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Some cheer for beer-drinkers

PORTLAND: For many men, a finding by researchers here may sound too good to be true: an ingredient in beer seems to help prevent prostate cancer, at least in laboratory experiments. The trouble is you would theoretically have to drink about 17 beers a day for any potential benefit. And no one is advising that.

Researchers at Oregon State University say the compound xanthohumol, found in hops, inhibits a protein in the cells along the surface of the prostate gland. The protein acts like a switch that turns on a variety of cancers, including prostate cancer. Richard N. Atkins of the National Prostate Cancer Coalition, said the experiments are encouraging and "perhaps men could take it in pill form someday." He noted an ingredient in tomatoes, lycopene, has been linked to prostate cancer prevention.

"It's every man's dream to hear that beer and pizza can prevent cancer," he said. "However, the 17 beers and four large pizzas needed to get enough xanthohumol and lycopene to help prevent prostate cancer is unfortunately not advised." He noted that drinking 17 beers a day can lead to alcoholism and cirrhosis of the liver, and overdoing it on pizza can lead to obesity and other health problems.

AP

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