Your Prostate Over 45
When it comes to the prostate, bigger isn’t better. For years, most men go through life hardly noticing their prostate is there. It’s a walnut-sized organ that sits just below the bladder. The prostate’s primary job is to make fluid that protects sperm as they seek out eggs to fertilize after ejaculation. Around the age of 25, it starts to slowly grow larger. While the prostate is usually able to continue slowly growing without any issues, some men may experience trouble later in life.
3 Common Prostate Issues
1. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
As the prostate enlarges, some men develop benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). While it’s not clear why, many men start to experience uncomfortable and inconvenient urinary issues around the age of 50. Typically, men will need to use the bathroom more often and the feeling will come suddenly, particularly during the evening. However, when they try to empty their bladder, it can be difficult to urinate. Because the prostate is located around the urethra, it starts to compress the tube and makes it more difficult for urine to pass through the penis.
Symptoms of BPH:
- Difficulty Urinating
- Increased Urges to Urinate
- Low Urination Stream
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Stones in the Bladder
- Faulty Kidney Function
How BPH Affects Your Sex Life
Men with BPH may experience a decreased sex drive, difficulty sustaining an erection, and overall dissatisfaction with sex. Although there isn’t a clear reason that BPH influences sexual experiences, it may be due to mood disorders that develop because of the lack of sleep caused by the need to frequently use the bathroom at night. If you are experiencing these issues, you could be experiencing BPH and should visit a doctor.
How to Treat BPH
The good news is that there are a couple of ways to treat BPH so that your prostate doesn’t negatively affect your life.
- Decrease Your Fluid Intake: Cutting down on alcohol and coffee—or cutting them out completely—can help decrease your need to urinate. Try to drink less fluids in the evening specifically, as that can be a sensitive time of day.
- Check Your Medications: If you’re on medication, talk to your doctor to make sure they aren’t making your symptoms worse.
- Get a Surgical Consult: There are a few surgical procedures that can help BPH; some are very simple while others can be more complicated. The most common procedure is to remove the part of the prostate that is squeezing the urethra
2. Prostate Cancer
After skin cancer, men are most commonly diagnosed with prostate cancer. Thankfully, prostate cancer has an extremely successful treatment rate compared with other cancers. The trick is to catch prostate cancer in the early stages, but there aren’t typically any obvious symptoms at that point. Because a tumor in the prostate doesn’t cause any pain, many men are able to live with it for years without knowing. It’s a good idea for men around the age of 40 to consider talking to a doctor about their medical history and other risk factors to determine when they should start getting screened for the disease.
3. Prostatitis
When the prostate contracts a bacterial infection or is injured, it can become inflamed. Some symptoms are similar to BPH, like difficulty urinating and frequently needing to urinate at night, but some differences include:
- Cloudy or bloody urine
- Pain in the abdomen, groin, or lower back
- Pain in the penis or testicles
- Fever, chills, and muscle fatigue
You can help prevent the development of prostatitis by staying hydrated, urinating regularly, and seeking treatment if you experience BPH.
Lifestyle Choices That Support Your Prostate
No matter how old you are, there are ways to support your overall health that also benefit your prostate.
- Eat A Nutritious Diet: Many vegetables and fruits, like tomatoes, are high in essential vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants that can help support the body. Additionally, healthy omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish, like salmon, and olive oil, olives, avocados, nuts, and seeds are a great addition to your diet.
- Exercise and Maintain a Healthy Weight: One of the most common risk factors for BPH and prostate cancer is obesity. Coupled with a balanced diet, moving throughout your day and regularly exercising can promote the maintenance of a normal weight. Walking, running, swimming, or cycling are great ways to break a sweat.
- Restore Your Hormones: Over time, men start to lose testosterone, which helps maintain a normal prostate and muscle density. Doctors can test your testosterone levels and suggest testosterone replacement therapy if necessary.
The older men get, the more important it is to be aware of their prostate and how to immediately address any issues that may arise. As a reminder, the American Urological Association recommends that men get regularly screened for prostate cancer between the ages of 55 to 69 years.
Sources:
- McMillen, Matt. “Your Prostate Over 40.” WebMD. 2020. https://www.webmd.com/men/prostate-over-40
- “Saw Palmetto.” 2021. https://www.webmd.com/prostate-cancer/saw-palmetto-and-the-prostate
- Mount Sinai. “Stinging Nettle. 2022. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/herb/stinging-nettle#:~:text=Benign%20Prostatic%20Hyperplasia%20(BPH)&text=Studies%20in%20people%20suggest%20that,the%20constant%20urge%20to%20urinate
- Li, Yi-Ze et al. Zhonghua nan ke xue = National journal of andrology vol. 25,11 (2019): 1001-1004. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32233234/#:~:text=Conclusions%3A%20Lycopene%20has%20a%20good,life%20without%20causing%20adverse%20reactions.
- Carter HB, Albertsen PC, Barry MJ et al: Early detection of prostate cancer: AUA Guideline. J Urol 2013; 190: 419. https://www.auanet.org/guidelines/guidelines/prostate-cancer-early-detection-guideline