PSA, prostate-specific antigen, is used by physicians as an indicator of the level of risk of prostate cancer in men as well as inflammation of the prostate known as prostatitis.

Basically the larger the PSA number the more risk there is of a man suffering one of these two ailments. They measure how fast it takes for PSA levels to double; this is known as “doubling time”.

A new study by the medical school at University of Massachusetts says that altering a man’s diet so that it contains high levels of vegetables, has low saturated fat content and is also low in milk and other dairy products as well as animal proteins has a significant effect on PSA.

In particular, the study showed that a man’s “quality of life” increased substantially after they attended just a dozen information classes on diet and cooking.

The study included men who had already been diagnosed with prostate cancer and who had been treated for the condition. Their PSA levels were measured before the beginning of the trials and then again after the three months of classes and alteration in diet.

The level of PSA found in the men did not alter in any significant manner. However, the average doubling time increased considerably compared to men who had not undertaken the classes and diet.