THE WELL-BEING OF THE PROSTATE
Dr. Simone Gabbanini, Quality Control
What is the prostate?
The prostate is one exocrine gland of the male reproductive system. It is a small organ the size of a chestnut that is located in the pelvis, at the base of the bladder, and surrounds the upper part of the urethra, the thin canal that allows urine and sperm to exit the penis.
The main function of the prostate is to produce seminal fluid, an alkaline fluid that serves to nourish the spermatozoa (produced in the testicles) together with which it constitutes sperm.
Due to its anatomical position and the functions it performs, the prostate is closely related to the processes of urination, erection and ejaculation, and it is precisely an alteration of these functions that portends a disorder affecting the gland. About 25% of men aged 55 and over have prostate problems . This percentage reaches 50% by the age of 70.
What are the main disorders associated with the prostate?
The three most common forms of prostate disease are:
- Inflammation or prostatitis
- Prostate cancer
- Noncancerous enlargement of the prostate or benign prostatic hypertrophy
What is prostatitis? What are the symptoms?
There prostatitis It can affect men of any age, but is most common in the 30 to 50 age range. It is an inflammation of the prostate gland often associated with swelling and pain thereof.
The symptoms caused by prostatitis can also be transmitted to the perineal floor, penis, testicles and groin. The most common form is of bacterial origin and is closely linked to lifestyle (diet, smoking, alcohol, sedentary lifestyle), the presence of gastrointestinal disorders (prolonged constipation, hemorrhoids) and sexual habits (unprotected intercourse, prolonged abstinence).
Four types of prostatitis can be distinguished:
- Acute bacterial
- Chronic bacterial
- Chronic abacterial
- Asymptomatic inflammatory
Bacterial prostatitis in most cases is acute and patients with this disease present the typical signs of genitourinary infection such as: fever, chills, increased urination frequency, burning or pain during urination.
Usually it is caused by a sexually transmitted infection and it is also considered the easiest to diagnose and treat effectively through the administration of antibiotic therapy.
Shape chronic occurs when bacteria create inside the prostate gland biofilms into which antibiotics cannot penetrate, making conventional therapy ineffective. In these cases it is necessary to act by administering specific antibiotics for longer times.
Prostatitis can also be of non-bacterial origin and, in this case, we must distinguish between chronic abacterial prostatitis and asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis.
The first represents the most common form of prostatitis, but more difficult to treat.
It generally occurs after the age of 25 and the appearance of symptoms is apparently not linked to specific causes since no pathogenic bacteria are isolated in urine, semen and urethral swabs. For this reason, chronic abacterial prostatitis is often classified as Chronic pelvic pain syndrome which indicates a very wide range of painful symptoms often associated with urination and/or sexual problems. The disease can arise for the most varied causes, including a true previous prostatitis or a series of proctological diseases such as fistulas, fissures and hemorrhoids.
Asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis it is usually diagnosed late as it does not cause symptoms and is therefore discovered accidentally during evaluation for other prostate diseases, high PSA values (Prostate Specific Antigen whose blood level is associated with prostate diseases) or during the search for causes of infertility. This type of prostatitis does not require any treatment.
What is prostate cancer? How does it manifest itself?
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer affecting males in adulthood. While some types of prostate cancer grow slowly and may require little or no treatment if limited to the gland, other types are aggressive and can spread rapidly and therefore should be treated promptly.
Like all cancers, prostate cancer, if diagnosed early, has a greater chance of being treated successfully.
Advanced prostate cancer can cause symptoms such as:
- Difficulty urinating
- Decreased strength in urine flow
- Blood in the urine
- Blood in semen
- Erectile dysfunction
However, these symptoms are also common to prostatitis or other disorders of the urogenital system, so in the presence of some of them it is advisable to contact your doctor. It is not clear what causes prostate cancer, however it is well known what the risk factors.
For example, studies confirm that the probability increases as the years go by; autopsy tests show prostatic neoplasms in 15-60% of men aged 60 to 90, with the incidence increasing with age. A family history of prostate cancer is a further reason to carry out tests after the age of 50. Obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking and a diet rich in animal fats also represent predisposing factors.
What is benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)?
Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a disorder following which the prostate gland increases in size and can press against the urethra, causing a series of urinary symptoms; however, it is not a given that all men with an enlarged prostate will experience symptoms. The term benign implies that the increase in size of the gland does not indicate the presence of tumor. BPH generally occurs after the age of 50, probably due to an increase in the ratio of estrogen to testosterone in the blood. BPH is not associated with an increased risk of cancer, although the two conditions can occur at the same time.
Symptoms of BPH include a weak or slow urinary stream, inability to urinate or difficulty initiating urination, frequent urination, urinary urgency, nocturia (the need to urinate while resting at night), and sensations of incomplete emptying of the bladder after urination. In the presence of painful or bothersome symptoms it is necessary to contact the doctor to exclude more serious pathologies (tumor).
Rectal palpation of the prostate is the most suitable examination, followed, if necessary, by instrumental investigations such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging. Doctors usually don't treat BPH unless the symptoms are bothersome or cause infection. In these cases, certain medications may be prescribed. Some drugs relax certain parts of the prostate and bladder to improve urine flow, others promote a reduction in prostate volume. If medications don't work, you may need surgery to reduce the size of your prostate.
Can dietary supplements help keep the prostate healthy?
Prostate health depends above all on prevention. Lifestyle and eating and hygiene habits influence the appearance or otherwise of some prostate pathologies. Adopting healthy habits such as carrying out regular physical activity, not abusing alcohol, following a varied diet rich in fibre, fruit and vegetables, avoiding cigarette smoking, certainly represents a good starting point for delaying the appearance of prostate problems and preserving more functionality for a long time.
It is common to use food supplements and over-the-counter products to treat disorders related to the prostate and, more generally, to the urogenital system. In fact, numerous scientific studies have shown that certain active ingredients present in plant extracts, as well as some minerals and vitamins, have a beneficial effect on the prostate and related functions.
Nutritional supplementation is often used to balance an increasingly unregulated diet due to the frenetic pace that modern life imposes, in other cases supplementation is made necessary due to gastro-intestinal disorders (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease ) which make it difficult to assimilate certain nutrients.
For example, zinc [1] it is an indispensable mineral as it affects the metabolism of androgen hormones, inhibiting the activity of the 5-alpha-reductase enzyme which converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, an androgenic hormone, the latter causing excessive development of the prostate (BPH).
The habitual consumption of alcohol leads to a chronic deficiency of zinc in the body, since the enzyme necessary to metabolize ethanol, alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), is zinc-finger , meaning it requires zinc to function; even smoking is the enemy of this precious mineral.
In fact, the combustion of tobacco generates cadmium, a toxic element, which interferes with the body's ability to absorb zinc. Some plant ingredients have proven to be a real panacea for the well-being of the prostate, for example the extract of Serenoa repens (Saw palmetto) [2] , of Nettle [3] and pumpkin seeds [4] . These extracts are rich in fatty acids and phytosterols capable of producing anti-androgenic effects through the inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase.
BeC's contribution to the well-being of the prostate and urogenital system
BeC has been taking care of your health for over 40 years by implementing a series of nutritional supplements with the aim of assisting the treatment of numerous disorders.
Eu Prost is a formula extremely rich in components specially formulated to maintain the physiological well-being of the prostate and to prevent and alleviate any problems related to the incorrect functionality of this gland.
Completely of natural origin, it exploits the synergistic effect of some plant extracts, thus, to the fatty acids of the Saw palmetto and the phytocomplex from Nettle roots, Echinacea is added, endowed with immunostimulant properties and capable of inhibiting the attack by pathogens; this last action is completed by the Cranberry (Mirtillo di Palude), also characterized by an excellent antioxidant activity , which provides a soothing effect , blocking oxygenated free radicals known to mediate inflammatory processes.
The effectiveness of the extracts is strengthened by the presence of vitamins (vit. E and C) with well-known antioxidant properties and minerals such as zinc, copper and selenium, which play an important role at an enzymatic level and counteract oxidative stress.
The natural well-being of the prostate and urinary system is also stimulated respectively by the presence of vitamins B6 and B9.
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