Sugar and Cancer

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Urology Times editorial (http://www.modernmedicine.com/modernmedicine/Prostate+Cancer/Multiple-studies-support-diets-effect-on-prostate-/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/548553)

"The data are not absolute, but it seems clear that dietary habits can affect the course of this disease."

Having Gleason 9 and confirmed N1 at diagnosis, I figure that I should jump on anything that might assist in my battle. I haven't eaten anything but fruits, vegetables, eggs, a minimal amount of organic chicken, or cold water fish since August 2016. I was a big eater of all things meat and sugar and people now ask me how hard it was to give it all up. The answer is that it wasn't hard in the slightest. Nothing to do with me having will power, all having to do with being told I have a cancer that could kill me. Will my drastic change in diet help? I have no idea, but once again, I figure anything to hedge my prognosis is worth a try. Once my initial treatments are completed and I (hopefully) see remission, I will likely lighten up a bit on the diet but, really, I've lost 35 pounds and feel better than I have for years despite ADT.

I was happy to find and get involved in program at the Cleveland Clinic focusing on diet and supplement usage for people who have prostate cancer. It is run by an MD Anderson trained MD. In addition to the MD (Dr. Levy), I work with a dietician in his office. The interesting thing here is that the CC is actually following us in the program to look at how the program effects our dna and cells. The description of the program and the basis for it can be seen here:

/consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/2016/11/manipulating-diet-may-impact-prostate-cancer-risk-progression/

After all of my reading since being diagnosed, I wasn't really surprised by the recommendations for diet and supplements. However, one big shock was eggs. I was under the impression that eggs (especially yolks) were like lighter fluid for PCa. Dr. Levy disagrees and says that eggs in moderation (up to two a week) are nothing to worry about. I'm not ready yet to eat two eggs a week but at least if I have two a month now I'm not worrying about it.

.

Robert, it sounds like you are on the wheatbelly diet, DR William Davis. He talks about all of that, ratio of omega 3 to 6, olive oil being fake if you aren't careful, etc.

My diet has never been that good as an adult. I try to eat salads every once in a while and get some veggies. One thing that worries me (in reading everything here) is eggs. I have been eating a lot lately- one or two daily. The main reason is I get very gassy burps when I eat cereal. Eggs seem to calm that down. Even oatmeal can give me a reaction. Maybe fish would be better for breakfast with some greens of some sort- just very hard to start something like that.

Other things I am trying to cut down or eliminate: spicy foods, coffee, onions, garlic, fatty meats, fried foods, I can't tolerate any of these anymore. I guess my body is trying to tell me something. Probably time to call a Gastro doc.

Most people are deficient in vitamins D because we no longer get the sun exposure we use to. Everyone is inside sitting at computers instead of working in the fields. When I had mine checked it was 18 ng/ml which is low. The range should be according to the VA 30 - 90 ng/ml. Sick people should be on the higher end because they need more vitamin D to deal with illness. I started taking 5000 IU of vitamin D3 and got my level up to 72 ng/ml. Here is an article which explains it.

http://www.naturalnews.com/027345_Vitamin_D_exposure_sun.html

Schoolpsych,
Actually I am from Northwest Pa near the town of North East Pa (somewhat confusing), and we probably have less sunny days than Cleveland. I do travel to the Clinic for my treatment. I have also changed my diet since DX in 2010.

The consensus from this thread seems to be that diet is directly related to PC.

Nope, not a SAE.

Mr. Bill

Gemlin said...
about vitamin D: you can not from scientific studies draw the conclusion that vitamin D can reduce a cancer tumor. If there is, please show it!

However, I have read by scientists that the anti-inflammatory effect of vitamin D is very interesting when it comes to prostate cancer.

Which came first? Men with prostate cancer having low Vit D? Or men with low Vit D having prostate cancer? Chicken or Egg? That's not been figured out yet.

What has been figured out is the very high correlation coefficient between the two.

Here is a study where stage IV prostrate cancer patients with adequate levels of vitamin D had an improved survival rate after nearly two years compared with patients with and inadequate level. Whether you believe the study or not doesn't it make sense to have your vitamin d level check and get in the appropriate range. If you wait for conclusive evidence it may be too late. Getting the appropriate amount of vitamin D is not going to hurt you and it may be good for your health. I would want to be at the top of the range because sick people need more vitamins and minerals to fight disease.

http://www.cancercenter.com/community/newsletter/july-2013/vitamin-d-and-cancer/

Post Edited (eat2bwell) : 1/24/2017 12:29:45 PM (GMT-7)

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As I said before, we don't know which came first—the chicken or the egg—but Vitamin D deficiency has been correlated to prostate cancer (note the truism that correlation is not causation, but there is a correlation). Heed the words of Dr Charles "Snuffy" Myers:

"My background is in drug discovery and drug development, and so when I think of a supplement I think of it in the exact same terms I do a prescription drug. I look for the same of sound mechanism of action and data. So the strongest information is available for Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency is common in men of this age group…in our clinic we found half of the new patients coming in were vitamin D deficient. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increase in prostate disease, BPH… enlargement of the prostate with age as well as the risk of cancer. Pretty much tracks with the hours of sunlight. Hours of the country with lower sunlight have a much higher risk of prostate cancer than those with high sunlight. And that leads directly to Vitamin D deficiency.

And so we make it a standard practice to measure Vitamin D blood levels in our patients, and then give a dose of vitamin D necessary to bring their vitamin D up. So for the first couple months we measure vitamin D every month and adjust the dose till we find out that patient’s specific dose. For most men it’s somewhere between 5-7000 units a day are necessary.

And the body actually has a built in mechanism to dispose of excess Vitamin D when you do that. The liver turns on a destruction pathway. So Vitamin D has a huge safety margin. The only time people get into trouble with Vitamin D is if they’re taking very high doses of calcium at the same time, which is a completely artificial circumstance, better to take a natural approach which is a Vitamin D level in this range."

Vitamin D is the enemy to big pharma. Big Pharma does not want something that will make you healthy if they can't sell it. I can buy a years supply of vitamin D for around $15. $15 dollars for a years supply is not in Big Pharma's business plan. $15 won't even cover that tax on the drugs they sell. Any studies showing vitamin D is a bad thing is funded by Big Pharma. Everyone knows vitamins are required for good health. The question is how much do you need. Only you can answer that. There are levels set by certain sources but that is for healthy people. if you are sick you might need more. I would be much more concerned about the drugs being prescribe than being harmed by a vitamin.

I will remain odd man out on this subject, don't expect anyone else to agree.

I don't believe diet can make any possible change once one has cancer, PC or other cancers. Most of it is genetics and DNA.

I was warned about my sugar consumption way back in 2008. I am the biggest sugar junkie I know, I have been binging daily on all things sugar, only thing that makes me feel a little bit better.

So far, its had no known effect on my continuing battle with PC. Why make yourself miserable cutting off foods you love? With no definitive proof of positive results?

I still believe in general, that the Mederteranian style diet is a good guideline for general good health. But too many 90 year old people alive and kicking that have eaten terrible all their lives.

I think most if not all of us, are pre-disposed to get certain ailments, again, via our DNA, more than any outside causes.

Some of the diet talk, is that same "I got to do something" because I have cancer stuff. Not saying its wrong, if it makes one feel better, I guess there's no harm. But again life is short, why no enjoy what you enjoy in moderation.

On eggs, one year - they are great for you, the next year - they are the devil, back and forth, even experts can agree among themselves.

Just another way of looking at things.

There is lots of evidence out there showing that environment is contributor to all kinds of disease even cancer.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222489/

A piece of advice from Cancer Research UK (also related to the OP):

"If you try any alternative diet or nutritional supplement, it is important to continue to eat a well balanced diet. It is harmful to deprive yourself of the protein, carbohydrates (including sugars) and fats that your body needs to repair itself and keep going. You may have seen reports in the media that sugar feeds cancer. All cells in our body need sugar for energy, including cancer cells. But there is no evidence that restricting your sugar intake will stop a tumour growing."