While manliness has been stereotypically judged by how carnivorous a man is, recent studies have proven that too much meat in one’s diet can have seriously negative repercussions on one’s health. Three recent studies have confirmed this but have also presented the advantages of going vegan for men’s overall health.
The studies were all recently published in The Journal of Urology, a publication produced on behalf of the American Urological Association. All three show findings on how plant-based diets can lower a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction, as these can help reduce the body’s production of prostate-specific antigens (PSAs) for improved prostate health.
A study 28 years in the making
One key study has been going on for nearly 30 years and involved assessing the diets of over 47,000 men.
Titled The Association of Plant-based Dietary Patterns with Prostate Cancer Risk, the findings of this particular study are based on information gathered via questionnaire every four years. The researchers monitored changes as each of the subjects grew older or made significant changes to their diets.
Researchers came to the conclusion that going plant-based significantly decreased the subjects’ risk of dying from urological or reproductive cancers. Indeed, it was noted that younger men, specifically those aged under 65, who adhered to a diet with no animal products (meat, dairy, and foods made with meat derivatives) were the least susceptible to prostate cancer.
Interestingly enough, less than 1% of the men surveyed for nearly three decades followed a completely vegan or strict vegetarian diet. While the research team considered this a limitation, it has not had any adverse impact on the findings.
Going vegan can lower PSA levels
Another study focused on how plant-based diets impacted the production of PSA among men, and the results were just as promising.
Through the responses of 1,399 men via the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers determined that there was a significant connection between eating a healthier, plant-centric diet with much lower production of PSA within the prostate.
A third study, Plant-based Diets are Associated with Decreased Risk of Erectile Dysfunction, also took its findings from the same survey in order to determine if going plant-based could reduce the risk for that particular disorder.
Based on an analysis of 2,549 men, findings presented an interesting scenario regarding how the dietary habits of those on plant-heavy or completely plant-based diets affected the frequency of erections among the respondents. In addition, it was noted that going plant-based or plant-heavy significantly lowered the risk of developing erectile dysfunction over time.
According to Dr. Stacy Loeb, one of the researchers on the erectile dysfunction study, the increased consumption of a plant-based diet, particularly a healthy and balanced one, is not only a great help when it comes to preventing the condition. Indeed, going vegan can significantly improve urologic, sexual, and overall health among men.
