Soda Consumption Increases Risk of Prostate Cancer

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Prostate cancer and enlargement are a common problem for men over the age of 50, and by the time a man reaches 80, there is around an 80% chance that he will have some form of prostate issue. In most cases, prostate enlargement is non-cancerous and called benign prostatic hypertrophy or BPH. However, there are cases where the growth does turn out to be cancerous. Radiation is an option at this point and so is surgery, but both can leave a man with impotence and urinary incontinence problems.

More information is coming to light, however, that lifestyle choices can and do have a significant impact on prostate health as a man ages. One of these choices appears to be soda consumption.

The Latest Study

The most recent study looking at the effects of lifestyle choices on prostate health came out of Lund University in Sweden. Scientists there looked at the relationship between consumption of sodas and prostate cancer incidence and found that men who consumed even one soda day had a whopping 40% higher chance of developing prostate cancer than men who never consumed these soft drinks.

Researchers who led this study believe that the reason for this strong correlation between soda consumption and the onset of prostate cancer is the flood of quick-acting sugars that is released into the body when the soft drink is consumed. This flood apparently creates a hospitable environment for the more aggressive forms of prostate cancer cells. This is also most likely the reason why there seems to be a relationship between soda consumption and the onset of a form of prostate cancer that requires treatment.

What the Study Also Found

This study did not look at soda consumption alone, but also at other dietary habits that appeared to encourage the onset of prostate cancer. Overall, they made the following discoveries:

Men who consumed high amounts of wheat and rice increased their chance of a mild form of prostate cancer by 31%.Men who consumed high amounts of sugary breakfast cereals increased mild cancer rates by 38%.

Overall, the takeaway here seems to be that consumption of simple carbohydrates in many forms seems to encourage the onset of prostate cancer growth.

Other Studies on Soda Consumption

This is not the first study by any means to discover the negative health impacts of soda consumption.

A recent meta-analysis from Columbia University’s School of Public Health looked at several databases formed from past research and found that overall, the studies consistently associated soda consumption with an increased risk of cancer, in this case cancer of the pancreas. Another study shows that regular use of soft drinks also has been linked to an increased risk of coronary artery disease, which is unsurprising since it has also been linked to weight gain and higher cholesterol levels, both risk factors for this condition.

In conclusion, it is safe to say that research into the health risks of soda consumption has been consistent in relating it to a number of negative health outcomes, especially in men, who would be well-advised to switch to water, spritzers or even coffee or tea to avoid these serious issues.

Sources: ajcn.nutrition.org, mndaily.com, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, alternet.org

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Mayimina
Mayimina has written articles on most health-related topics, including traditional medicine, alternative and naturopathic and natural treatments, wellness, medical marijuana, diets and fitness.