A new study suggests that mushroom consumption by middle-aged and elderly men can reduce their chances of developing prostate cancer.

A total of 36,499 men, aged 40 to 79 years who participated in the Miyagi Cohort Study in 1990 and in the Ohsaki Cohort Study in 1994 were followed for a median of 13.2 years, reported the study published in the International Journal of Cancer. During follow-up, 3.3 per cent of participants developed prostate cancer. Compared with mushroom consumption of less than once per week, consumption once or twice a week was associated with an 8 per cent lower risk of prostate cancer and consumption three or more times per week was associated with a 17 per cent lower risk.
 

"Since information on mushroom species was not collected, it is difficult to know which specific mushroom(s) contributed to our findings. Also, the mechanism of the beneficial effects of mushrooms on prostate cancer remains uncertain," said lead author Shu Zhang, PhD, of the Tohoku University School of Public Health in Japan.