Primary Study and Abstract written by: Mehmet Erol Yıldırım, Erkan Efe, Ekrem Özyuvalı, Ersin Çimentepe
Independent Study Performed in: 2014/2015, location Turkey.

Is it true that Chili Pepper can assist with lowering the risk of Prostate Cancer? Take a look at this study

Background: Capsaicin is a new and promising anticancer agent with its antagonist effect against multiple carcinogens and mutagens. Capsaicin is widely used all around the world, especially in the southeastern region of Turkey, it is a lifestyle and apart of the food culture. The Turkish chili pepper has a great amount of Capsaicin, thus it can be used in the prevention of Prostate cancer.

It is known that Capsaicin has both effects on the prostate by, diminishing the PSA expression and closing the androgen receptors on the prostate. We tried to evaluate the differences in PSA levels between the people who eat chili pepper regularly or not, in this preliminary study.

Material and Methods: Patients were asked about their daily consumption of Capsaicin and were also admitted to a urology clinic for PSA controls between January-November 2014. Inclusion criteria were being older than 50 years, no history of any prostate disease, urinary tract infection, and drug use (α-blockers, 5 α reductase inhibitors). Also, PSA over 10 ng/dl was excluded from the study.

Participants were divided into two groups; group 1 consisted of participants who eat chili pepper more than one spoon (10 gr) at least 3 days a week and group 2 consisted of participants who do not eat chili pepper. Both groups were statistically analyzed regarding the age and PSA levels.

Results: 827 patients involved in the study whom met the inclusion criteria. There were 476 patients in group 1 and 351 in group 2. As we compared the age of both groups, there was no statistically significant differences between them (60.1±7.3 and 66.7±8.6; respectively p:0.112). When we compared the PSA levels of both groups, the mean PSA of participants who consumed chili pepper was significantly lower than those who don’t eat (1.3±1 and 2.3±1.6; respectively, p<0.05).

Conclusions: Chili Pepper (Capsaicin) is a good candidate for preventing and controlling prostate cancer as it has no side effects and is easy to find.

Additional Sources in relation to the study:

Capsaicin potently suppresses the growth of human prostate carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. The antiproliferative activity of capsaicin correlates with oxidative stress induction and apoptosis. Capsaicin also induces ceramide accumulation and endoplasmic reticulum stress in androgen-resistant prostate cells.

Díaz-Laviada I. Effect of capsaicin on prostate cancer cells. Future Oncol. 2010 Oct;6(10):1545-50. doi: 10.2217/fon.10.117. PMID: 21062154.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21062154/#:~:text=Capsaicin%20potently%20suppresses%20the%20growth,in%20androgen%2Dresistant%20prostate%20cells.

“According to a team of researchers from the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in collaboration with colleagues from UCLA, the pepper component caused human prostate cancer cells to undergo programmed cell death or apoptosis.

Capsaicin induced approximately 80 percent of prostate cancer cells growing in mice to follow the molecular pathways leading to apoptosis. Prostate cancer tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of tumors in non-treated mice.”

Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/pepper-component-hot-enough-to-trigger-suicide-in-prostate-cancer-cells/

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