Researchers are constantly studying vitamins and their relationships to treating and preventing prostate cancer.
Just last year, a study in the journal Science, showed pro-oxidant supplements suppressed cancer growth in not only mice but in more than 100 human cells.
That pro-oxidant, called menadione, is a precursor to vitamin K – a group of vitamins that support bone, cognitive and heart health, according to Medical News Today.
A pro-oxidant, according to the National Cancer Institute, is a “substance that can produce oxygen byproducts of metabolism that can cause damage to cells.” And pro-oxidant therapy, according to Science Direct, is a new field of cancer research that uses these substances to induce oxidative stress in cancer cells to destroy them.
But that research is just emerging.
As researchers learn about vitamins and their effects on prostate cancer, the experts at the CyberKnife Center of Miami, a state-of-the-art radiation treatment center for prostate cancer, wanted to share the latest research on what vitamins may reduce the risk of prostate cancer and what ones may increase your risk.
Vitamins to Reduce Your Risk of Prostate Cancer
Vitamin D: Northwestern University researchers found that vitamin D deficiency was linked to aggressive prostate cancer. “Vitamin D deficiency could be a biomarker of advanced prostate tumor progression in large segments of the general population,” said Adam B. Murphy, lead author of the study. “More research is needed, but it would be wise for men to be screened for vitamin D deficiency and treated.”
On other hand, vitamin D helps with bone health, but there isn’t strong clinical evidence that taking extra vitamin D supports a healthy prostate.
Green Tea: Green tea is full of cancer-fighting antioxidants, and it may have a protective effect against heart disease and cancer, including prostate cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute, so go ahead and drink green tea.
Lycopene: Lycopene is an antioxidant, and a pigment found in foods like tomatoes, watermelon, apricots, red oranges and pink grapefruit. Research from animal studies suggest lycopene may have a chemoprotective effect for some cancers like prostate cancer. But human studies are inconclusive.
Pomegranate Juice: Some research suggests drinking pomegranate juice slows down the progression of prostate cancer. But other studies suggest there are no benefits. In rodent models, the National Cancer Institute suggests pomegranate juice can slow the growth and spread of prostate cancer. But there is no decisive research on its benefits. In general, pomegranate juice is safe. But talk to your doctor. It may interfere with some medications.
Vitamins that Could Increase Your Risk of Prostate Cancer
According to evidence from major clinical trials, certain high-dose vitamin and mineral supplements, such as vitamin E, selenium, and folic acid, may increase the risk of prostate cancer in specific groups of men. These risks are associated with supplements, not with the nutrients obtained from a balanced diet.
Vitamin E
Results from the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT), a large-scale randomized trial, showed that high-dose vitamin E supplementation was linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer.
Men who took 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin E daily experienced a 17% higher incidence of prostate cancer compared to those taking a placebo.
Further analysis revealed this risk was particularly elevated in men with low selenium levels at the start of the study.
Some research suggests that different forms of vitamin E may have different effects, and that the alpha-tocopherol used in the trial may be the specific culprit.
Selenium
The SELECT trial also investigated selenium’s effect on prostate cancer risk and found a complex relationship.
The study found no benefit to taking selenium supplements for cancer prevention.
Men with high selenium levels at the start of the trial who took selenium supplements had a significantly increased risk of high-grade prostate cancer.
However, men with low baseline selenium who took supplements did not experience an increased risk.
Because most men in developed countries have sufficient selenium from their diet, supplementation offers no benefit and can increase risk.
Folic Acid
Folic acid, the synthetic form of folate (vitamin B9), has also been associated with an increased risk in supplemental form.
A randomized trial found that men who took 1 mg of folic acid daily had a higher risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer over a 10-year period compared to men on a placebo.
In contrast, a healthy intake of naturally occurring folate from foods like green vegetables and beans was not linked to an increased risk and was even associated with a lower risk in some studies.
The Dangers of Megadoses
The negative effects associated with these vitamins occurred at high supplemental doses, far above the typical daily recommended intake. Health experts caution against using high-dose single supplements for cancer prevention, as the effects are often complex and can be harmful.
Bottomline: Getting nutrients from a healthy, balanced diet is the safest approach, as the body can properly regulate its intake from food.
CyberKnife Therapy for Prostate Cancer
If you are concerned about your prostate health and the vitamins and supplements you take, talk to your doctor. If you have prostate cancer or have just been diagnosed with prostate cancer, again talk to your doctor about vitamins and supplements you are taking and ones you could take.
And if you are diagnosed with prostate cancer, the experts at CyberKnife Miami can help guide you to the right treatment option for you.
CyberKnife is cutting-edge radiation technology also known as stereotactic body radiation therapy or SBRT. And it has a 98-percent success rate for the treatment of prostate cancer.
CyberKnife destroys prostate tumors with precision leaving the surrounding healthy tissue alone. That’s important because the prostate is close to several vital organs.Traditional treatments can be life-altering because they may interfere with urinary, bowel and sexual function. With CyberKnife, there are minimal side effects. Medication can help minimize these, and they usually go away in a few weeks.
If you would like to find out more about prostate cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us now for a consultation at 305-279-2900 or go to our prostate cancer website for more information.