> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.foodconsumer.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Cholesterol linked to high prostate cancer risk
- URL: https://www.foodconsumer.org/cholesterol_prostate_cancer_0909120934/
- Published: 2012-09-09T10:33:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-22T16:09:17.000Z
- Description: Following 12,926 men for up to 37 years, researchers found those with serum cholesterol of 6.1 to 6.69 mmol/L were more than twice as likely as men below 5.05 to develop prostate cancer. The link held for high-grade tumours, not for overall prostate cancer risk.
- Author: Food Consumer
- Tags: Diet, Nutrition, #vivvo-import

By David Liu, PHD

Sunday Sept 9, 2012 ([foodconsumer.org](http://www.foodconsumer.org/)) -- You may have been told that cholesterol is good for your health because you need cholesterol for certain physiological functions. But just because your body makes cholesterol by itself, does not mean eating foods with cholesterol is good for your health. A new study published recently in BMC Cancer associates plasma cholesterol levels with risk of prostate cancer.

Kashif Shafique of Institute of Health & Wellbeing, Public Health, University of Glasgow in Glasgow, UK and colleagues conducted the study and found men who had their serum cholesterol in the 2nd highest quintile (6.1 to less than 6.69 mmol/L) were more than twice as likely as those who had their cholesterol at lower than 5.05 mmol/L to develop prostate cancer.

Data used for the study came from 12,926 men enrolled in the Midspan studies between 1970 and 1976 and followed up to Dec. 2007\. For the study, data were analysed to examine the association between baseline plasma cholesterol and Gleason grade-specific prostate cancer incidence.

During up to 37 years of follow-up, baseline plasma cholesterol levels were positively correlated with risk of high grade (Gleason score equal to or greater than 8) prostate cancer. The highest risk from cholesterol was observed among men who had cholesterol at 6.1 to 6.69 mmol/L. The cholesterol-prostate cancer associations remained significant even after adjustment for body mass index, smoking and socioeconomic status.

The researchers concluded "Men with higher cholesterol are at greater risk of developing high-grade prostate cancer but not overall risk of prostate cancer. Interventions to minimise metabolic risk factors may have a role in reducing incidence of aggressive prostate cancer."

Last Saturday, a study by Canadian researchers and reported on foodconsumer.org suggests that cholesterol is positively associated with risk of a number of cancers including stomach cancer, colon cancer, rectum cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer (mainly in postmenopausal women), kidney cancer, bladder cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 

Cholesterol is found only in animal-based foods like meat and dairy products. The study and others of the same kind essentially imply that eating meat and dairy products may increase risk of prostate cancer. Indeed, epidemiological studies have linked animal-based diets to increased risk of prostate cancer and other malignancies.

Cholesterol can be reduced easily by taking prescription drugs like statins and dietary supplements like fish oil and red yeast rice. Both dietary supplements and statins are effective in lowering cholesterol and protecting against heart disease among other things. 

However, it remains unknown whether lowering cholesterol by medications or dietary supplements while eating large amounts of meat and dairy products may increase the risk of prostate cancer and other cancers, according to previous studies. This means that restricted intake of meat and dairy products may be important in preventing prostate cancer regardless of how effective lowering cholesterol is against prostate cancer.