Prostate cancer is a huge worry for men. And rightly so—as one out of every nine men will be diagnosed with it at some point in their lives.
Although, in most cases, these men really have what I call “fake” prostate cancer, with just a few biopsied cells that look abnormal under a microscope. And those cells wouldn’t have caused any harm to the man, much less shorted his life, even if left completely alone.
Fortunately, a new study shows you can lower your risk of developing both the “fake” and aggressive prostate cancers by drinking more coffee…yes, coffee!
I’ll tell you all about that study in just a moment. But first, let’s talk a little more about why coffee continues to get such a bad rap from the medical community…
Coffee warnings based on myth, not science
For decades, mainstream medicine considered coffee drinking a vice or a crutch. They even tried (and failed) to find a link between coffee consumption and disease risk.
I recently saw a popular health “expert” caution against drinking coffee. He included cutting out coffee in a long list of supposedly “healthy” recommendations, which also included cutting out alcohol, eggs, dairy, and red meat…and exercising every day until you drop.
Of course, there isn’t a shred of real scientific evidence to support any of those recommendations. In fact, the list was so erroneous, I had to wonder when was the last time this “expert” had actually looked at a scientific publication.
Even back in the 1980s, we had the evidence to show that cutting out those foods didn’t extend your life. In fact, when I worked with U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, he used to say that you could try to eat a bland diet and cut out eggs, meat, fat, salt, alcohol, and coffee. Then he added, “you won’t live forever; it will only feel like it.”
Now, cutting out all of those health foods is worrisome to me. But the caution against coffee is especially puzzling. Because for years now, studies have shown that drinking it protects the brain, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, heart, kidney, and liver. It also specifically seems to lower risks of colon cancer, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and dementia. And now—we know it also protects against prostate cancer, which brings us back to the new study I just mentioned…
Coffee drinkers have much lower prostate cancer risk
For this new meta-analysis, the researchers analyzed data from 16 previously published international studies involving more than one million men. For the analysis, the researchers categorized the men into two broad groups, according to their coffee consumption.
The group with high coffee consumption drank two to nine cups per day. The group with the low consumption drank fewer than two cups per day.
Then, the researcher gauged the effect of coffee consumption on prostate cancer risk…
Overall, the high coffee consumers had a 9 percent lower risk of prostate cancer compared to low consumption. More significantly, the high coffee consumers had up to a 16 percent lower risk of developing aggressive and fatal prostate cancers.
This is a key distinction, because, as I mentioned earlier, most men who develop prostate cancer don’t die from it. Whereas for the small percentage of men who do develop the truly aggressive and invasive form, it typically turns deadly.
Furthermore, the researchers noticed a clear “dose-response effect.” And for each additional cup of coffee the men enjoyed per day—from 2 cups up to 9 cups or more—there was an additional 1 percent reduction in risk of prostate cancer.
The researchers also noted many factors that could account for coffee’s benefits. For one, coffee improves blood sugar metabolism. And, although not widely acknowledged by mainstream oncology, sugar is a big cause of cancer.
In addition, the many natural plant constituents in coffee show antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and help regulate hormone levels—all of which influence the onset and progression of prostate cancer.
In an interview following publication of the study, a urologist from New York said, despite the strong data, it’s still “tough to make any recommendations” about drinking coffee.
Really? How much more evidence do you need?!
Well, I wouldn’t put too much stock in what urologists say about how to prevent or fight against prostate cancer. Remember, they make careers (and fortunes) ripping out “fake” cancers that likely wouldn’t have shortened a man’s life if left completely alone.
In the end, I encourage you to enjoy your coffee as you’ve always done. In fact, go ahead and pour an additional cup, without feeling guilty. Not only will it give you a bit of an extra kick in the morning…it’s also good for your prostate!
Just make sure to opt for organic, free trade coffee, made without using toxic, paper filters. And try to enjoy it black or with full-fat cream, a sprinkle of spices (like cinnamon), and/or with a natural sweetener (like stevia)…not with sugar or sugary creamers/syrups.
You can also learn more about your prostate—including step-by-step advice regarding a common prostate concern—in the November 2018 issue of my monthly newsletter, Insiders’ Cures (“Urgent warning for men: The shocking reason you need to pay attention to your prostate—even if you’re symptom-free”). Subscribers have access to this article and all of my past content in the archives. So, if you haven’t already, consider signing up today. All it takes is one click!
Source:
“Coffee consumption and risk of prostate cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” BMJ Open, 2021. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038902