Soy protein consumption could reduce risk of prostate cancer in men

07/07/05 Regular consumption of soy protein-containing foods and beverages may reduce the risk of prostate cancer in men by as much as 30 percent, according to a study recently published by the International Journal of Cancer, a medical research e-publication.

Authored by Lin Yan, Ph.D., director of cancer research for The Solae Company and Edward Spitznagel, Ph.D., professor of mathematics at Washington University, the study is a meta-analysis of eight population studies that investigated consumption of soy protein-containing foods in relation to prostate cancer in men.

Five of these studies were completed in the U.S. and Canada; while three were conducted in Asian countries. The meta-analysis of these studies demonstrated a dramatic 30 percent reduction in the risk of prostate cancer in men who regularly consumed soy protein-containing foods.

The finding of this study is also consistent and supported by a cross-national analysis of prostate mortality rate in relation to nutritional factors using data from United Nations sources. In the 42 countries which the appropriate data is available, soy consumption is correlated to a significantly lower mortality rate from prostate cancer. The protection from soy is demonstrated to be at least four times greater than from any other dietary factors that were analyzed.