Human Trial Indicates Broccoli May Help Against Prostate Cancer

Broccoli and other cruciferous veggies have been shown to help in the prevention of not just lung cancer, but more recently, also prostate cancer. The latter is based on a clinical study on humans (as opposed to most reports extrapolating from animal trials).

In the trials, men who were genetically at risk of developing prostate cancer (bearing the GSTM1 gene) ate either 400g of broccoli or 400g of peas per week in addition to their normal diet over 12 months. Tissue samples were taken from their prostate gland before the start of the trial and after 6 and 12 months, and it was found that there were more changes in gene expression in men who were on the broccoli-rich diet than on the pea diet.

These findings suggest that consuming broccoli interacts with GSTM1 genotype to result in complex changes to signalling pathways associated with inflammation and carcinogenesis in the prostate. We propose that these changes may be mediated through the chemical interaction of isothiocyanates with signalling peptides in the plasma.

Four hundred grams per week. That should be manageable, I think, particularly for those that are genetically predisposed could consciously strive for.