Lower Cholesterol Levels May Reduce Risk of Prostate Cancer
by Jennifer Bunn, RNAccording to the National Cancer Institute, 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Often, early prostate cancer causes no symptoms; in fact, many men do not discover they have prostate cancer until it has spread beyond the prostate. Symptoms that are noticed usually affect urination and sexual performance. These symptoms may prompt a visit to the doctor. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States in men (Terris, 2009).
A study conducted at Johns Hopkins, funded by the National Cancer Institute, shows a startling relationship between cholesterol levels and prostate cancer. The study included more than 5,000 men. The results? Men with lower levels of cholesterol are less likely to develop high-grade cancer of the prostate, the most severe form of the disease, which has a lower survival rate. Lowering cholesterol levels decreased the rate of contracting high-grade prostate cancer by more than 60%, according to the study.
We already know that lower cholesterol levels are beneficial for heart health, but this study clearly shows that keeping your cholesterol level low can have other benefits in the body, such as lowering your cancer risk. As studies such as this one prove, there is more to cholesterol than meets the eye.
Sources:
Martha K Terris (2009) http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/454114-overview
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169780.php
