New Study confirms that Low-Protein Diets Prevent cancer

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Researchers studying a group of
vegetarians who'd maintained a diet relatively low in protein and
calories found that they had lower blood levels of several hormones and
other substances that have been tied to certain cancers.

A comparison group of distance runners also had lower levels of most of
these substances compared with sedentary adults who followed a typical
American diet -- that is, relatively high in protein from meat and
dairy.

However, the low-protein group also had a potential advantage over the
runners: lower levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a body
protein that helps cells grow and multiply. High IGF-1 levels in the
blood have been linked to breast, prostate and colon cancers.

It's not clear that this all translates into lower odds of developing
cancer, but the findings are a "first step" in showing how
lower-protein diets might alter cancer risk, according to the
researchers.

"I believe our findings suggest that protein intake may be very
important in regulating cancer risk," lead study author Dr. Luigi
Fontana, an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University in
St. Louis, said in a statement.

He and his colleagues report their findings in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition.

The findings are based on a small sample of middle-aged adults,
including 21 who'd been vegetarians for at least two years; they were
recruited through a local vegetarian society and a magazine on "raw"
foods.

They were compared with 21 long-time endurance runners the same age,
and 21 sedentary adults who ate a typical American diet.

On average, the vegetarians ate just below the recommended daily amount
of protein -- 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Both the runners
and the sedentary group ate significantly more than the recommended
amount.

Fontana's team found that, compared with their sedentary counterparts,
the runners and vegetarians had lower levels of several hormones and
inflammatory proteins linked to cancer risk.

When it came to IGF-1, specifically, the low-protein group had lower
levels than runners did, even though they were equally lean --
suggesting an effect of diet and not just body weight, according to the
researchers.

In addition, IGF-1 levels in the sedentary group generally rose in
tandem with their protein intake.

"Many people are eating too many animal products," Fontana said, as
well as too many processed foods and sugars.

He advised that people try to eat more fruits and vegetables,
fiber-rich whole grains, beans and fish, and less red meat. Doing so
could bring the amount of calories and protein the average American
eats closer to recommended levels -- and possibly lower IGF-I levels,
according to Fontana.

"We hope to further clarify what happens to cancer risk when we are
chronically eating more protein than we need," he said.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2006.

This study is pure bull****.

First of all it is a tiny study done over a very short period of time.
That shows that it is crap right off the bat.


Then they measure two indirect supposed markers, "levels of plasma
growth factors and
certain hormones linked to cancer risk". Markers that were apparently
identified in other crappy studies.


So here we have a tiny sample for a very short period of time and they
"appear" to negatively affect two possible completely indirect and
unproven "markers" that may increase cancer risk, maybe.


Absolute bull**** science.


TC


I can multiple post too.
wrote:
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Researchers studying a group of
vegetarians who'd maintained a diet relatively low in protein and
calories found that they had lower blood levels of several hormones and
other substances that have been tied to certain cancers.

A comparison group of distance runners also had lower levels of most of
these substances compared with sedentary adults who followed a typical
American diet -- that is, relatively high in protein from meat and
dairy.

However, the low-protein group also had a potential advantage over the
runners: lower levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a body
protein that helps cells grow and multiply. High IGF-1 levels in the
blood have been linked to breast, prostate and colon cancers.

It's not clear that this all translates into lower odds of developing
cancer, but the findings are a "first step" in showing how
lower-protein diets might alter cancer risk, according to the
researchers.

"I believe our findings suggest that protein intake may be very
important in regulating cancer risk," lead study author Dr. Luigi
Fontana, an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University in
St. Louis, said in a statement.

He and his colleagues report their findings in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition.

The findings are based on a small sample of middle-aged adults,
including 21 who'd been vegetarians for at least two years; they were
recruited through a local vegetarian society and a magazine on "raw"
foods.

They were compared with 21 long-time endurance runners the same age,
and 21 sedentary adults who ate a typical American diet.

On average, the vegetarians ate just below the recommended daily amount
of protein -- 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Both the runners
and the sedentary group ate significantly more than the recommended
amount.

Fontana's team found that, compared with their sedentary counterparts,
the runners and vegetarians had lower levels of several hormones and
inflammatory proteins linked to cancer risk.

When it came to IGF-1, specifically, the low-protein group had lower
levels than runners did, even though they were equally lean --
suggesting an effect of diet and not just body weight, according to the
researchers.

In addition, IGF-1 levels in the sedentary group generally rose in
tandem with their protein intake.

"Many people are eating too many animal products," Fontana said, as
well as too many processed foods and sugars.

He advised that people try to eat more fruits and vegetables,
fiber-rich whole grains, beans and fish, and less red meat. Doing so
could bring the amount of calories and protein the average American
eats closer to recommended levels -- and possibly lower IGF-I levels,
according to Fontana.

"We hope to further clarify what happens to cancer risk when we are
chronically eating more protein than we need," he said.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2006.

wrote:
This study is pure bull****.

First of all it is a tiny study done over a very short period of time.
That shows that it is crap right off the bat.


Then they measure two indirect supposed markers, "levels of plasma
growth factors and
certain hormones linked to cancer risk". Markers that were apparently
identified in other crappy studies.


So here we have a tiny sample for a very short period of time and they
"appear" to negatively affect two possible completely indirect and
unproven "markers" that may increase cancer risk, maybe.


Absolute bull**** science.


TC


Even the reference states:

"It's not clear that this all translates into lower odds of developing
cancer, but the findings are a "first step" in showing how
lower-protein diets might alter cancer risk, according to the
researchers"

Certainly doesn't support the conclusion stated in the topic.











I can multiple post too.
wrote:
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Researchers studying a group of
vegetarians who'd maintained a diet relatively low in protein and
calories found that they had lower blood levels of several hormones and
other substances that have been tied to certain cancers.

A comparison group of distance runners also had lower levels of most of
these substances compared with sedentary adults who followed a typical
American diet -- that is, relatively high in protein from meat and
dairy.

However, the low-protein group also had a potential advantage over the
runners: lower levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a body
protein that helps cells grow and multiply. High IGF-1 levels in the
blood have been linked to breast, prostate and colon cancers.

It's not clear that this all translates into lower odds of developing
cancer, but the findings are a "first step" in showing how
lower-protein diets might alter cancer risk, according to the
researchers.

"I believe our findings suggest that protein intake may be very
important in regulating cancer risk," lead study author Dr. Luigi
Fontana, an assistant professor of medicine at Washington University in
St. Louis, said in a statement.

He and his colleagues report their findings in the American Journal of
Clinical Nutrition.

The findings are based on a small sample of middle-aged adults,
including 21 who'd been vegetarians for at least two years; they were
recruited through a local vegetarian society and a magazine on "raw"
foods.

They were compared with 21 long-time endurance runners the same age,
and 21 sedentary adults who ate a typical American diet.

On average, the vegetarians ate just below the recommended daily amount
of protein -- 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Both the runners
and the sedentary group ate significantly more than the recommended
amount.

Fontana's team found that, compared with their sedentary counterparts,
the runners and vegetarians had lower levels of several hormones and
inflammatory proteins linked to cancer risk.

When it came to IGF-1, specifically, the low-protein group had lower
levels than runners did, even though they were equally lean --
suggesting an effect of diet and not just body weight, according to the
researchers.

In addition, IGF-1 levels in the sedentary group generally rose in
tandem with their protein intake.

"Many people are eating too many animal products," Fontana said, as
well as too many processed foods and sugars.

He advised that people try to eat more fruits and vegetables,
fiber-rich whole grains, beans and fish, and less red meat. Doing so
could bring the amount of calories and protein the average American
eats closer to recommended levels -- and possibly lower IGF-I levels,
according to Fontana.

"We hope to further clarify what happens to cancer risk when we are
chronically eating more protein than we need," he said.

SOURCE: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 2006.