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Heart Pills Curb Risk of Prostate Cancer: Study
Statins also help urinary tract, erections, early findings show
By Ambreen Ali
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Posted Apr 27, 09 7:16 AM CDT
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(Newser)
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Men taking cholesterol drugs to avert heart attacks may also be protecting themselves against prostate cancer and impotency, Bloomberg reports. A 15-year study by the Mayo Clinic tracked 2,440 white Minnesotans and found that those who took statins lowered their cancer risk threefold. The findings are challenged by another study of 1 million people, which found statins had no effect on cancer.
“It’s clear we need more information before men are advised to start taking statins for their urological health," says an epidemiologist. But she called the study "very strong." The men who took the cholesterol-lowering drugs also had fewer urinary problems and benign prostate enlargements. Long-term use helped older men keep their ability to have erections, too.