Lack of effect of walnuts on serum levels of prostate specific antigen: a brief report.
OBJECTIVE
To examine whether the short-term consumption of walnuts, a food rich in alpha-linolenic acid, affects levels of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a marker of prostate enlargement, inflammation, and cancer.


METHODS
Using data from a 12-month randomized crossover study examining the effect of walnut consumption on body composition, we examined whether increased walnut consumption (mean 35 grams daily, 12% total energy) affected serum PSA levels among 40 middle-aged men.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference between mean PSA level at the conclusion of the 6-month walnut-supplemented diet (1.05 mug/L, 95% CI [0.81, 1.37]) and the conclusion of the 6-month control diet (1.06 mug/L, 95% CI [0.81, 1.38]) (P = 0.86) (or a mean proportional decrease in PSA of -1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that short-term consumption of walnuts is unlikely to affect PSA levels adversely among otherwise normal men.
Simon
Joel A
JA
General Internal Medicine (111A1), San Francisco VA Medical Center, 4150 Clement Street, San Francisco, California 94121, USA. joel.simon@ucsf.edu
Tanzman
Jay S
JS
Sabaté
Joan
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D031324:Juglans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen