Prostate Cancer in the News 2
Research into prostate cancer has determined that statins used for anti-cholesterol purposes may be beneficial for men’s sexual health and prostate. Statins have widely been used for lowering cholesterol, but now it is believed that they may have a positive effect on the health of the prostate and on erectile function in males. A study by the Mayo Clinic looked at the effects that statins might have on prostate cancer, prostate enlargement and erectile dysfunction.
The findings from the Mayo Clinic study came from Olmstead County data, a large cohort study of men in Olmstead County, Minnesota. That study followed nearly 2500 men aged 40 to 79. The men in this trial were studied for a long period of time, and researchers have the ability to look at the statin use and the length of time in which statins have been used.
Statins may reduce the risks of prostate cancer. The researchers who followed the 2500 men for a long time period, and they discovered during this time that the men who took statins were not as likely to develop prostate cancer, as compared to men who didn’t take statins.
38 statin users have developed prostate cancer. Among the non-statin users, they were three times as likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This suggests that the use of statins may prevent the development of prostate cancer.
The second positive use of statins in men’s health shows that statins might protect older men against erectile dysfunction. High cholesterol and fats in the bloodstream are risk factors for erectile dysfunction. In the Mayo Clinic study, statin use wasn’t as much associated with a lesser chance of ED among all men, but they were associated with a decreased risk among older men. In addition, men who were given statins for a longer time period were more protected against ED.
Erectile dysfunction is a common problem, and it occurs more frequently as men age. It can affect five to ten percent of men by age 40. By the age of 70, those figures increase to forty to sixty percent, or one out of each two or three men.
The third benefit of statin use is that is may help to prevent enlargement of the prostate. This affects one in four men ages 40 to 50, and nearly half of men between seventy and eighty years of age. This is usually diagnosed when men visit their physicians because of urinary problems, which are caused by the prostate enlargement. Taking statins may delay or even prevent the enlargement of the prostate.
Of the 2500 men studied, thirty percent were statin users; researchers discovered that the men who used statins were over sixty percent less likely to develop lower UTI issues, and 55+% less likely to suffer from enlargement of the prostate.
Statins have an anti-inflammatory effect, and this may be associated with lessening the chance of development of benign prostate disease. These studies indicate that the urinary health of men can be improved by taking statins.
