Mushroom consumption and incident risk of prostate cancer in Japan: A pooled analysis of the Miyagi Cohort Study and the Ohsaki Cohort Study

Abstract

In vivo and in vitro evidence has shown that mushrooms have the potential to prevent prostate cancer. However, the relationship between mushroom consumption and incident prostate cancer in humans has never been investigated. In the present study, a total of 36,499 men, aged 40–79 years, who participated in the Miyagi Cohort Study in 1990 and in the Ohsaki Cohort Study in 1994 were followed for a median of 13.2 years. Data on mushroom consumption (categorized as <1, 1–2 and ≥3 times/week) was collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to estimate multivariate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for prostate cancer incidence. During 574,397 person‐years of follow‐up, 1,204 (3.3%) cases of prostate cancer were identified. Compared to participants with mushroom consumption <1 time/week, frequent mushroom intake was associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer (1–2 times/week: HRs [95% CIs] = 0.92 [0.81, 1.05]; ≥3 times/week: HRs [95% CIs] = 0.83 [0.70, 0.98]; p‐trend = 0.023). This inverse relationship was especially obvious among participants aged ≥50 years and did not differ by clinical stage of cancer and intake of vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy products. The present study showed an inverse relationship between mushroom consumption and incident prostate cancer among middle‐aged and elderly Japanese men, suggesting that habitual mushroom intake might help to prevent prostate cancer.

Ergothioneine, recent developments

“…These include the association of increased mushroom consumption with decreased risks of dementia [ 133 , 134 ], cardiovascular disease, certain cancers (e.g. prostate and breast cancer) [ 135 , 136 ], IBD [ 137 ], metabolic syndrome [ 138 ], PD and other neurological disorders [ 139 ], viral infections [ 140 ] and many other conditions. Some of the studies attributed these perceived health benefits of mushrooms to the ET present [ 129 , [141] , [142] , [143] ].…”

Is ergothioneine a ‘longevity vitamin’ limited in the American diet?

“…Numerous studies have demonstrated that mushroom consumption can be linked to decreased incidence of chronic diseases of aging such as dementia (19,20) , prostate cancer (21) and risk factors of diabetes (22)(23)(24) . Given the strong associations observed between blood ERGO levels and mushroom consumption (25) , it is possible that many of these beneficial health effects of mushrooms could be attributed to ERGO.…”

Use of the Versatility of Fungal Metabolism to Meet Modern Demands for Healthy Aging, Functional Foods, and Sustainability

“…The aforementioned species have been historically used in communities of Taiwan for treating various diseases such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypertension, dermatological irritation, and intoxication by food, alcohol, and drugs [ 103 ]. A study tracking 36,499 middle-aged and elderly Japanese men over an average of 13.2 years found a positive relationship between regular mushroom consumption and decreased incidence of prostate cancer [ 104 ]. Table 5 summarizes the classes of compounds and health benefits from some mushroom species cited in this section.…”