Rode
wijn ter voorkoming van prostaatkanker.*
Uit een studie onder mannen van 40 tot 64 blijkt dat het drinken van 4-7 glazen rode wijn per week de kans op prostaatkanker met 52% doet afnemen. Het drinken van alcohol in het algemeen heeft geen enkel voordeel tegen het ontstaan van prostaatkanker. Wijn daarentegen en dan vooral rode wijn doet de kans op prostaatkanker duidelijk afnemen. Zelfs een half glas per dag doet de kans al duidelijk afnemen ieder glas per week meer doet de kans met 6% afnemen. Vermoedelijk zijn het polyfenolen zoals resveratrol, niet aanwezig in de andere alcoholhoudende dranken, die de mannelijke hormoonwerking en daarmee het ontstaan van prostaatkanker beïnvloeden.
Red
Wine Protects The Prostate, From The Harvard Men's Health Watch
Researchers have found that men who drink
an average of four to seven glasses of red wine per week are only 52% as likely
to be diagnosed with prostate cancer as those who do not drink red wine, reports
the June 2007 issue of Harvard Men's Health Watch. In addition, red wine appears
particularly protective against advanced or aggressive cancers.
Researchers in Seattle collected information about many factors that might
influence the risk of prostate cancer in men between ages 40 and 64, including
alcohol consumption. At first the results for alcohol consumption seemed similar
to the findings of many earlier studies: There was no relationship between
overall consumption and risk. But the scientists went one step further by
evaluating each type of alcoholic beverage independently. Here the news was
surprising -- wine drinking was linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. And
when white wine was compared with red, red had the most benefit. Even low
amounts seemed to help, and for every additional glass of red wine per week, the
relative risk declined by 6%.
Why red wine? Doctors don't know. But much of the speculation focuses on
chemicals -- including various flavonoids and resveratrol -- missing from other
alcoholic beverages.
These
components have antioxidant properties, and some appear to counterbalance
androgens, the male hormones that stimulate the prostate.
Many doctors are reluctant to recommend drinking alcohol for health, fearing
that their patients might assume that if a little alcohol is good, a lot might
be better. The Harvard Men's Health Watch notes that men who enjoy alcohol and
can drink in moderation and responsibly may benefit from a lower risk of heart
attack, stroke, diabetes, and cardiac death.
Harvard Men's Health Watch (Juni 2007)