Located below the bladder, the prostate is part of the male urogenital system. Its role is essential as it stores seminal fluid.
Après 50 ans, trois problématiques autour de la prostate interviennent fréquemment. Hyperplasie bénigne de la prostate, inflammation et cancer de la prostate.
This study highlighted the importance of a healthy diet in preventing complications of prostate aging.
Different foods are recommended for their protective effects, composition, and antioxidants. Examples include tomatoes, nuts, carrots, turmeric, and green tea.
Conversely, you can also protect your prostate from inflammation by limiting certain foods, thereby better preventing its aging and potential urogenital complications.
1. Refined cereals and ready-to-eat processed foods
The Western diet and its processed foods are widely considered harmful to the prostate.
According to this meta-analysis conducted in Italy, refined foods may accelerate prostate aging. They would notably increase cancer risk by an average of 64%.
What is suspected to be responsible for these deleterious effects on prostate health: a high glycemic index, causing insulin spikes and an inflammatory state.
Pour prendre soin de la prostate, il est préférable de privilégier une alimentation riche en fibres. Je vous conseille les céréales complètes ou semi-complètes, de légumineuses, de légumes et de fruits.
2. Milk and dairy products
In recent years, several studies have established a link between milk consumption and a higher risk of prostate cancer.
Les principales raisons évoquées et supposées sont : la consommation élevée de calcium, la présence d’hormones dans le lait comme les oestrogènes… Ainsi que celle du facteur de croissance surnommé IGF, ressemblant à l’insuline.
Indeed, calcium appears to promote cancer cells and their growth by inhibiting the anti-proliferative effect of vitamin D.
Regarding the hormones and the growth factor in milk, they may be involved in many cancers. The effects on the prostate of dairy consumption remain variable and still warrant further study to better understand these mechanisms.
To avoid prostate dysfunction, opt to consume dairy in moderation. I recommend milk, yogurt, and cheese at most 1 to 2 times per day, even for boys.
3. Meats and processed/cured meats
Since 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified processed meats such as ham, sausages, and cured meats as Group 1 carcinogens.
As with milk, the growth factor (IGF-1) would be present more generally in meats (chicken, red meat, and others).
A meta-analysis covering 172 countries observed and warned of a possible link between total meat consumption and prostate disorders.
As a precaution, limit processed meat products. Prefer lean, organic, or certified meats without additives, at a rate of 3 to 4 times per week.
To preserve healthy prostate function, you can vary your meals by replacing meat with plant proteins.
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4. Grilled, fried and smoked foods
Cooking methods influence cellular aging and can accelerate certain physiological manifestations. For the prostate and your health, gentle cooking methods are much better.
During high-temperature cooking such as grilling, frying, or smoking foods, potentially harmful substances form. PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) like benzo[a]pyrene, AGEs (advanced glycation end-products), and HAAs (heterocyclic aromatic amines).
If consumed in large quantities and regularly, they are carcinogenic, increasing inflammation and oxidative stress.
Par exemple, cette étude américaine a démontré un risque accru de cancer de la prostate de stade avancé, de 60% en moyenne, pour les grands consommateurs de viandes grillées ou très cuites.
5. Sugar and sugary products
Sodas, gâteaux, pâtisseries, viennoiseries, sucres ajoutés et bonbons en excès sont responsables de diverses maladies chroniques. Parmi lesquelles le surpoids et le diabète, ainsi que l’inflammation.
However, obesity and hyperinsulinemia could promote benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), according to the French Congress of Urology.
For a healthy weight and balanced blood sugar that reduce the risk of diabetes, the quantity and quality of sugary products consumed daily play a crucial role.
A low-carb diet, low in carbohydrates and high in protein, would even reduce the risk of prostate cancer by half.
Keep occasional sweet treats by choosing fresh fruit and homemade recipes. If needed, you can work with a dietitian-nutritionist to balance your diet.
6. Alcoholic beverages
Being both sugary and composed of ethanol, alcohol should be consumed in moderation for a healthy prostate.
Researchers compared data from more than 10,000 men participating in the prostate cancer prevention study. Those who consumed large amounts of alcoholic beverages were twice as likely to be affected by the disease.
According to the recommendations of the PNNS, two drinks per day, and not every day, is a benchmark for evaluating your habits. Beyond 20 alcoholic drinks per week, consumption is considered at risk.
My tips for a healthy prostate
All these discoveries about the prostate are very encouraging for better guiding dietary habits and overall lifestyle.
Limiting sedentary behavior and reducing stress is just as important as avoiding the foods mentioned.
Finally, seek advice from your doctor at the first symptoms of urinary problems, for infections, or if you have any doubts.
Sources and scientific studies
Karine Trudeau, Marie-Claude Rousseau, Christine Barul, Ilona Csizmadi, Marie-Élise Parent – Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Risk of Prostate Cancer in a Population-Based Case-Control Study in Montreal, Canada, 2020
Roberto Fabiani, Liliana Minelli, Gaia Bertarelli and Silvia Bacci – A Western Dietary Pattern Increases Prostate Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 2016
Halcyon G. Skinner, Gary G. Schwartz – A Prospective Study of Total and Ionized Serum Calcium and Fatal Prostate Cancer, 2009
Esther M. John, Mariana C. Stern, Rashmi Sinha and Jocelyn Koo – Meat consumption, Cooking Practices, Meat Mutagens and Risk of Prostate Cancer, 2012
Wenpeng You, Maciej Henneberg – Prostate Cancer Incidence is Correlated to Total Meat Intake– a Cross-National Ecologic Analysis of 172 Countries, 2013
Erika Ax, Hans Garmo, Birgitta Grundmark, Anna Bill-Axelson, Lars Holmberg, Wulf Becker, Björn Zethelius, Tommy Cederholm, Per Sjögren – Dietary patterns and prostate cancer risk: report from the population based ULSAM cohort study of Swedish men, 2014
Zhihong Gong, Dr. Alan R. Kristal, Jeannette M. Schenk, Dr. Catherine M. Tangen, Phyllis J. Goodman and Ian M. Thompson – Alcohol Consumption, Finasteride and Prostate Cancer Risk: Results from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, 2009
