According to a recent Japanese study, compounds in soy may help to prevent early stages of prostate cancer. However, the study also found a positive effect on growth of advanced cancer, prompting the authors to call for additional research.
The study involved dietary data and prostate specific health monitoring in more than 43,000 Japanese men over a 9 year period. Men were asked about dietary intake, specifically about the regular consumption of soy products.
Soy products contain several isoflavones, compounds that weakly mimic estrogen, also called phytoestrogens. The two most prevelent in soy are genistein and daidzein. In previous studies soy isoflavones have interacted with hormone specific cancers such as breast cancer.
The researchers were interested in the effect that regular consumption of soy, and its contained phytoestrogens, would have on the incidence and growth of prostate cancer.
After careful analysis they found that men who regularly consumed soy had a protective effect against the development of early prostate cancer, but after prostate cancer had been established the soy may actually encourage advancement of the disease.
The results, though conclusive for the different stages of the disease, did not help to clarify if isoflavone supplements should or should not be used by men to help prevent prostate cancer.
The study was published in the March issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on April 5, 2007 03:18 PM
