The study’s results reveal that men who consumed about 430 grams of dairy per day (1 ¾ cups of milk) faced a 25% increased risk of prostate cancer compared to men who consumed only 20.2 grams of dairy per day (1/2 cup of milk per week).
In addition, men who consumed about 430 grams of dairy per day faced an even greater increase in risk when compared to men with zero dairy intake in their diets.
Results had minimal variation when comparing intake of full fat versus reduced or nonfat milks; there were no important associations reported with cheese and yogurt.
Most of the continuing increase in risk is done with by the time you get to 150 grams, about two-thirds of a cup of milk per day.
The possible reasons for these associations between prostate cancer and dairy milk might be the sex hormone content of dairy milk.
Up to 75% of lactating dairy cows are pregnant, and prostate cancer is a hormone-responsive cancer.
Prior reports have associated intake of dairy and other animal proteins with higher blood levels of a hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which is thought to promote certain cancers, including prostate.
“If you think you’re at higher-than-average risk, consider the alternatives of soy, oat, cashew, and other non-dairy milks,” experts said.
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