There is no one pill, diet or lifestyle modification that can give a man a healthy prostate.
My patients ask me on a daily basis: “Doc, what can I do to improve my prostate health?”
Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. There is no one pill, diet or lifestyle modification that can give a man a healthy prostate.
Some prostate issues are out of our control and certain men are simply prone to enlargement, inflammation, infection, or cancer due to their age, race, genetics, or environment. These factors are difficult or impossible to change. Prostate enlargement appears to be especially difficult to prevent.
Fortunately, there are specific interventions that we know, based on large-scale studies, can make a difference.
Lifestyle modification
You might not expect it from a urologist, but I spend a fair amount of time discussing healthy dietary changes and increased levels of activity with my patients. Diets that are lower in fat and higher in fruits and vegetables are associated with lower levels of prostate cancer. Several studies also show a link between obesity and elevated risk of prostate cancer. Reducing stress can have a positive impact on prostate health as well. Most men are happy to hear that there is evidence that higher frequency of ejaculation may decrease the risk of prostate cancer.
Over-the-counter and prescription medications
Multiple large studies have explored various supplements and vitamins (e.g. Selenium and Vitamin E), but have unfortunately not found a specific product that will prevent prostate cancer. Any OTC product that claims to prevent prostate cancer should be scrutinized.
We do have grade A evidence that a medication called a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor (e.g. Dutasteride and Finasteride) can lower a man’s risk of developing prostate cancer by about 25%. If that is the case, why not prescribe it to every man? Medications can have side effects, interactions with other prescriptions and studies showed a possible association with more aggressive cancer.
Screening
Lastly, guidelines recommend that men above age 50-55 without risk factors and men above 40-45 with risk factors (e.g. family history, African-American race) undergo screening with a blood test called PSA and a digital rectal exam annually. This does not prevent cancer but will hopefully allow for at an early stage when cancer is still curable.
Learn more about Dr. Ross or book an appointment online.