Leptin, Obesity, and Prostate Cancer

Duke University researchers have demonstrated that obesity in and of itself is a risk factor for aggressive prostate cancer¹.  The study involved 1415 men who had undergone radical prostatectomy as prostate cancer treatment (about 50/50 white and black men).  Race was not a factor in who was likely to continue disease progression based on the prostate cancer spreading aggressively, but obesity was.

Obesity is associated with the problem of leptin resistance, meaning too much leptin in the blood.  In turn, elevated leptin levels cause testosterone levels to drop, and low testosterone is also associated with aggressive prostate cancer.  Elevated leptin levels also cause adiponectin Protein hormone that modulates metabolism including glucose and fatty acid catabolism. High levels are associated with low body fat. levels to drop resulting in a rise in blood sugar, insulin resistance, and confused IGF1 – additional factors that favor cancer growth. 

To make matters worse, extra pounds of fat send out inappropriate inflammatory signals such as IL6 and overheat the fundamental inflammatory gene signal known as NF-kappaB Protein complex that controls DNA transcription and is involved with cellular responses to stress, cytokines, free radicals, UV radiation, oxidized LDL, and infections. .

Simply put, lose weight if you want to reduce your risk of aggressive prostate cancer.