poses for prostate cancer. This study provides important information for men who are considering their dietary choices and underscores the need for further research into the link between non-dairy milk and prostate cancer risk.
Researchers believe one possible reason for these associations between dairy milk and prostate cancer might be the sex hormone content of dairy milk. Prostate cancer is a hormone-responsive type of cancer, and up to 75% of lactating dairy cows are pregnant. Prior reports have also reported an association between intake of dairy and other animal proteins with higher blood levels of a hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is thought to promote certain cancers.
While the findings are significant, further research is needed to determine whether there is a direct causal link between dairy milk and prostate cancer. Nonetheless, this new information provides another reason to reduce or abstain from drinking dairy milk.
Prostate health is an important issue in aging men. It is estimated that 50% of all men will demonstrate swollen prostate symptoms by age 60. This number increases to 90% by the age of 85. Some symptoms include frequent or urgent need to urinate, difficulty starting urination, a weak urine stream, and an inability to empty the bladder completely.
Healthy Prostate offers a unique blend of ingredients that can help manage symptoms associated with a swollen prostate. Vitamin D, selenium, stinging nettle root and saw palmetto berry extract work together with other essential vitamins and nutrients to relieve prostate issues.