According to pooled data analysis published in the BMJ Open journal, taking several coffee cups daily could lower prostate cancer development.
Prostate cancer has been on the increase
The findings indicate that taking additional cups of coffee daily can reduce the relative risk of prostate cancer by 1%. Currently, prostate cancer is the second most common cancer type and the 6th leading cancer death cause in men. Almost three in four prostate cancer cases occur in the developed world, and since the 1970s, there has been a sharp increase in cases in Asian nations, including Singapore, China, and Japan.
Consuming coffee has been associated with a lower risk of bowel, breast, and liver cancers, but there is still no conclusive evidence on coffee’s role in reducing prostate cancer risk. Researchers sought to get more insight into the issue by trawling databases for applicable cohort studies published up to September 2020. Researchers pooled data 16:15 reported on prostate cancer risk related to the highest relative to lowest coffee consumption, with 13 studies reporting on risk related to the additional daily cup. The highest coffee consumption ranged between 2 and 9 cups daily, with the lowest being less than 2 cups per day.
Increasing the amount of coffee intake can reduce prostate cancer risk
Compared with those with the lowest coffee consumption, those who consumed more had a higher chance of prostate cancer reduction by 9%. Interestingly taking an additional coffee cup each day was associated with prostate cancer risk reduction by 1%. Also, when the researchers refined the analysis to advanced and localized prostate cancer, the highest coffee intake was related to 7% lower localized prostate cancer risks and 12-16% lower advanced prostate cancer risk.
It is important to note that coffee enhanced glucose metabolism with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects and also impacts sex hormone levels. Interestingly all these can influence prostate cancer’s initiation, advancement, and progression. The researchers concluded that there increasing coffee consumption is related to reduced prostate cancer risk. However, more research is necessary to explore the active compounds and underlying mechanisms in coffee.
