In experimental mice that naturally develop prostate cancer, supplementing with antioxidants vitamin E, lycopene and selenium effectively blocks the development or progression of prostate cancer.
According to a study published in the journal Cancer Research, dietary antioxidants (vitamin E, selenium, and lycopene) inhibited prostate cancer development in a group of mice that naturally develop prostate cancer. The prostate cancer disease process in these mice is similar to the human process in many respects, providing a good research model for the natural history of human prostate cancer.
Treatment of animals with the antioxidants resulted in a 4-fold reduction in the incidence of prostate cancer compared with the untreated animals. Prostate cancer developed in 73.68% (14 of 19) and 100% (19 of 19) of the animals from the standard and high fat diet, respectively.
In contrast, tumors developed in only 10.53% (2 of 19) and 15.79% (3 of 19) of the animals in the standard and high fat diets supplemented with antioxidants.
These observations support results from a growing body of research indicating a significant protective benefit of antioxidants on the development of prostate cancer.
Cancer Res. 2004 Aug 15;64(16):5891-6.
There's been a lot of talk lately concerning anti-oxidants and for good reason! Research like the study above are just beginning to scratch the surface of what antioxidants are capable of in the human body. Men will naturally take notice to studies like this which have clear implications for them.
As this study indicates, men's prostate health may be improved through proper nutritional supplementation. In addition to the antioxidants listed above (Vitamin E, selenium, and lycopene) other research has shown the benefits of saw palmetto in lower prostate cancer risk.
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