Prostate cancer is a common fear among older men. The internet is full of ways to help you lower your risk and while some of the information available is true, a lot of it can be false, and sometimes even harmful.

Here are some basic ways to reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer…

Eat healthy

There is so much evidence to show that a balanced diet can help to reduce the risk of many different types of cancer, not just prostate 1.

You should be eating at least 2 and a half cups of fruit and vegetables a day 2.

Although more research is needed to fully understand the effect of a healthy diet on the risk of getting prostate cancer, it is still a good place to start.

The tentative links are enough to show that it will make a difference, and eating a balanced diet can improve health in a number of ways, not just through reducing the risk of cancer.

Manage your calcium intake

Calcium is an important mineral that your body needs to survive, but excess amounts can lead to an increased chance of developing prostate cancer 3.

Make sure that you are meeting your daily required needs, but also make sure that you do not exceed these limits.

Most people aim to get their calcium from dairy products such as milk, but you can also get calcium from leafy green vegetables. Eating more greens will not only help you manage your calcium intake, but it also helps to improve your overall diet.

So in order to reduce your risk of prostate cancer, it’s recommended that you adjust your calcium intake according to your specific situation – whether this means increasing or decreasing your consumption levels, to get to a healthy amount.

Exercise

Exercising and maintaining a healthy body weight have been shown to reduce the risk of developing a number of different health conditions 4, including but not limited to prostate cancer and reducing the chances of developing severe prostate cancer 5.

Getting fit is great for your overall health, and exercise should become part of your daily routine, regardless of whether you are concerned about prostate cancer, or a myriad of other health problems. Even if you are only active for short periods of time, it will have a positive impact.

Stop smoking

Smoking does not necessarily have a direct effect on the chances of developing prostate cancer.

But studies have found that smoking is associated with a higher risk of developing more severe prostate cancer 6, and also with getting recurring prostate cancer if you’ve already had it before.

Therefore it’s a good idea to stop smoking, especially if you know your risk of getting prostate cancer is high, due to uncontrollable factors such as genetics.

Cut down on alcohol

There is no evidence to suggest that alcohol consumption has any direct relation to the risk of getting prostate cancer.

However, some weak links have been found that suggest that excessive drinking may cause an increased risk of severer forms of prostate cancer 7. Alcohol consumption should be limited to safe levels, which can reduce the risk of prostate cancer slightly, and will be good for your health in general

What will NOT reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer:

Beware of unhelpful hints on the internet that discuss ways to reduce prostate cancer, which can actually be harmful in some cases. Here are a few common suggestions that will not affect your risk of getting prostate cancer:

 

  • Taking vitamin/supplement pills

Vitamin or supplement pills are not going to reduce your risk of getting prostate cancer. Some supplements can even be harmful to your health, especially when taken in excess 8.

Although these pills might claim to give your body necessary minerals and vitamins, you should be aiming to ingest these through a healthy diet instead, for better results that will actually lower your risk.

  • Managing coffee consumption

There is currently no evidence that ties reducing coffee/caffeine consumption to prostate cancer.

There is some evidence to suggest that men who drink more than six cups of coffee a day can reduce their risk of prostate cancer 9, but this is actually not recommended, due to the fact that drinking more than four cups of coffee a day can cause other issues, like heart problems or seizures 10.

Always Remember:

Prostate cancer is a complex health condition, and the exact cause of this disease is often unknown.

While you can do your best to live a healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk as much as possible, this may not be enough to reduce your risk to zero.

Certain factors, such as genetic predisposition are impossible to change, and will still have an effect on risk.

References:

  1. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/in-depth/prostate-cancer-prevention/art-20045641
  2. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/prevention.html
  3. https://www.cancer.org/healthy/eat-healthy-get-active/acs-guidelines-nutrition-physical-activity-cancer-prevention/common-questions.html
  4. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/in-depth/prostate-cancer-prevention/art-20045641
  5. https://www.healthline.com/health/9-tips-to-prevent-prostate-cancer#exercise
  6. https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/are-you-at-risk/can-i-reduce-my-risk
  7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3786564/
  8. https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/are-you-at-risk/can-i-reduce-my-risk
  9. https://www.nhs.uk/news/cancer/does-coffee-reduce-prostate-cancer-risk/
  10. https://www.healthline.com/health/9-tips-to-prevent-prostate-cancer#coffee