A recently published nutrition study, showing the effects of a specific diet designed to support men’s health and minimize the effects of prostate illness, has just shown how feasible it would be for a wider, national trial.
Better Health Through Dietary Changes
It’s been well-established that there is any number of foods that can support prostate health, especially those naturally high in specific phytochemicals, nutrients, and antioxidants. However, large-scale national trial studies of dietary guidelines designed specifically to positively impact prostate health have yet to be published. That may be about to change soon, though, thanks to the results of the Men’s Eating and Living (MEAL) Study from UC San Diego Health.
The MEAL Study focused on the ability of a plant-based diet that maximized fruits and vegetables with beneficial nutrients and reduced or outright eliminated foods that are thought to encourage the development of prostate cancer and other men’s health issues. 478 male patients with an average age of 64 participated in the study from 2011 to 2015.
Eat Your Fruits and Veggies
Published recently in 2018, the study’s findings indicated some good news: the trial demonstrated the feasibility of expanding research into national clinical trials. This represents the increased possibility for supporting prostate health through effective dietary means, both as an alternative to other treatments and in conjunction with them.
The diet used in the study focused on daily servings of fruits, vegetables, and legumes high in carotenoids, isothiocyanates, and lycopene, all of which are antioxidants, and similar nutrients that may have protective properties that can help keep a cancer diagnosis at bay. Lycopene has been found to be particularly effective. Available in high concentrations from tomatoes, especially when cooked, this antioxidant is also present in grapefruit, watermelon, and asparagus.
Future Plans
It’s unclear if, or when, other research institutions will expand on UC San Diego’s initial research. However, authors of the MEAL Study say their results are encouraging and that such a national clinical trial is highly recommended in order to support men’s health, especially prostate health in older men.
