Eating Mushrooms Prevents Cancer Growth in Middle-Aged Men, according to a recent study

This week in mushroom news we are looking at the long term health benefits of mushrooms for middle-aged men. A study of middle-aged men found results that suggest that the consumption of mushrooms prevents cancer growth. Recent studies suggest that the consumption of mushrooms by middle-aged and elderly men can reduce their chances of developing prostate cancer.

The Study

The Miyagi Cohort Study of 1990 and the Ohsaki Cohort Study of 1994 together studied a total of 36,499 men between the age of 40 and 70 years of age for a median of 13.2 years, according to the International Journal of Cancer.

The Results

Throughout the duration of the study, 3.3% of the participants developed cancer.

Compared with those whose consumption of mushrooms less than once a week, those who consumed mushrooms once or twice a week were 8% less likely to develop prostate cancer and those who consumed mushrooms three or more times per week were 17% less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Species

Lead author of the study, Shu Zhang, PhD, of the Tohoku University School of Public Health in Japan, says they can’t be sure. “Since information on mushroom species was not collected, it is difficult to know which specific mushroom(s) contributed to our findings. Also, the mechanism of the beneficial effects of mushrooms on prostate cancer remains uncertain.”

mushrooms prevent cancer — Image courtesy of The Mushroom Council

Incorporating Mushrooms into your diet

What’s your consumption of mushrooms like? Are you looking to incorporate more mushrooms into your diet in order to reap their benefits? We think that is a great idea! Your first step should probably be to learn a bit more about what types you like and how to use them. Our blog has lots of information about some of our favorite species and a few tips on how to use them. In addition, here a few links to some of our favorite recipes:

Already a mushroom lover? Ready to start growing your own? We have lots of great posts on how to get started over on our blog. Need supplies? Our shop is chock-full of them. Hop on over and get started now.