Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men, with one in six men developing prostate cancer disease.
Men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer often avoid talking about it-but that doesn’t mean it’s not a significant and terrifying risk factor for men. These risk factors can be avoided through lifestyle changes and prevention methods; we’ll explore these options today.
We’ll cover 7 gigantic prostate cancer risk factors that affect upwards of 80% of men. Though the risk factors listed may seem very scary, there are ways to mitigate many of them-which we’ll go over today.
Read this article to learn how you can reduce your risk of prostate cancer by making some simple changes to your lifestyle!
What is Prostate Cancer?
Prostate cancer happens when cells in the prostate gland begin to grow uncontrollably; the proliferation of cancerous cells usually lead to tumors. Prostate cancer is very common , affecting one in six men-and it can be fatal if left untreated.
The disease was named after the organ it affects, the prostate-which is located between your bladder and penis.
How common is prostate cancer in men?
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men worldwide and accounts for almost 30% of all cases of male cancers. In the United States, more than 1 man in 7 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime-and it can affect anyone regardless of race or ethnicity. While it’s true that black men are at least 50% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, they also have a lower chance of dying from it.
People who develop and die of prostate cancer tend to develop it at a younger age than do women that develop breast cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death by cancer in men, after lung cancer. While many cases can be slow-growing and harmless, some prostate cancers are aggressive and fast-acting.
Is there any risk of prostate cancer?
There are certain risk factors that can increase a man’s chance of growing prostate cancer in prostate gland. One of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk is discuss prevention methods with your doctor.
The two primary lifestyle-related risks for developing prostate cancer are age and ethnicity, but prostate cancer can also be attributed to family history of the disease or exposure to pesticides. Diet, obesity level, and exercise habits are also important risk factors for growing prostate cancer-and can be easily modified to reduce your risk of developing the disease.
The 7 most common risk factors for prostate cancer
Smoking
Tobacco products, particularly cigarettes, is one of the leading risk factors for developing prostate cancer. Tobacco (and any substance that has nicotine in it) increases cortisol levels in your body, which may cause serious long-term damage to your health.
Men who smoke are twice as likely to develop prostate cancer than non-smokers; this risk greatly rises if you smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day. Though quitting smoking has immediate benefits for your overall health, it takes at least 10 years before prostate cancer risk goes down by half. If you quit smoking at an older age, the likelihood of having prostate cancer falls quicker-but it’s never too late! Quitting smoking will benefit your health well into your later years.
Obesity and Exercise
If you’re overweight and physically inactive, your risk of developing more advanced prostate cancer increases significantly.
Obesity is connected to the increase of many cancers, including those in the breast, colon, liver, gallbladder, rectum, uterus and ovaries. In fact, men who are obese with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 40 have a 2-4 times greater chance of having prostate cancer than men who maintain a healthy weight.
The best way to avoid obesity is through regular exercise and following a healthy diet with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Maintaining a healthy weight lowers risk of prostate cancer without sacrificing taste! As always though be sure to talk with your doctor before trying any significant changes with your diet or exercise routine.
Being physically inactive is another dangerous way of giving prostate cancer a chance to develop. Physical in activities include working out, running, swimming–anything that gets your body moving!
Having diet and physical activity lowers risk of prostate cancer and stops you from having aggressive prostate cancer.
And while you’re getting your body moving, it would be wise to talk with your doctor about ways to lower high levels of testosterone (if necessary.)
Testosterone actually stimulates the growth of prostate cells; if too much is circulating through your blood stream-you may develop prostate cancer. You can take steps to avoid this by getting regular bedtime and morning erections.
This will, over time, reduce your level of circulating testosterone.
Diets high in red meat or animal fats
Men who eat a lot of red meat have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer. A diet high in fats and saturated fat is also a major risk factor for the disease. Saturated fats are commonly found in animal products, such as ice cream, milk, cheese and butter.
Eating more vegetable oils (like canola oil) and omega-3 fatty acids (like those found in flaxseed oil), and a diet high in antioxidant fruits and vegetables, will lower your risk of growing prostate cancer.
In fact, eating more fruits and vegetables helps to avoid many types of cancer altogether!
In addition, plant-based diets aid in weight loss, which can also reduce your risk for developing prostate cancer.
Lack of calcium and vitamin D
While vitamin D helps to prevent some cancers, it is also a risk factor in developing more advanced prostate cancer!
Men who are deficient in vitamin D have an increased risk of growing prostate cancer.
Exposing your skin to the sun is one way to get sufficient amounts of vitamin D; alternatively, you can take supplements or use fortified foods–but talk with your doctor first to make sure it’s safe for you.
Calcium can also help lower your risk of having prostate cancer occurs, so be sure to incorporate plenty into your diet every day!
Race
African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men, possibly because they have a higher risk for other cancers, such as colon cancer. Asian immigrants tend to show rates midway between those of Caucasians and African Americans.
It’s important to note that African American men have a much higher increased risk of developing aggressive prostate cancers than their Caucasian counterparts–so it is especially critical that they get treatment as soon as possible!
But, whatever is your race, if you detects suspicious signs or symptoms of prostate cancer early enough, you should seek treatment. Because this alone can help prevent the disease from becoming in its aggressive form and spread to other parts of the body.
Regardless of race, it’s also important to be aware that African-American men should do more frequent screening than other races because the disease is often detected at higher stages in their bodies.
Alcohol intake
Studies have found a relationship between the amount of alcohol consumed and an increased risk of getting prostate cancer. Men who had more than 14 alcoholic drinks per week had about double the risk of prostate-cancer mortality as compared with men who had less than one drink per week.
Men who drank an average of 3 to 4 drinks per day also showed a higher risk for growing aggressive prostate cancer in prostate gland.
It is important to remember that the studies found only an association, not necessarily cause-and-effect; however, cutting back on your alcohol intake might be wise if you want to lower your risk.
Family history (Genetic risk factors)
For men with a family history of prostate cancer (father, brother or son), there is an increased risk for developing the disease.
Talking about hereditary prostate cancer with your family can help you understand the risk factors for getting it, so that you can live a healthy lifestyle.
However, even if you do develop hereditary prostate cancer due to genetic factors, studies show that it’s more likely to be low-grade and slow growing; this means it may never spread outside the gland and could usually be treated successfully.
While genetic factors in family history can be a cause for being diagnosed with prostate cancer, doing genetic testing may not be that beneficial in helping to prevent risk of prostate cancer.
Because of this, regular screenings and a healthy diet and lifestyle will be the most crucial steps a man can take in order to not increase prostate cancer risk altogether.
The key is taking action as soon as possible and getting treatment–this can greatly reduce your risk of dying from prostate cancer!
Age
Prostate cancer odds of development increase as men age. The chance for African American and Caucasian men is about 1 in 7; while it’s about 1 in 4 for men over the age of 85.
Although, and unlike breast cancer, the chances of a man dying from prostate cancer is low, it can be deadly if left undetected and untreated. Most prostate cancers have no symptoms until they have spread to surrounding tissues or other parts of the body.
However, that doesn’t mean that older men should just ignore suspicious symptoms and not seek treatment–because this type of cancer can affect any man at any time!
Don’t be afraid to discuss concerns with your doctor, regardless of how old you are.
All of these factors can be avoided through lifestyle changes and prevention methods; we’ll explore these options today.
Don’t think that because you’re young or don’t have a family history of cancer, you don’t need to worry about prostate cancer yet. If anything, the younger you are when you start taking preventative measures, the more likely you are to avoid this disease altogether!
What are The effective prevention methods for stopping developing prostate cancer?
Earlier in this article, we explored some of the biggest risk of having prostate cancer occurs [ages 45-79]; let’s go over how to avoid them with these cancer prevention methods.
Quitting smoking
Smoking can contribute to developing prostate cancer, so it’s important to stop it as soon as possible. This doesn’t just help prevent prostate cancer, but it can also reduce the chances of other cancers and diseases!
If you’ve tried quitting before and haven’t been successful, try using patches or another form of medication to help cravings. You don’t have to go cold turkey if you don’t want to; this method can be successful for many people.
If you live with a smoker, make sure they never light up inside and keep windows closed when they go outside to smoke; this reduces your exposure.
Inflammation
Studies have shown that chronic inflammation may increase the risk for having prostate cancer. Eating foods high in omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for reducing inflammation. They can be found in fish like salmon and tuna, flaxseed oil, chia seeds and walnuts (just to name a few). Avoid eating too much red meat; these cause inflammation that can harm your body.
Getting enough exercise
Studies show that men who get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise 3-5 days per week reduced their risk of developing advanced-stage prostate cancer by 31%. Exercise brings more oxygenated blood flow throughout the body (including the reproductive system) which is very healthy for your body.
Eating less fat
According to the American Cancer Society, studies have shown that men who consumed a diet high in foods containing animal fat were at greater risk of developing fatal prostate cancer. Foods with saturated fats include beef and lamb; try replacing them with beans or seafood (like salmon!) instead.
Early Detection
Just like breast cancer in women, this is one of the most effective cancer prevention methods.
Prostate health begins long before you turn 45, so don’t wait until it’s too late to take preventive measures! If you’re looking for ways to prevent prostate cancer, consider what factors are within your control.
This means removing smoking from your lifestyle, getting more exercise and eating healthier foods can all help reduce your risk for developing this disease. While every man has the same chance for developing this disease, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Taking a Supplement
Prostate health is very important for men, and it is recommended that you take supplements such as ProstaStream to help reduce inflammation and improve function.
ProstaStream has a natural ingredient Saw Palmetto Berries that are known to reduce the risk of getting prostate cancer; consuming this supplement helps with inflammation and improves overall virility.
Another great trio this supplement has is the Japanese mushroom trio of Shiitake, Reishi and Maitake. These contain elements like Beta-Glucans that naturally reduce inflammation in your body; improve prostate function while boosting the immune system.
If you want to learn more about how taking a natural, healthy supplement can help prevent prostate cancer, visit TheProstastream.com for more information.
How to talk to your doctor about your prostate cancer risk factors?
Talking to your doctor about your risk of having prostate cancer is a great way to address concerns and ensure that you’re getting the best treatment possible. Here are some tips for how to go about doing this.
Rather than just walking in, you should have a list of topics that you want to cover with your doctor.
Make sure that you take note of when you last had your PSA checked, any family history you have of prostate cancer, and other risk factors that may apply to you specifically.
Make sure that you find a doctor who is open to talking about lifestyle changes.
Doctors should be more than willing to discuss what diet and exercise would suit you best, along with what risk factors they feel might apply to your specific case.
Conclusion
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men, but it can be prevented and treated if caught early.
While every man has the same chance for developing this disease, following a lifestyle that is healthy and beneficial will reduce your risk for serious health problems.
If you are diagnosed with prostate cancer or you have some risk factors, talk to your doctor as it lowers your overall risk of having cancer in your prostate gland.
Also you can visit Prostastream.com to learn how taking a natural supplement can help prevent prostate cancer and keep you healthy for life!
FAQ
What is the most important risk factor for prostate cancer?
Smoking is the #1 risk factor for prostate cancer according to many studies.
What diet is a risk factor associated with prostate cancer?
A diet high in animal protein or red meat is a risk factor for prostate cancer.
What age group is at high risk for having prostate cancer?
Elderly men are at higher risk for prostate cancer than the younger men.
What are the chances of dying from prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer does not typically lead to death before another non-cancerous ailment.
However, if it becomes aggressive prostate cancer, it could be fatal.
What are three complications that can develop in association with prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer may also cause urinary complications, sexual dysfunction and problems with bowel movements.
Is prostate cancer inherited from mother or father?
Prostate cancer is not inherited, but there are some genetic risk factors.
What is the life expectancy of a man with prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer is not fatal when caught early. The life expectancy of a man with prostate cancer depends on how aggressive the cancer is, along with other factors.
Resources
Here are the references our researchers used when writing this article:
- https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/prostate-cancer/risk-factors-and-prevention
- https://www.pcf.org/patient-resources/family-cancer-risk/prostate-cancer-risk-factors/
- https://prostatecanceruk.org/prostate-information/are-you-at-risk
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/prostate-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353087
- https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html