|
Potassium-rich diet halves risk of breast cancer
Women who consume a relatively large amount of potassium through fruit and vegetables have a sixty percent lower risk of breast cancer than women with a modest potassium intake. This is suggested by an epidemiological study published in BMC Cancer.
Study
Researchers from the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Iran analyzed the diets of 134 women who had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. The researchers did this on the basis of questionnaires that the women had completed.
The researchers also determined the diet of 267 women without breast cancer.
Potassium
The Iranians mainly looked at potassium. The best food sources of potassium in a Western diet are potatoes (preferably with skin), plums and carrots.
In the Iranian study, fruits and vegetables were the main dietary sources of potassium. Then came dairy.
Results
Only potassium from plant sources protected against breast cancer. The risk of breast cancer in women who consumed approximately 1,340 milligrams of potassium per 1,000 kilocalories was 60 percent smaller than in women who consumed approximately 890 milligrams of potassium per 1,000 kilocalories.
Click on the table below for a larger version.
Mechanism
"The mechanisms linking potassium intake to cancer risk remain unclear, however, a higher potassium intake is often accompanied by healthier dietary choices," the Iranians write. They think of fiber and antioxidants in vegetables, fruits and legumes.
Another possibility is that potassium itself also has cancer-inhibiting properties. "The regulatory impact of potassium on cellular proliferation could potentially yield anticancer properties through its influence on the folding and stabilization of G-quadruplexes, coupled with the inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa-b expression."
Now it gets even more interesting. More soon.
Source:
BMC Cancer. 2024 Aug 12;24(1):995.
More:
Paleo diet reduces the risk of breast cancer 03.04.2024
Meta-study | Healthier diet after cancer increases chances of survival 13.03.2022
Meta-study confirms protective effect of edible mushrooms against cancer 27.07.2021
Omega-3 fatty acids prevent breast cancer from spreading to bones 10.05.2021
Leafy vegetables, broccoli and blueberries, no juices | 4 nutrition tips to survive breast cancer 30.03.2021
Surviving breast cancer with fewer & slower carbohydrates 16.03.2021
A little bit of physical activity drastically increases the survival chances of breast cancer patients 12.12.2020
Archives:
Cancer Prevention & Survival
Breast Cancer
Potassium
Minerals
|
