Yes, we know - talking about male sexual health is a prickly thing.  Men are loathe to discuss the fact that things can go wrong “down there” and that has caused many people to suffer from embarrassing issues.  Many times these issues could be avoided.

What is this chestnut shaped gland all about?

The prostate is a gland located around the neck of the male bladder.  It produces secretions that moisten the urinary pipe in the penis and helps with lubrication.  It also produces part of the transparent part of ejaculatory fluid.  This allows for the safe passage and energy of semen on their way through the vaginal tract.

What are the most common diseases of the prostate?

There are three common diseases that affect the prostate - Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH), Prostatitis and Prostate Cancer.

Let’s take a look at each of them and see what can be done to protect the prostate.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) - the enlarged prostate

BPH is found when there is enlargement and inflammation of the prostate.  This usually occurs in men over the age of 50.  Around 50% of men will be affected by BPH at some or other stage in their lives.

10 Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

There are several symptoms that can point to BPH.  It is important to recognise them at an early stage and get your doctor to check it out.  Here are 10 of the most common symptoms:

• Frequent urination
• Urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control)
• Urinary hesitance (stage fright)
• Painful urination
• Inability to completely empty the bladder
• Dribbling after urination
• Erectile dysfunction
• Frequent bladder infections
• Frequent urinary tract infections
• Blood in the urine

What can I do to help prevent or alleviate Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

Regular exercise may help prevent an enlarged prostate by stabilizing testosterone levels.

By including food and herbs into your diet, you can also help alleviate and prevent BPH.

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10 Foods to eat to protect the prostate from Bening Prostatic Hyperplasia

• Propolis from honey
• Chaste berry
• Goldenseal
• Korean ginseng
• Nettle root
• Saw Palmetto
• Reishi mushrooms
• Flaxseed oil
• Pumpkin seed oil
• Cooked tomato

There are also supplements that can help:

10 Supplements that help prevent or alleviate an enlarged prostate

• Selenium
• Zinc
• Glycine
• Nettle root extract
• Beta-Sitosterol
• Lycopene
• Melatonin
• Glutamic acid
• D-Glucaric Acid
• Genistein

Prostatitis

Prostatitis is an infection or inflammation of the prostate.  Although the symptoms of BPH and prostatitis can overlap, they are not the same thing.  It can affect men from their late teens upwards.

The most common symptoms are sexual problems, trouble urinating and chills and fever.

Conventional treatment would include antibiotics.

Some foods have shown to trigger prostatitis and should be limited or removed from your diet if you are prone to prostatitis

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5 Foods to avoid when prone to prostatitis

• Spicy foods
• Caffeine
• Acidic foods
• Alcohol
• Hot chilli peppers
  

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So what should I then include in my diet if I am prone to prostatitis?

There are several foods that can help protect us from prostatitis.  Leaning here towards foods that are more alkaline in nature and with anti-inflammatory properties:

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5 Foods to help protect against prostatitis:

• 2 Litres of water daily
• Green tea
• High-quality protein
• Cooked tomatoes
• Berries

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5 Supplements to help control and prevent prostatitis

• Vitamin C
• Curcumin
• Quercetin
• Saw palmetto
• Vitamin D

Prostate cancer

Number three on our list is, of course, the big C.  It accounts for 19% of all cases of cancer in adults and children and accounts for 13% of cancer deaths in men.

The symptoms of prostate cancer are the same as BPH.  When cancer is suspected, a biopsy is performed to confirm.

What increases the risk of prostate cancer?

There are several factors that increase the risk of prostate cancer.  Some are born from inside the body and others from external influences.

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21 substances that increase the risk of prostate cancer

Geek hats on - we are delving deep into the body!

• Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines (HAAs) (e.g. PhlP) may cause Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive exposure to Pesticides may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive 5-Alpha Reductase levels or activity may be implicated in Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive Beta-Glucuronidase activity in the Colon may be associated with an increased risk of Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) production/activity may be implicated in Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive activity of Fatty Acid Synthase may play a role in the growth of Prostate Cancer.  References
• Excessive Ornithine Decarboxylase activity may be implicated in the development of Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive activity of Protein Kinase C may be implicated in the development of Prostate Cancer.
  *NOTE: DHEA was further researched and have shown to be Prostate Cancer protective and may retard further growth of existing Prostate Cancer.‍
• Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) may stimulate the growth of Prostate Cancer Cells.
• Excessive production of Oestrogens (specifically 16-Hydroxyestrone) in males may increase the risk of Prostatic Cancer.
• Excessive production and release of Prolactin may contribute to the proliferation of Prostate Cancer Cells.
  *NOTE: Testosterone is widely regarded by conventional medical practitioners as "feeding" Prostate Cancer cells - several clinical studies now conclude that Testosterone is not implicated in the development of Prostate Cancer and it is speculated by others that Testosterone may play a role in the prevention of Prostate Cancer especially with bio-identical hormone replacement and maintenance of optimal testosterone/age levels in ageing males.
• Excessive intake of Alpha-Linolenic Acid may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive dietary cholesterol may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer due to precursor molecule for both testosterone and oestradiol.
• Excessive production of Prostaglandin E2 may stimulate the proliferation of Prostate Cancer Cells.
• Excessive consumption of Saturated Fatty Acids (i.e. >45 grams per day) may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer.‍
• Cadmium may cause Prostate Cancer (due to its antagonism of Zinc, Cadmium can replace Zinc in the Prostate).
• Excessive intake of Calcium (i.e. more than 2,000 mg per day) may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive exposure to Lead may cause Prostate Cancer.‍
• Dioxin exposure activates the that promotes the risk of Prostate Cancer.‍
• Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) may stimulate the proliferation of Prostate Cancer Cells.‍
• Papilloma Viruses (especially HPV 16) may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer. 

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The foods that we eat can also play a role in prostate cancer

5 Food that may increase the risk of prostate cancer

• Excessive consumption of Cow’s Milk may cause Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive consumption of Dietary Animals Fats may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer.
• Excessive consumption of Red Meat may increase the risk of developing Prostate Cancer.
• High consumption of Flax Seed Oil (Alpha linoleic acid) may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer.
• Margarine may increase the risk of Prostate Cancer.

There are also other factors that can increase the risk of prostate cancer

• Ageing Process.
• Altered Lighting – blocks the production of Melatonin.
• The XMRV Virus.
• Insulin Resistance.
• Obesity

So what now - how do I mitigate my risk of prostate cancer?

All is not lost!  There are many practical things that one can do in order to protect yourself from prostate cancer and lower your risk of getting it.  As with BPH, exercise might help protect the prostate from cancer

15 Foods that may lower the risk of prostate cancer

• Avocado
• Blueberry
• Citrus fruits
• Pomegranate
• Watermelon
• Tomato
• Broccoli
• Garlic
• Chives
• Beetroot
• Chillis
• Green tea
• Milk thistle
• Chaste berry
• Saw palmetto

There are also several supplements that one can consider in order to take control of your prostate health:

10 Prostate protecting supplements

• CLA
• CoQ10
• Curcumin
• EGCG
• Folic Acid
• Omega 3
• Quercetin
• Resveratrol
• Selenium
• Silymarin
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin B1, B2 and B6
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E

There are many things to take into account when it comes to prostate health.  In order to stem the flow of disease that is related to the prostate, we need to start having open dialogue about it.  If we can stop the stigma that is connected with the prostate, this gland that is oftentimes troublesome can be put to good work and perform optimally.