Prostate Problems

Prostate trouble — it comes with the territory of age. One out of two men will suffer from it, either the painful inflammation of prostatitis or the uncomfortable symptoms of benign enlargement of the prostate. The key word is "benign." What every man fears is the presence of a malignant growth: cancer … A justifiable fear, in fact, given that one man in six will develop prostate cancer in his lifetime.

It can strike a man at any age, even as young as 20. Symptoms include swelling and pain between the scrotum and rectum, frequent and burning urination, diminished urine flow, lower back pain, fatigue and sexual dysfunction. It can also cause infertility.

It is prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate gland, that will eventually make life miserable for up to 40 million American men. The pain can range from short-term acute flare-ups to long-term chronic pain so intense that drugs can’t control it. Sex can become so excruciatingly painful that it’s out of the question.

Urologists commonly view prostatitis as being due to an infective agent such as bacteria or chlamydia, although 95 percent of all cases are of unknown origin. And while antibiotics do cure some cases of prostatitis, countless numbers of others fail to respond to antibiotics, causing victims a lifetime of suffering. Researchers today suggest infective agents may not be the cause of the condition, but are instead acting opportunistically upon a depleted glandular environment. In addition, non-infective forms of prostatitis are also recognized and may be associated with autoimmune disorders.

We do know that very low concentrations of zinc are associated with prostatitis. By depleting the prostate of proteolytic enzymes and zinc, prostatitis can follow increased amounts of sexual activity. Therefore, too much sex too quickly (say eight to 10 ejaculations in a two-day period), can overwork the prostate and make it easier for an infection to occur. There are also other lifestyle factors — certain medications and excesses of caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods — that also contribute to a lack of glandular nutrition, which ultimately adds to the depletion of the prostate and lowered immune function.

The grim news, guys, is that 50 percent of the world’s male population will suffer from prostatitis at some point in their lives. However, the good news is that the tie between beneficial nutrients and prostate health is getting stronger all the time. That’s why more and more urologists today acknowledge the connection between diet, nutrition, vitamin and mineral supplementation and the causes and treatments of some kinds of prostate conditions.