No sex, alcohol and other risk factors have been proven to cause a rapid development in prostate cancer, the ultimate blow that can 'ruin' a man's sex life. Too few recover after surgery without remaining impotent. Now, a research led at Duke Prostate Center and published in the online journal Prostate shows that being a sweet tooth also harms the prostate. Tests made on lab mice underline that a decrease in insulin levels triggered by less sugars in the diet could stop tumor growth.

"This study showed that cutting carbohydrates may slow tumor growth, at least in mice. If this is ultimately confirmed in human clinical trials, it has huge implications for prostate cancer therapy through something that all of us can control, our diets", said lead researcher Dr. Stephen Freedland, an urologist at Duke University Medical Center. "The researchers hypothesized that since serum insulin and a related substance known as insulin-like growth factor (IGF) had been linked with the growth of prostate tumors in earlier research in mice, a reduction in the body's levels of these substances might slow tumor growth," added Freedland.

The team analyzed tumor development in 75 mice assigned to three groups: those on a low-carbohydrate diet, a low-fat, carbohydrate-rich diet, and a diet rich in fat and carbohydrates. "The mice that ate a low-carbohydrate diet had the longest survival and smallest tumor size. Low-fat mice had shorter survival and larger tumors while mice on the Western diet had the worst survival and biggest tumors. In addition, though both the low-carb and low-fat mice had lower levels of insulin, only the low-carb mice had lower levels of the form of IGF capable of stimulating tumor growth.", said Freedland.

"The next step will be to test the findings of this study in humans, and further examine the potential positive effects that a low-carbohydrate diet may have on tumor growth", he added.