Treatments

What Causes an Enlarged Prostate?

This molecule (DHT) stimulates the prostate to grow enlarged, irritated, and bothersome.

The prostate gets inflamed and irritated because of elevated levels of a hormone called dihydrotestosterone. Dihydrotestosterone is present throughout the body normally in small amounts but as men age, their bodies tend to produce more and more DHT as evidenced by hair loss in older men. The DHT binds to androgen (male hormone) receptors on the prostate and cause cellular responses that lead to an enlarged prostate. DHT also binds to androgen receptors in the scalp and signal hair follicles to start miniaturizing. With DHT levels high, the prostate enlarges and causes urinary problems because it surrounds the urethra and goes right up against the bladder.

We can’t stress enough how important exercise is to your prostate health.

In a recent study published in the journal of andrology, “Andrologia,” the authors suggested that the cause of BPH is poor circulation from the Spermatic vein which carries testosterone rich blood from the testes to the rest of the body. They suggested that the Spermatic vein gets damaged and exposes the prostate to high levels of testosterone and DHT.

An enlarged prostate can also be due to uncontrolled cellular growth or cancer. If you have a family history of cancer or have symptoms that have gotten worse and worse, be sure to talk to your doctor.

Exercise and Your Prostate

The discovery about poor circulation being the primary cause of prostate problems highlights just how important exercise is. Exercise elevates your heart rate and keeps your circulatory system functioning correctly. If your circulatory system is able to keep blood flowing away from the testosterone producing testes then you can reduce your chances of having prostate problems.

What Can Be Done About an Enlarged Prostate?

To reduce the inflammation in an enlarged prostate, DHT levels need to be reduced and inflammation needs to be stopped to prevent further damage.

Prescription drugs only do one thing when there are a number of causes for an enlarged prostate.

Normally testosterone gets converted to dihydrotestosterone by an enzyme called 5-alpha-reductase. Many prescription drugs for enlarged prostate work by blocking this enzyme including finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart). There are actually two kinds of 5-alpha-reductase, 5-AR Type I, and 5-AR Type II. Finasteride only blocks type I and dutasteride blocks both types I and II.

Surgical Solutions

The last resort is surgical removal of the prostate. The most common procedure is called Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) which involves removing prostate tissue using heat or surgical tools through the urethra. It is 80-90% effective but it is the treatment of last resort because of the risk of complications.

One experimental technique being tried in Israel is called the Gat Goren Technique which attempts to address the poor blood away from the prostate coming from the testes. This method is currently in clinical trials and was performed on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu.

Natural Solutions

A saw palmetto plant. It has been shown to block DHT when taken in conjunction with beta-sitosterol.

Interestingly, there are natural alternative that may help reduce BPH symptoms. The herbs Saw palmetto, Pygeum africanum, and beta-sitosterol were found to decrease BPH symptoms more than placebo. (Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0090429596000775). Various mechanisms of action have been proposed such as:

1. anti-inflammatory effects that reduce the swelling and inflammation of an enlarged prostate
2. alteration of cholesterol metabolism
3. inhibition of prostate growth
4. anti-androgen effects
5. decreased sex hormone binding globulin

What we recommend:

There are natural solutions that include daily exercise and herbal supplements. Exercise is something you can do everyday to help prostate and sexual health. Increased circulation may help flush DHT away from the prostate. You can start by taking a 30 minute walk or jog daily. If you have a dog then there should be no problem incorporating a little more exercise into your daily routine.

Talk to your doctor about prescription drugs, surgery, or herbal remedies. He or she may also want to run additional tests to rule out any life-threatening conditions such as prostate cancer.