Can special pills slow prostate cancer growth?
Gut health and prostate cancer: The influence of a specific phytochemical-rich food capsule plus or minus a probiotic/prebiotic blend on symptoms and progression—A randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Men with slow-growing prostate cancer took a pill with plant extracts. Some also took another pill with good bacteria and vitamins. The plant pill slowed PSA rise; adding the bacteria pill made it drop instead.
Surprising Findings
PSA levels dropped by 20% in the combo group—meaning the cancer marker went from rising to falling.
PSA is typically seen as a one-way marker that only increases with cancer progression. A dietary intervention causing a 20% drop is unprecedented in active surveillance literature.
Practical Takeaways
Men on active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer could consider a phytochemical-rich supplement (ginger, turmeric, pomegranate, etc.) combined with a probiotic containing Lactobacillus strains, inulin, and vitamin D.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Men with slow-growing prostate cancer took a pill with plant extracts. Some also took another pill with good bacteria and vitamins. The plant pill slowed PSA rise; adding the bacteria pill made it drop instead.
Surprising Findings
PSA levels dropped by 20% in the combo group—meaning the cancer marker went from rising to falling.
PSA is typically seen as a one-way marker that only increases with cancer progression. A dietary intervention causing a 20% drop is unprecedented in active surveillance literature.
Practical Takeaways
Men on active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer could consider a phytochemical-rich supplement (ginger, turmeric, pomegranate, etc.) combined with a probiotic containing Lactobacillus strains, inulin, and vitamin D.
Publication
Journal
Journal of Clinical Oncology
Year
2025
Authors
Robert J. Thomas, Stacey A. Kenfield, Paul U Newton, S. Russell, J. Aldous, Madeleine Williams, Anita Mitra, Zahoor Fazili
Related Content
Claims (6)
In men taking these supplements, MRI scans showed that their prostate tumors mostly stayed the same size or even got smaller, and the rising PSA levels weren’t hiding any hidden cancer growth.
When men with slow-growing prostate cancer take a gut-health supplement with good bacteria and fiber along with the fruit/vegetable extract, their PSA levels don’t just rise slower—they actually start to go down, which is a big improvement.
Men who took both the fruit/vegetable supplement and the gut bacteria pill reported better bladder control and stronger erections than those who only took the fruit/vegetable supplement.
Taking a daily supplement made from fruits and vegetables like pomegranate and turmeric can slow down the rise of a cancer marker called PSA in men with slow-growing prostate cancer, which might help them avoid harsh treatments.
Taking these supplements didn’t change the level of testosterone in men with slow-growing prostate cancer, which is good news because testosterone can sometimes fuel prostate cancer.