Zinc Intake and Risk of Prostate Cancer: Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis
Abeer Mostafa Mahmoud, Umaima Al‐Alem, Firas Dabbous, Mohamed M. Ali, Ken Batai, Ebony Shah‐Williams, Rick A. Kittles · PLoS ONE (2016)
TL;DR
A large analysis suggests that dietary zinc intake is not linked to the overall risk of developing prostate cancer.
What they did
Researchers studied 127 African American men with prostate cancer and 81 men without cancer at a clinic in Washington, DC. They asked the participants to report their daily zinc intake. They also combined data from 17 previous studies covering 111,199 participants.
What they found
Men without cancer consumed an average of 14 mg/day of zinc compared to 11 mg/day for men with cancer. Across 17 studies with 11,689 cancer cases, the pooled risk estimate was 1.07. Overall, the larger analysis showed no evidence of a link between zinc intake and prostate cancer.
Why it matters
Zinc is a common nutrient found in many everyday foods. Current studies suggest that varying amounts of zinc intake may not raise or lower prostate cancer risk. Eating a balanced diet can help meet daily nutrition needs.
Limits
The abstract mentions that zinc intake was self-reported, but it does not discuss other specific study limits. This is general education, not medical advice.
Jargon explained
- Meta-analysis
- A research project that combines and analyzes data from several separate studies.
- Case-control study
- A study that compares people who have a disease to similar people who do not.
- Tertiles
- Three equal groups used to compare low, medium, and high intake levels.
Read the original: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165956
Full citation
Abeer Mostafa Mahmoud, Umaima Al‐Alem, Firas Dabbous, Mohamed M. Ali, Ken Batai, Ebony Shah‐Williams, Rick A. Kittles (2016). Zinc Intake and Risk of Prostate Cancer: Case-Control Study and Meta-Analysis. PLoS ONE. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0165956
Open access (gold): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0165956
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Educational information only, not medical or dietary advice. Consult a qualified health professional for personal nutrition guidance.