A newly-published research study out of Denmark has found that low-dose aspirin, while beneficial for some men’s health issues, does little to help patients diagnosed with prostate cancer.
An Aspirin a Day Can’t Keep Cancer at Bay
Aspirin has been a popular men’s health supplement for quite some time, with medical experts citing its cardioprotective effects when taken in low doses over long periods of time. Additionally, some research has shown that aspirin may have other health benefits, such as reducing the risk of developing colon cancer, something that has inspired scientists to investigate which other types of cancer that aspirin may offer some protection.
In the spirit of that line of questioning, a Danish research team has released the findings of a study following more than 29,000 men over a decade to see if taking aspirin regularly helped reduce the risk of being diagnosed with prostate cancer and/or had a positive impact on mortality rates from the disease. However, these scientists have reported that there seems to be little if any protection afforded prostate cancer patients that incorporate low-dose aspirin into their regimen in the longer term.
Not Much Help for Prostate Health But Still Not a Bad Idea
Truth be told, there were a few positive findings from the study, including a modest reduction in mortality for patients with low-risk prostate cancer. However, the researchers say that such a finding is preliminary and will need to be verified further by additional research. Overall, though, the inclusion of long-term low-dose aspirin doesn’t seem to be an effective method for reducing risk of being diagnosed or increasing survivability by a significant amount. Combining this with the risk of taking too much aspirin for too long on a regular basis, something that can lead to intestinal bleeding, and it’s clear that aspirin and prostate cancer protection don’t necessarily go together.
Yet not all is lost. This isn’t to say, of course, that taking low-dose aspirin might not be a good idea for other reasons. Aspirin still remains a popular treatment option for many men’s health issues, especially when taken in lower doses that don’t run the risk of causing any negative side effects. If your doctor recommends incorporating low-dose aspirin into your daily regimen in an attempt to support your cardiovascular health — the most common reason to do so — you can rest assured that while your risk of prostate cancer might not be improving, your overall health will likely benefit.
