Dairy and prostate cancer: Conflicting information

Posted by rice @rice, Apr 18, 2024

Hi! I am 73 and have 6 prostate cancer that is being watched. I drink a lot of milk and eat a lot of cheese I have read some studies that say whole milk was associated with prostate cancer and to drink fat free milk. Then I read another study saying that skim milk was associated with prostate cancer, but high fat milk was ok to drink. Then I read another study that says no association between dairy and Prostate cancer. Kind of confusing ! does anyone have an opinion on this

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.

@jime51

There are ways to get vegetable protein such as beans, lentils, and soy, but it takes a bit of intentionality. PCRI has a video from 2023 called (something like) New Study Shows Effect of Diet on Prostate Cancer. They list six categories: smoking, exercise, weight management, processed foods, tomato/plant-based products, fish. Those who pursued the healthiest path in all six categories but had recurrent disease had an 80% improved survival rate.

Jump to this post

Well, that would be me exactly: recurrent disease, following all six recommendations, but eating dairy in moderation.🤞

REPLY
@heavyphil

Good article, but inconclusive, as you mention. Odd that no mention of pesticide use - either on the cows for insect induced illness or in the grass/feed was mentioned.
They did say that it was not the fat, nor the estrogen - but ‘something else’ in the milk that might be the culprit. I don’t think it’s the calcium…
Phil

Jump to this post

Phil, I’m leery of those studies. Most of us are old enough to remember the whipsaw about real butter, real milk, real sugar, etc. The alternatives turned out to be worse or no better, margarine, oat milk, splendida, etc. Studies sometimes supported by chemical, food industry, and post-docs trying to get jobs. I’ll stick with real things. But, of course, I’m not a moderate person.

REPLY
@heavyphil

Well, that would be me exactly: recurrent disease, following all six recommendations, but eating dairy in moderation.🤞

Jump to this post

I do believe in a more vegetarian diet, partly because my body seems to crave it and it makes me feel better and not so heavy.

REPLY
@robertov

I do believe in a more vegetarian diet, partly because my body seems to crave it and it makes me feel better and not so heavy.

Jump to this post

Absolutely - we need that damned fiber at our advanced age! And in the US, you have to really try hard to be protein deficient - we probably overdo it with all the emphasis on keto, low carb and all that crap.
Just hope if I am reincarnated I don’t come back as a chicken!🐣=🍗

REPLY
@heavyphil

Absolutely - we need that damned fiber at our advanced age! And in the US, you have to really try hard to be protein deficient - we probably overdo it with all the emphasis on keto, low carb and all that crap.
Just hope if I am reincarnated I don’t come back as a chicken!🐣=🍗

Jump to this post

I think by that time we won’t be able to afford meat. You should wish to not be reincarnated as a rutabaga

REPLY
@jsh327

I also find many conflicting studies and many, many “meta analyses” that only summarize data from other studies. Until I read the results of an actual study that finds otherwise, I am following the diet guidelines of the Prostate Cancer Foundation (https://www.pcf.org/prostate-cancer-and-eggs-dairy-supplements-your-questions-answered-part-1/) and do not consume animal based dairy products.

Jump to this post

Unfortunately, there are too many conflicting and misleading studies and opinions posted, from very credible resouces....each with their own agenda.

I have advanced prostate cancer, and am going into my 4th year of remission. So far, surviving seems to be a crap shoot with a lot of variables. This is what I am concentrating on:
- avoiding selenium and vitamin B2 and vitamin E supplements
- avoiding most processed food and meat
- avoiding saturated fats
- avoiding most dairy, except certain cheeses (mozzerella/swiss)
- eating berries every day
- eating my veggies every day
- eating 1.5 ounches of nuts (avoid brazil nuts) every night
- drinking a lot of water
- avoiding alcohol
- drinking 2 cups of coffee each morning
- eating low fat/saturated far peanut butter every morning
- eating as much plant based and whole grain as possible
- eating omega 3 enriched seafood whenever possible

Support from family, staying positive and praying doesnt hurt either.

Every 3 months I swet the blood work results, and ct scan results every 6 months. Dont believe non credible resources, and talk to your oncologist, not Dr. GOOGLE!

REPLY
@frankl

Unfortunately, there are too many conflicting and misleading studies and opinions posted, from very credible resouces....each with their own agenda.

I have advanced prostate cancer, and am going into my 4th year of remission. So far, surviving seems to be a crap shoot with a lot of variables. This is what I am concentrating on:
- avoiding selenium and vitamin B2 and vitamin E supplements
- avoiding most processed food and meat
- avoiding saturated fats
- avoiding most dairy, except certain cheeses (mozzerella/swiss)
- eating berries every day
- eating my veggies every day
- eating 1.5 ounches of nuts (avoid brazil nuts) every night
- drinking a lot of water
- avoiding alcohol
- drinking 2 cups of coffee each morning
- eating low fat/saturated far peanut butter every morning
- eating as much plant based and whole grain as possible
- eating omega 3 enriched seafood whenever possible

Support from family, staying positive and praying doesnt hurt either.

Every 3 months I swet the blood work results, and ct scan results every 6 months. Dont believe non credible resources, and talk to your oncologist, not Dr. GOOGLE!

Jump to this post

Excellent diet!! And how do mozzarella and Swiss escape the verboten dairy category? I eat ALL dairy in moderation - not every day and not a lot at each serving.
I happen to love both cheeses you mention so thank you for that!😊

REPLY
@frankl

Unfortunately, there are too many conflicting and misleading studies and opinions posted, from very credible resouces....each with their own agenda.

I have advanced prostate cancer, and am going into my 4th year of remission. So far, surviving seems to be a crap shoot with a lot of variables. This is what I am concentrating on:
- avoiding selenium and vitamin B2 and vitamin E supplements
- avoiding most processed food and meat
- avoiding saturated fats
- avoiding most dairy, except certain cheeses (mozzerella/swiss)
- eating berries every day
- eating my veggies every day
- eating 1.5 ounches of nuts (avoid brazil nuts) every night
- drinking a lot of water
- avoiding alcohol
- drinking 2 cups of coffee each morning
- eating low fat/saturated far peanut butter every morning
- eating as much plant based and whole grain as possible
- eating omega 3 enriched seafood whenever possible

Support from family, staying positive and praying doesnt hurt either.

Every 3 months I swet the blood work results, and ct scan results every 6 months. Dont believe non credible resources, and talk to your oncologist, not Dr. GOOGLE!

Jump to this post

Your diet is excellent Sir . How old are you and what sort of treatments have you had ? I battle anxiety over Prostate Cancer myself . My diet and exercise is solid . Have had operation 5 years ago then 22 sessions of External Beam Radiation( EBRT) about 2 years ago, for a Gleason 3+4 lesson in Prostate . My dad died of PC at age 67 about 25 years ago . I am 62 . I have a very low 0.035 PSA now and not doign any ADT or Chemicals . Anxiety bothers me though . I go for long hikes in the mountains with my two dogs . This helps , so I do it almost everyday ! God Bless Sir ! James form Vancouver Island .

REPLY

Not sure where the confusion is.

Generally a plant based diet is better for men with prostate cancer. Who says so -- Journal of American Medicine, UCSF Cancer Center, Pub Med (a great science based resource, and ZERO a prostate cancer non profit. Add in the Lagone Medical Center and MSKCC.

Sources:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2818122
https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2024/05/427571/prostate-cancer-study-more-health-benefits-plant-based-diet#:~:text=for%20Urologic%20Cancer.-,%E2%80%9CGreater%20consumption%20of%20plant%2Dbased%20food%20after%20a%20prostate%20cancer,%2Dwin%20on%20both%20levels.%E2%80%9D
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38691361/#:~:text=Conclusions%20and%20relevance:%20In%20this%20cohort%20study,practices%20and%20support%20well%2Dbeing%20and%20overall%20health.
https://zerocancer.org/blog/plant-based-diets-and-prostate-cancer
Is there definitive proof no, but really smart people think you'll live longer on a plant diet.

If you want to do your own research, I suggest looking at meta analyses rather than one Dr who studied X number of people. Also peer reviewed.

For me, RP, Gleason 4+3, 3+4 and 4+4. Negative margins. Still alive and kicking.

REPLY

My husband and I were on Mediterranean diet our whole life because we are coming form that region. We did however use a lot of milk products since we just love all kinds of cheese and we use milk in coffee which we drink in abundance. For me amount of milk would definitely come to a cup a day and much less for my husband since he drinks it with almost zero milk.
I personally don't' know what to think about milk per se. I think it is important to drink organic and pasture fed since added hormones and growth factors definitely do not help anybody that has cancer of any kind. We are now using soy milk for green smoothies, minuscule amount of organic cow milk in coffee, avoid cheese, and make oatmeal with tiny amount of goat milk and mostly water. We did not eliminate milk 100% since even studies said that up to 2/3 of a cup a day seems to be fine.
We also reduced simple sugars and included bunch of supplements while we are waiting for RP in August.
All in all, his PSA went down since January by more tan 2 points (from 7.6 to 5.1 ) and I truly believe that diet and supplements do have an effect.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.