Pomegranate for Prostate

There are new long-term research results being presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association. Researchers there have found that men who had undergone treatment for localized prostate cancer benefitted from drinking pomegranate juice.

In this two-stage clinical trial, researchers followed a total of 48 participants over six years. Eligible participants had a rising PSA after surgery or radiotherapy, and the patient treatment was to drink eight ounces of pomegranate juice daily. There are still patients who are currently in their sixth year of treatment; these active patients who remain on the study have a median total follow-up of 56 months. (These participants continue to experience a significant increase in PSA doubling time following treatment, from a mean of 15.4 months at baseline to 60 months post-treatment, with a median PSA slope decrease of 60 percent, 0.06 to 0.024. In other words, the drink appears to dramatically slow down the disease.)

There were important differences between this group which currently drinks pomegranate juice and those who had dropped out earlier. The drop out's have had a faster progression of the cancer.

“This study suggests that pomegranate juice may effectively slow the progression of prostate cancer after unsuccessful treatment,” said Christopher Amling, MD. “This finding and other ongoing research might one day reveal that pomegranate juice is an effective prostate cancer preventative agent as well.”

Parts of this ongoing study suggest that some patients may be more sensitive to the effects of pomegranate juice on PSA doubling time. Phase three of this study is currently underway to further evaluate the benefits of pomegranate juice in placebo-controlled trials.

Dave