Carotenoids linked to lower rate of prostate cancer

The dietary carotenoid lycopene, which gives tomatoes and watermelon their red color, has been associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer in western countries where the nutrient is often consumed in tomato sauce, pizza and ketchup. The current study, published in the March 1, 2005 issue of the International Journal of Cancer, examined 404 men in southeast China, where dietary patterns differ from those of western countries and the rate of prostate cancer is low.

The researchers found an inverse association between prostate cancer and intake all of the dietary carotenoids examined, which included lycopene, alpha- carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, lutein and zeaxanthin. Tomatoes, pumpkin, spinach, watermelon and citrus fruits were associated with reduced prostate cancer risk.

Subjects whose reported lycopene intake was in the top one-fourth of participants had an 82 percent lower risk of prostate cancer than those whose intake was in the lowest quarter. Men with the highest lutein and zeaxanthin intakes were nearly 100 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer than those whose intake was the lowest.

Results from this study suggest that diets high in vegetables and fruits rich in lycopene and other carotenoids may be protective against prostate cancer.

Diet comparable to statin drugs in lowering LDL cholesterol

Statins are a class of drugs commonly prescribed to treat elevated cholesterol levels, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. A new study published in the Feb 2005 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has found that the regular intake of certain foods may lower cholesterol as effectively as statin drugs. The participants, who each had elevated cholesterol levels, underwent three separate one-month dietary treatments assigned randomly: a very-low saturated fat diet (control diet), the control diet plus 20 mg lovastatin (statin diet), and a diet high in vegetables, soy protein foods, almonds, high- fiber foods (oats, barley, psyllium, okra and eggplant), and fats derived from plant sterols and stanols (portfolio diet).

The Portfolio diet and statin diet had similar results. The portfolio diet reduced LDL cholesterol by 30%, the statin diet by 33%, and the control diet by 9%. Twenty-six percent achieved their lowest LDL cholesterol levels on the portfolio diet. Dietary combinations of cholesterol lowering foods may have an effect similar to statin drugs in reducing mild-to-moderate LDL cholesterol levels and achieving goals for primary prevention of heart disease.

Note: If you are currently taking a statin drug to lower cholesterol, do not discontinue its use except on the advice of your physician. This information is not meant to imply that diet alone can always replace statin drugs. However, a healthy diet, including foods mentioned in the article, is an important part of any lifestyle intended to reduce heart disease risk.

The effects of soy protein containing isoflavones on blood lipids

It is well known that soy protein has a beneficial effect on blood lipids, but it has been unclear which components of soy protein are responsible for the health benefits. A new meta-analysis of 23 controlled trials, published in the February 9, 2005 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, aimed to identify and quantify the effects of soy protein containing isoflavones on blood lipids.

The results of this study show that soy protein containing intact isoflavones significantly reduced total cholesterol by 3.77%, LDL cholesterol by 5.25% and triglycerides by 7.27%. In studies greater than twelve weeks in duration, beneficial HDL cholesterol was increased by over 3%. These changes were related to the level and duration of intake, gender, and initial serum lipid concentrations of the subjects. Whereas soy protein containing isoflavones had significant positive effects on blood lipids, researchers found that tablets containing only extracted soy isoflavones did not have the same effect on total cholesterol reduction.

Increasing calcium from diet and supplements lowers colorectal cancer risk

Research conducted by the University of Minnesota Cancer Center and School of Public Health has shown that women who consume more than 800 milligrams of calcium each day may reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer by as much as 46 percent.

The study, published in the January 2005 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, followed over 45,000 women for an average of 8.5 years. The researchers found that the women who consumed at least 800 mg of calcium each day had a 24 percent reduction of colorectal cancer risk regardless of whether the calcium intake was from diet or supplement. However, in the women simultaneously consuming high levels of calcium totaling at least 1200 mg a day from both diet and supplements, the colorectal cancer risk dropped to 46 percent.