Nutraceutical and Dietary Interventions to Aid Prostate Cancer Management: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: Nutraceutical use is common among men with prostate cancer, but its clinical efficacy remains uncertain. We systematically reviewed randomized controlled trials evaluating orally administered nutraceutical and defined dietary interventions after prostate cancer diagnosis. Methods: PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase were searched through September 2026, and risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Results: Twenty-six trials involving 2188 randomized participants were included. Four were judged to be at low risk of bias, 15 had some concerns, and seven were at high risk. An exploratory random-effects meta-analysis of three soy trials showed no significant difference in post-intervention serum prostate-specific antigen compared with placebo or control (mean difference: −0.50 ng/mL, 95% confidence interval: −2.14 to 1.14; p = 0.55; I2 = 0%). Across the wider evidence base, effects on prostate-specific antigen kinetics, tissue biomarkers, oxidative stress, and inflammatory markers were inconsistent. The available evidence was insufficient to establish a validated benefit for disease progression, metastasis, cancer-specific survival, or overall survival. Conclusions: The current evidence is insufficient to establish a clinically meaningful benefit of nutraceutical or defined dietary interventions in prostate cancer management. Larger, well-designed trials using standardized interventions, clinically meaningful endpoints, and longer follow-up are required.