The Inside Scoop On Testicular Cancer And Healthy Eating For Prevention

The testicles are the primary male sex organ and anything that affects their health may put a damper on your sexual health and performance as well.

Your nuts, as they are playfully referred to as, are responsible for two of the most critical sexual functions in the human body: producing sperm and testosterone.

Testosterone production is a particularly important consideration, as it is the primary male sex hormone and plays an important role in proper sexual functioning.

Anything that affects the testicles could also impact testosterone production and thus sexual function.

So today, as we acknowledge Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, we will explore this very important male reproductive disease and what you can do to prevent it.

The Lowdown on Testicular Cancer

About 1,100 Canadian men will be diagnosed with testicular cancer this year, and 45 will die from the condition, according to Canadian Cancer Society Statistics.

The survival rate is high, with 96 percent living for at least five years after diagnosis.

Even so, testicular cancer is the most common cancer in males between the ages of 15-40 (Winter and Albers, 2011).

The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a painless lump on or in one of your testicles, so it is certainly important to stay aware of changes you may experience in your body.

How Testicular Cancer Dampens Physical and Sexual Performance

Testicular cancer may interfere with your sex life and libido because of the anxiety and fear associated with a cancer diagnosis.

The fatigue and general feeling of sickness can also be detrimental.

Physically speaking, the pain in the groin and lower back associated with testicular cancer could also be limiting.

In some men, the treatments associated with testicular cancer could impact sex drive and fertility.

A study published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour looked at 25 years’ worth of evidence in this area and identified possible side-effects of testicular treatment that include: ejaculatory dysfunction, erectile dysfunction and a decrease in sexual desire in some cases (Jonker-Pool et al 2001).

Do More For Your Nuts: Can You Prevent Testicular Cancer?

Here at love2lose.com, we believe strongly in preventative medicine and giving you the information you need to take the best care of your physical self, for the benefit of your sexual self.

When we took a closer look at the evidence relating testicular cancer risk and dietary/lifestyle choices, we found that although there is no definitive or overwhelming evidence in any particular direction, there are certainly some interesting findings to be aware of.

1. Frequent Cannabis Use: In recently published studies, frequent cannabis use was associated with an increased risk of certain types of testicular cancer (Gurney Et al 2015 and Russel et al 2017).
   
   So, what does “frequent” cannabis use mean? In these studies, it was defined as either using at least weekly or greater than 50 times in a lifetime.
2. Consumption Of Animal Fat (Especially from Dairy/Cheese): Although the evidence is far from conclusive, there have been several studies that found a potential connection between the consumption of saturated animal fat (especially from dairy – particularly cheese) and testicular cancer risk (Stang et al 2006, Boner et al 2009, Garnet et al 2003).

Quick Tips To Reduce Your Saturated Intake

1. Choose skim milk, 0% MF yogurt and cheese OR dairy alternatives such as fortified soy or almond milk.
2. Rely on protein from legumes (lentils, chickpeas) and tofu more often than protein from red or processed meats.

Final Thoughts

Being the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males aged 15-40, Testicular Cancer is not something to be overlooked (Winter and Elbers 2011).

Although a diagnosis is far from fatal in most cases and prevention is not always possible (or straightforward), we have provided a few things to keep in mind.

As always, love2lose.com provides our readers information with the goal of promoting the Sexercise lifestyle that is based on the undeniable connection between physical and sexual health.

Source

Stang A, Ahrens W, Baumgardt-Elms C, et al. Adolescent Milk Fat and Galactose Consumption and Testicular Germ Cell Cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(11):2189-2195

Jonker-Pool, G., Van de Wiel, H.B., Hoekstra, H.J. et al. Arch Sex Behav (2001) 30: 55. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026468707362

Canadian Cancer Statistics 2017. Toronto, ON: Canadian Cancer Society; 2017. Available at: cancer.ca/Canadian-Cancer-Statistics-2017-EN.pdf (accessed [March 2018])

Winter C, Albers P. Testicular germ cell tumors: pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2011;7(1):43–53. DOI: 10.1038/nrendo.2010.196

Gurney J, Shaw C, Stanley J, Signal V, Sarfati D. Cannabis exposure and risk of testicular cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Cancer. 2015; 15:897. DOI:10.1186/s12885-015-1905-6

Stang A, Ahrens W, Baumgardt-Elms C, et al. Adolescent Milk Fat and Galactose Consumption and Testicular Germ Cell Cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(11):2189-2195 (8).

Russell C. Callaghan, Peter Allebeck, Olof Akre, Katherine A. McGlynn and Anna Sidorchuk. Cannabis Use and Incidence of Testicular Cancer: A 42-Year Follow-up of Swedish Men between 1970 and 2011 Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev November 1 2017 (26) (11) 1644-1652; DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-17-0428

Matthew R. Bonner, Susan E. McCann & Kirsten B. Moysich (2009) Dietary Factors and the Risk of Testicular Cancer, Nutrition and Cancer, 44:1, 35-43, DOI: 10.1207/S15327914NC441_5

Garner MJ, Birkett NJ, Johnson KC, Shatenstein B, Ghadirian P, Krewski D; Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group. Dietary risk factors for testicular carcinoma. Int J Cancer. 2003 Oct 10;106(6):934-41. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.11327