7 things to know about an enlarged prostate and how to avoid it
Whether King Charles II has left you curious or you want to know how to avoid the problem, here's a look at what you need to know
The Princess of Wales and King Charles II were hospitalised this week — the princess for abdominal surgery and Charles received treatment for an enlarged prostate.
Known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or benign prostate enlargement (BPE), it affects many men over 50. The prostate is a small gland between the penis and bladder. While you might freak out and think this is a form of cancer, do not be alarmed. An enlarged prostate causes difficulty urinating or not fully emptying the bladder.
An enlarged prostate can be caused by hormonal changes many men experience as they grow older, contrary to assumptions that only women are affected by their hormones.
Can an enlarged prostate kill you? The short answer is no, this is not a deadly disease and no expert in the field has made links to other fatal diseases such as cancer. The Urology Medical Group says untreated BPE can cause urinary tract infections, bladder stones, a complete blockage to the urethra or damage to one's kidneys.
The latter can cause additional symptoms such as back and lower abdominal pains, blood in the urine and pains, chills or fever when urinating.
However, there have been cases of malpractice. The New York Times reported on a 61-year-old who had a nearly fatal experience when his extreme case was not treated.
Recent studies have found black men are most affected by BPE while Asian men are lower on the list. “BPE is associated with heart disease, use of drugs known as beta-blockers and lack of physical exercise. Fat appears to be important as it induces inflammation, which in turn causes BPE. BPE is more common in obese men, and certain dietary fats may induce inflammation,” says urologist Marc Luciando.
A 2016 study found that there is 50% prevalence for men older than 60 in South Africa.
As with many other medical issues, BPE can be avoided through exercise and a healthy diet. Healthline identifies the six foods to help prevent future issues:
- tofu
- avocados
- tomatoes
- bell peppers
- salmon
- sesame seeds