U. S researcher have found that feeding mice a low carbohydrate diet slowed the progression of prostate tumor growth. The possible reason being that fewer carbohydrates creates a drop in insulin production.
"This study showed that cutting carbohydrates may slow tumor growth, at least in mice. If this is ultimately confirmed in human clinical trials, it has huge implications 
for prostate cancer therapy through something that all of us can controls, our diets," lead researcher Dr. Stephen Freedland, a urologist at Duke University Medical Center, said in a prepared statement.
Since previous studies had already linked insulin and a related substance called insulin like growth factor (IGF) with the growth of prostate cancer in mice, Freeland and his colleagues believed that decreasing levels of these substances could possibly slow the growth of prostate tumors.
Their study compared the tumor growth in mice that were fed either a low-carb diet, a low fat but hi-carb diet or one high in fat and carbohydrates. Their findings were that mice on the low-carb diet lived longer and had the smallest tumors. While mice on the low-fat diet had decreased insulin only those on the low-carbohydrate diet had lower levels of IGF that stimulates tumor growth.
The organization of a clinical trial to study low-carbohydrate diet and its affect on prostate tumors is underway.
[Source: Yahoo News]
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