How is Prostate Cancer and low carb high fat (LCHF) diet related? Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer found in men and is the second most fatal malignancy in men. A recent study has shown that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. In a study conducted at the University of Toronto, Bimal Bhindi and his colleagues studied more than 2200 men with no prior diagnosis of Prostate Cancer. Out of the group, nearly 22% of the men had metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is defined as the presence of any three out of the following components – obesity, impaired fasting glucose or diabetes, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL).
The study highlighted that having three or more components of MetS was associated with a 54% increased odds of having prostate cancer, as compared to having no component. It also results in a 56% increased chances of clinically significant prostate cancer and 56% increased odds of intermediate or high-grade prostate cancer.
While the study showed that the presence of three of more components of MetS increases the odds of prostate cancer, independently these components are not associated with increase in risk.
The study has thrown light on an association of MetS with prostate cancer. Given that metabolic syndrome increases the risk of developing prostate cancer, adopting a low carb high fat (LCHF) diet can help in preventing and possibly better managing prostate cancer.
High carb diets result in the release of insulin in the body, which may promote the growth of cancer cells. Low carb high fat diets result in reduced inflammation, reduced insulin resistance and an improvement in the body’s ability to destroy cancerous cells. A study published in the Prostate journal highlights that low carb high fat diets are not just helpful in the prevention of prostate cancer, but also in the management of prostate cancer. A low carb high fat diet may help in delaying the growth of prostate cancer cells, largely due to lowered insulin levels and total caloric intake.
The relationship between cancer development and diet is very complex as it involves consideration of multiple factors. However, there is thought to be a direct association of high carbohydrate western diets with the incidence of cancer.
In addition, a low carb diet can also help in lowering the cell-cycle progression score, a measure that is used to predict cancer recurrence. By lowering the cell cycle progression score, also known as CCP score, a LCHF diet may help in controlling the recurrence of prostate cancer.
Hence, it is important to evaluate your diet choices to reduce the risk of prostate cancer and likely most cancers. By following a low carb high fat diet, we can reduce the overall cancer risks as well as prostate cancer risk and progression.
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