The prostate gland enlarges as you get older. In fact the prostate has two major growth spurts in your life, the first during puberty when it doubles in sizes and reaches the size of a walnut and then later on in middle age.
It doubles in size again between the ages of 31 to 50 and continues to do this at a rate of once every four to five years. By the time you are aged between 51 and 70 , it slows down to doubling in size just once every 10 years. By the time you are over 70 this rate decreases further.
It is not known why the prostate starts this second growing term – and continues to grow at such a dramatic rate. Medical opinion cannot decide on any one reason and some of the functions of the prostrate gland are still not fully understood.
What is Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH)?
Benign prostate hyperplasia or BPH is simply the medical term for an enlarged prostrate (it can also be called prostatic hyperplasia). It is not a harmful medical condition – and it does not mean you have cancer. It is benign and that means safe and non-cancerous. It does not always cause any problems but most men will experience some BPH symptoms as they get older and it affects around 50% of men over 60 in varying degrees.
The reason for the urinary problems is because as the prostate gland grows larger it takes up more space and can press on the urethra – the tube that conveys urine to the penis. When this tube is constricted, it affects the flow and the bladder cannot drain properly.
In addition, this clamp like action on the urethra causes the bladder wall to contract even when it contains only small levels of urine, prompting the urge for urination. This constant contraction causes the bladder to gradually become weaker, the urine cannot drain properly and the result is that you feel as if you want to visit the bathroom all the time. When you do get to the bathroom you may find that your flow is weak, may experience dribbling and in some cases even lose control over your bladder causing incontinence.
Obviously if you experience any urinary problems, you should visit your doctor to have it checked out but in most cases, he or she will be able to reassure you. Despite this BPH can be very worrying and embarrassing. Nobody likes talking about bodily functions and the fact that the prostate is a sexual gland and affects urination and in some cases can cause incontinence, makes it a very sensitive subject.
What Triggers Benign Prostate Hyperplasia?
Nobody really knows why BPH occurs although the effects on older men have been documented back to Roman times and at a mild level it can be seen as simply part of the aging process.
One theory is that BPH is directly linked to testosterone levels. Men produce testosterone throughout their lives but as they age this decreases and they are left with more of the female hormone oestrogen. It has been suggested that oestrogen causes the prostate to grow.
Alternatively, it may be linked to dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This substance is derived from testosterone and resides in the prostate gland. Not all men continue to produce DHT as they age and clinical investigation seems to suggest that an absence of DHT also means an absence of BHP. The theory is that DHT encourages the Prostate gland to grow. Castrated men do not suffer with BHP so it is certainly linked to male hormones, although most men will find this remedy a bit too extreme for comfort!
Improving Benign Prostate Hyperplasia
Today, making dietary changes, or taking medication, prostate herbal supplements, hormonal treatment or surgery can all be used to improve BPH so you no longer have to accept this condition and suffer in silence.
