Harvard experts: Plant-based diet improves sexual health of men with prostate cancer

13 Feb 2024 --- Limiting dairy and meat while increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts may decrease the likelihood of developing erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence and other symptoms common among patients being treated for prostate cancer, finds a new study by NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, US.

“Our findings offer hope for those looking for ways to improve their quality of life after undergoing surgery, radiation and other common therapies for prostate cancer, which can cause significant side effects,” says Stacy Loeb, MD, study lead author, urologist and a professor in the Departments of Urology and Population Health at NYU Langone Health. “Adding more fruits and vegetables to their diet, while reducing meat and dairy, is a simple step that patients can take.”

“These results add to the long list of health and environmental benefits of eating more plants and fewer animal products. They also clearly challenge the historical misconception that eating meat boosts sexual function in men, when in fact the opposite seems to be the case,” she adds. 

Participants were categorized into five groups according to the self-reported ratio of plant-based foods to meat in their diets. Those with the highest consumption of plants notably outperformed those with the lowest consumption in terms of sexual and urinary health.

This is the first study to show evidence that nutrition can impact the urinary health of those diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Plant versus animal-based food 
Published in the journal Cancer, the research involving 3,505 men with prostate cancer sets out to find the effects a plant-based diet has on the quality of life issues associated with the treatment of this type of cancer. 

The participants were in the process of being treated for nonmetastatic prostate cancer that has not spread beyond the primary affected organ. The median age was 68 — 8% of patients were undergoing radical prostatectomy, and 35% were receiving radiation therapy. 

The researchers assessed their diets using food-frequency questionnaires and their quality of life scores with an Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite. The associations between the two were calculated using generalized estimating equations. On average, the men received the questionnaires seven years following their initial diagnosis. 

The findings reveal that the prostate cancer patients that consume the highest proportion of plant-based foods scored 8% to 11% better in measures of sexual health and 14% better on urinary health in comparison with the group that consumed the least amount of plants. 

Patients on plant-heavy diets were less likely to report incontinence, obstruction and irritation while urinating. The same group was further shown to score up to 13% better in the hormonal health category, which assessed symptoms like low energy, depression and hot flashes.

Understanding the impact
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prostate cancer is one of the most common and deadliest cancers among US male citizens. Previous research has already established a link between a plant-based diet and a decreased likelihood of a fatal case of prostate cancer. 

A UK-based study revealed that the compounds found in cruciferous vegetables reduce the risk, rate and severity of prostate cancer.

Previous research has presented evidence that a plant-based diet can improve the sexual health of all men. The issue is particularly pertinent to men with prostate-related concerns. 

The researchers conducting this new study also analyzed data from the ongoing Harvard Chan School-sponsored Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, which began in 1986. The data set is composed of information on more than 50,000 male health practitioners and aims to improve understanding of how nutrition impacts cancer, heart disease and other serious illnesses.

Participants in the long-term study were asked every four years about the portions and food groups most commonly present in their diets. Another survey inquired about the men’s frequency of incontinence, difficulties maintaining an erection and problems with bowels, energy and mood every two years.

The ongoing research’s preliminary findings support the conclusion of this most recent Harvard study. 

By Milana Nikolova