Eating These May Help Treat Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the United States after  skin cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, there will be  161,360 new cases of prostate cancer, and 26,730 men will succumb to the  disease this year. Fortunately, there is a ray of hope here.

A recent study says compounds found in turmeric, red grapes, berries, and apple peels can kill prostate cancer cells. The compounds in them have the potential to shrink prostate tumors. 

In fact, researchers have been testing resveratrol found in berries for  its anti-cancer properties since the 1960s. There is evidence of  resveratrol being useful in the treatment of other cancers such as skin,  breast, lungs, pancreas, and colorectal in addition to prostate cancer.  This compound is also used in combination with other drugs for cancer  treatment. However, more research is required in this area. 

 

Natural Compounds Can Kill Prostate Cancer Cells

Stefano Tiziani and colleagues from the Department of Nutritional  Sciences and the Dell Pediatric Research Institute at the University of  Texas at Austin, have found that certain compounds can starve prostate  cancer cells. 

The researchers used a high-throughput screening (HTS) technique to  test 142 natural compounds for their ability to halt the growth of  prostate cancer cells. They found that the compounds present in red  grapes, turmeric, and apple peel can starve prostate cancer tumors and  shrink them. However, these compounds were more effective when used in  combination. The results of the study were published in npj Precision Oncology. 

 For the study, the researchers tested red grapes, turmeric, and apple  peel in prostate cancer cells taken from mice. They administered these  foods individually, as well as in combination via the mice’s diet to  test their effectiveness. 

They identified three compounds that were more effective in stopping  the growth of prostate cancer cells—curcumin found in  turmeric, resveratrol found in berries and red grapes, and ursolic acid  found in apple peel. 

The in vivo effects of the combined or single administration of the  natural compounds on the growth of tumors were evaluated. These tumors  were derived from HMVP2 spheroids in a mouse allograft model. 

The HMVP2 cells were grown into spheroids, injected into the flank of  male FVB/N mice. After the injection, it was allowed to grow for 13  days. The tumor volume was monitored daily for 32 days of the test. 

 

Results of the Study

The study found that the compounds didn’t change the animal’s weight.  Also, the single-administered compounds didn’t show a significant  difference in the tumor weight and volume. 

However, when the researchers administered the compounds together, it  resulted in synergistic effects on tumor weight and volume. The  combination of ursolic acid and curcumin were found to be most effective  in inhibiting the tumor growth. 

The researchers found that ursolic acid when combined with either  curcumin or resveratrol, prevented the use of glutamine by prostate  cancer cells. Glutamine is an amino acid that fosters the growth of  prostate cancer cells. So, the lack of glutamine prevented the growth of  tumor cells in mice by starving them to death. Also, these natural  compounds didn’t cause any toxic effects in mice.

 The concentration of the three compounds used for the research was  higher than what one would normally consume through a regular diet. But,  the positive point is that there may be some natural remedies to treat  and prevent prostate cancer cells. There is also some research being  carried out on the use of ginger to prevent prostate cancer. 

 

Include Apples, Berries, and Turmeric in Your Diet

In conclusion, you should increase your intake of turmeric, red  grapes, apples, and berries for overall health and to help reduce your  risk of prostate cancer. After all, prevention is better than a cancer  diagnosis. Either way, berries, apples, and turmeric are healthy foods  that offer many health benefits. And, it’s quite easy to include them in  your diet every day.

Having an overall healthy lifestyle is essential. This includes a  balanced diet, exercise, and proper stress management. All these factors  go a long way in building a good immune system and staying healthy.  

By : Farah Shaikh

https://www.foodsforbetterhealth.com/turmeric-red-grapes-apple-peels-berries-prostate-cancer-35697