US researchers say men who drink more than 2.5 liters or 10 glasses of low-sugar fluids every day are at a significant lower risk of developing bladder cancer.
Jiachen Zhou and colleagues at Brown University evaluated the fluid intake of 48,000 men who took part in a 22-year survey begun in 1986.
The participants, who were aged 40 to 75 at the beginning of the study, answered a questionnaire about their fluid intake every four years.
Data analysis showed that men who drank more than 10 cups (2,531 milliliters) of fluids per day had a 24 percent lower risk of bladder cancer.
The study was not the first one suggesting a link between drinking fluids and a low bladder cancer risk.
The association was identified before in this group of men 10 years ago but the new investigation discovered that the preventive effects were stronger among younger men.
The new finding may be probably due to the fact that men often drink less daily fluids as they age, scientists suggested in their presentation at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) International Conference, Boston.
“The fluids may flush out potential carcinogens before they have the opportunity to cause tissue damage that could lead to bladder cancer,” Zhou said.
Although the study didn't show a cause and effect relation between drinking water and bladder cancer risk, authors say their data have provided more evidence for doctors to recommend their male patients drink more low-sugar fluids.
SJM/TE