According to new research published in the current issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, pomegranate juice works against prostate cancer cells in lab dishes and in mice.Researchers found that prostate tumors shrank in mice infected with human prostate tumors, who were given pomegranate juice to drink. The juice is rich in antioxidants.
It is a reach from treating mice infected with human cancer to treating people, but other studies have also suggested that antioxidant-rich foods may help fight tumors. Researchers involved with this study feel that there is reason to continue to continue to study the use of pomegranate in humans.
Summary of the study available here.
1. I am a urologist in NJ specializing in urologic cancers and kidney stone disease.
This is an important discovery.
Patients often ask me what type of diet they should follow to prevent prostate cancer or to prevent it from progressing if they have it.
There has been speculation that certain things would be beneficial in helping in this regard- lycopenes (tomato), Vitamins, Selenium, low fat diet, and others.
Pending trial results of studies that are in progress to answer these questions, I try to recommend things that are probably helpful and definitely not harmful.
I think a low fat diet falls into this category and now pomegranate juice. The only downsides are the expense of the juice and the taste if you dont like it.
If you like it, then its a plus.
For low fat diets, this is often difficult to change, but should be tried.
Vitamin E was once recommended by many, but now studies are showing that there are cardiac risks at high levels. This reminds me to alway question our current medical thinking until the day we have studies to prove a beneficial effect of our therapies and recommendations.
Posted at 6:01PM on Nov 19th 2005 by Domenico Savatta, M.D.