Plant-based diets and urological health

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Nutrition

Background:

• Plant-based diets are increasingly recognized for health and environmental advantages.
• Emerging evidence links plant-based eating to improved urological health outcomes.
• Research in genitourinary oncology has primarily centered on prostate cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the association between plant-based diets and various urological conditions.
• To synthesize evidence on plant-based diets in prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers.
• To explore the impact of plant-based diets on benign urological conditions and erectile dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Review of epidemiological studies and clinical trial results.
• Analysis of dietary patterns focusing on plant-based versus animal-based food consumption.
• Examination of associations with specific urological conditions including cancers and benign diseases.

Main Results:

• Plant-based diets are linked to a lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer and improved quality of life post-treatment.
• Limited data suggest vegetarian or plant-forward diets may lower bladder and kidney cancer risks.
• Plant-based patterns are associated with reduced risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia, urinary tract infections, erectile dysfunction, and kidney stones.

Conclusions:

• Increasing plant-based food consumption and reducing animal-based foods show favorable associations with multiple urological conditions.
• Dietary modifications, particularly plant-centric approaches, represent a promising strategy for urological health management.
• Further research is warranted, especially for bladder and kidney cancers, to solidify these associations.