Coffee May Protect Against Prostate Cancer.

Six Cups of Coffee a Day Cuts Lethal Prostate Cancer Risk 60 Percent

Pour another cup, coffee enthusiasts, because new research suggests java helps curb the risk of prostate cancer. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health analyzed data from nearly 48,000 American men who reported their coffee consumption every four years between 1986 and 2008. They found that those who consumed the most coffee--at least six cups a day--were 60 percent less likely to develop lethal prostate cancer than nondrinkers, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.


 Men who drank one to three cups a day, meanwhile, had a 30 percent lower risk of lethal prostate cancer. The results were similar between men who drank decaf and regular coffee, suggesting caffeine isn't the driving force behind the trend. Rather, coffee could reduce inflammation and affect key hormones that play a role in the disease, the researchers speculate. "If our findings are validated, coffee could represent one modifiable factor that may lower the risk of developing the most harmful form of prostate cancer," study author Kathryn Wilson told CBS News. "I don't recommend that men change their diets based on the results of any single study. We need to see if this finding is confirmed in other populations."