Study: Walnuts May Fight Prostate Cancer

SAN ANTONIOIncorporating walnuts into one's diet may help fight prostate cancer by reducing the number of tumors and cancer cell growth, according to a new animal research study published in Causation and Prevention.

Researchers from the University of Texas Health Science Center investigated whether a standard mouse diet supplemented with walnuts could reduce the establishment and enlargement of human prostate cancer cells in nude mice. They found three of 16 walnut-fed mice (18.7%) developed tumors, compared to 14 of 32 (44%) of the control diet-fed mice.

In addition, the tumors in walnut-fed mice grew more slowlythe final average tumor size in the test group was about one-fourth the average size of those in the control group.

Scientists continue to perform animal research studies to investigate potential benefits walnuts may have on fighting breast, prostate and colorectal cancer. This study does not support a change in human behavior. Animal studies are used as background for additional research required to determine the effect on humans.

Recent research also supports the benefits of walnuts on heart health, and consuming walnuts more than three times per week may reduce one's risk of dying from cancer or cardiovascular disease.