Prostate cancer: A popular high-protein food in your diet may up risk by 70 per cent
Be it the common cold or flu, heart disease, or aggressive cancers – diet impacts everything. Experts have for long said that we quite literally are what we eat, and for that reason, a healthy and balanced diet is recommended for all. Be it healthy people or those with underlying health conditions like high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, or other metabolic disorders. Amidst this, a recent study revealed how seemingly healthy food, that finds a place in our everyday diet, could be increased the risk of prostate cancer by 70 per cent. Keep reading to find out what it is.
Diet and cancer: The link explained
Experts have for long been unconvinced by studies backing the role of dietary choline in cancer prevention. On one hand, while many believe that not getting enough of it is linked to an increased risk of fatal health problems. And on the other, according to a study, it was proven that a high intake of the same nutrient can increase the risk of lethal prostate cancer by 70 per cent. Experts of the study revealed that choline is found in concentration in prostate cancer cells; blood concentration can further increase cancer risk.
This was backed partly by Dr. Murad Lala – Consultant and Head of Surgical Oncology at PD Hinduja National Hospital & Research Centre. The expert, in interaction with Times Now Digital, revealed the daily safe quantity of choline an adult needs and the amount found in a single egg.
“Choline is an essential nutrient that has vital roles in maintaining the structural integrity of the cell membrane, is important for neurotransmission and early brain development, and is also involved in modulating gene expression. The recommended daily allowance of choline is about 450 mg/day for an adult. One egg gives less than 150 mg of choline. To say that healthy food may up the risk of aggressive prostate cancer by 70% is sensationalising an unproven fact from an observational study. A healthy diet in moderation, even if it involves eggs and meat, will have far more beneficial effects than to worry about increasing the risk of prostate cancer,” said Dr. Lala.
Choline is found in abundance in eggs – a popular staple across countries and cultures. High intake is when one exceeds 500 mg of choline in a day – the daily recommended for men; while women can stick to 424 mg. Meat, milk, and poultry are also rich sources of choline.
Is choline the only factor responsible for prostate cancer risk?
Experts later commented on the study that blamed prostate cancer risk on choline intake and said that the nutrient levels were tested in patients after they had been diagnosed. This means that for the previous 10-15 years, what they ate and their lifestyle were not taken into consideration altogether. Therefore, it is not quite possible to blame cancer risk altogether on a particular food.
Furthermore, studies have also cited a strong link between a diet rich in saturated fats with a high risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Saturated fats can increase bad cholesterol levels which further increases aggressive cancer risk.
This effect, however, can be reversed by sticking to a plant-based diet – fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds – and getting regular workouts.
Sources of dietary choline
Besides eggs, choline is found in the following foods:
- Organ meat
- Caviar
- Beef
- Red potatoes
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Almonds
- Quinoa
- Kidney beans
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Soy