Benign prostrate hyperplasia (BPH) affects most elderly men and often compresses the urethra resulting in voiding issues, from painful urination and dribbling to frequent trips to the bathroom day and night.
Now a study shows a diet low in fat and red meat but high in vegetables and lean protein is as good for the heart as it is for the prostate.
Researchers found that a “high-fat diet increased the risk of prostate enlargement by 31 percent, and that daily consumption of red meat increased the risk by 38 percent,” according to an article in ScienceDaily (February 15, 2008).
Funded by the National Institute of Health, the study was conducted by researchers from the Hutchinson Center, the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio.
Other Key Findings
In assessing the diet, supplement use and alcohol consumption in 4,770 men for seven years (876 of whom developed symptomatic BPH), the study also revealed:
- Eating four or more servings of vegetables daily reduced BPH risk by 32 percent
- Consuming high amounts of lean protein (about 15 percent of caloric intake) reduced risk by 15 percent
- Regular, moderate alcohol consumption of no more than two drinks per day showed a 38 percent decline in BPH risk
- Incremental increases in BPH risk by men who got 40 percent of their calories from fat.
Link Between Obesity and BPH
"It is known that obesity increases the risk of BPH. The dietary pattern that is associated with obesity among men in the United States is high fat consumption. The results of this study clearly show a link between a high-fat diet and increased risk of BPH," said Alan Kristal, a lead author on the study and associate head of the Cancer Prevention Program in the Public Health Sciences Division at the Hutchinson Center.
The Growing Prostate
From the size of an almond in puberty, the prostate grows in size to the shape of a walnut and weighs about 20 grams. Almost all of this mass develops during puberty in response to hormonal changes associated with maturation.
As men age and the prostate inevitably enlarges, especially from age 50 onward, the bigger prostate puts pressure on the urethra, the tube which passes urine from the bladder. That pressure makes it difficult to empty the bladder completely, which in turn results in the frequent urge to urinate.
Anything that happens to swell or inflame the prostate can obstruct the flow of urine, causing a wide spectrum of misery and discomfort. The mechanisms of excess fat intake and alcohol are considered likely factors that cause chronic inflammation and changes in steroid hormones, leading to BPH.
BPH, One of the Common Prostate Disorders
Unfortunately for men between the age of 40 and 59, nearly 60 percent can be shown to already be suffering from BPH. This usually does not present a noticeable problem until after the age of 50. By the age of 80, however, some 85 percent of all men suffer from one or more symptoms of BPH.
Additional contributing background information for this article: John Hopkins Medical white papers 2007 and 2008, the New York Times online, ScienceDaily online magazine, and the American Cancer Society website
Other articles by Steve Vogel on prostate disease and prostate cancer.
