The influence of wine on prostate cancer

According to research by scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, drinking a glass of red wine a day may reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer by half, and the protective effect appears to be strongest against the most aggressive forms of the disease (source bio.com).

Dr.. Janet L. Stanford and her colleagues from the Public Health Research Division appear online in the international cancer magazine.

“We have discovered, that men, who drink 4 or more glasses of red wine per week reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 50%, ”says Stanford. "Among men, who consume 4 or more four-ounce glasses of wine per week, we observed approx. 60% fewer cases of the more aggressive types of prostate cancer. The more clinically aggressive the cancer, the stronger the risk reduction we observe. "

Stanford and her colleagues found no significant effects - neither positive nor negative - related to the consumption of beer or spirits, as well as white wine, which suggests, that this beneficial compound present in red wine is not present in other alcohols. This relationship, Stanford and her colleagues believe, may be an antioxidant called resveratrol, which is abundant in the skins of red grapes, and to a much lesser extent in white grapes. This compound can also be found in peanuts and raspberries and is also available as a dietary supplement, which is recommended to protect against vascular disease. This compound is also found in home grape wines.

Laboratory studies show, that resveratrol affects the body in different ways, which is important in fighting cancer, e.g.:

– as an antioxidant, helps to "sweep" dangerous out of the body, causing cancer, free radicals

– as an anti-inflammatory factor, blocks certain enzymes that contribute to tumor growth

– this compound also reduces cell fertility by reducing cell division which could lead to cancer or the continued increase in the number of cancer cells

– it also improves apoptosis, that is, controlled cell death, which helps get rid of cancer cells

– it may also act as estrogen, by reducing the levels of circulation of male hormones such as testosterone, which stimulates the growth of prostate cancer.