Tips for prostate health

What does the prostate do?

Your prostate gland is about the size of a walnut and is under your bladder. It surrounds part of your urethra. The urethra is the tube that urine and semen pass through. The prostate gland’s job is to make the fluid part of semen, which nourishes the sperm. This is important for reproduction as sperm are involved in fertilisation.

What are some prostate problems?

If there is something wrong with your prostate, you might experience symptoms when you pee. This is because the prostate surrounds the urethra. These symptoms are referred to as ‘lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS)’ or ‘bladder outflow obstruction’.

Symptoms of prostate problems can vary but you may:

• find it difficult to pee, for example straining or taking a long time
• notice a weak flow of urine
• feel that your bladder has not emptied fully
• keep dribbling urine after you’ve finished
• have a sudden urge or frequent need to pee
• keep getting up at night to pee
• involuntary leaking pee (incontinence)

These symptoms are most commonly caused by an enlarged prostate, which can block the flow of urine. The medical name for this is Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Other types of prostate problems, which may include these symptoms and other symptoms include the following.

• infection or inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis) which can also cause pelvic pain and pain when peeing.
• Prostate cancer.

How do I check my prostate health?

If you’re experiencing symptoms or would like to get your prostate checked, it’s easy to do.

Anyone aged 50 or over with a prostate can ask for a test called a PSA test, whether you’re experiencing symptoms or not. This is a blood test that looks for prostate conditions like prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate.

If you’re under 50 and experiencing symptoms, or have concerns about your prostate, contact your doctor as soon as possible. They’ll assess your situation, and may ask you to have a PSA test.

During your appointment you may also be asked to give a urine (pee) sample, and you might have a rectal examination. This is where a healthcare professional feels your prostate by putting a finger inside your bottom. It will only take a few minutes, and they’ll wear gloves and use a lubricant to help the examination be as comfortable as possible.

How can I improve my prostate health?

There are some things you can’t change that may affect your prostate health, such as your age, ethnicity or family history. For example, prostate cancer is more common in people:

• over the age of 50
• who are black
• with a family history of prostate cancer

But, here are some things you can do that may help keep your prostate healthy.

1. Eat healthily

Try and eat a well-balanced diet as this is good for your overall health. Eating fruits, vegetables and cereals may also be good for reducing the risk of prostate cancer.

You might have heard tomatoes reduce your risk of prostate cancer, but there isn’t strong evidence to support this. But tomatoes are still good for you so include them in your diet, along with other fruits and vegetables. This will help to reduce the risk of cancer in general.in general. Try to eat less meat as well, as prostate cancer may be related to a diet high in animal fat. There’s a small amount of evidence that eating a lot of calcium is linked to prostate cancer. But there are also some studies that have not found a link. So, the evidence is limited.

Calcium is found in dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt, and is important for bone and teeth health. It’s particularly important to get enough calcium if you’re having hormone therapy as a treatment for prostate cancer. This is because a side effect of this treatment can be thinning of your bones (osteoporosis).

2. Limit alcoholic drinks

It’s not clear if drinking increases the risk of prostate cancer. But, heavy drinking, especially binge drinking, has been associated with increased prostate cancer risk.

Some studies have shown that moderate alcohol intake is linked to a reduced risk of prostate enlargement. But alcohol intake has also been associated with increased risk of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).Drinking too much alcohol can also lead to other diseases, including other cancers. If you drink alcohol, try to avoid drinking more than the recommended limit of 14 units. Limiting drinking to the recommended amount will also help you maintain a healthy weight. To help with cutting down on alcohol, you could try having alcohol-free days or try mocktails.

3. Stop smoking

Smoking may be linked to the symptoms of prostate enlargement. Smoking can also put you at risk of aggressive prostate cancer, which means it’s more likely to spread. Stopping smoking can be hard, but there’s plenty of support available to help you quit.

4. Exercise regularly

If you exercise regularly this can help you maintain a healthy weight, and can be good for your prostate health. If you’re obese, you could be at risk of an enlarged prostate. If you try losing weight you may be able to delay the onset of prostate enlargement symptoms.

It’s not clear if exercise will prevent prostate cancer. But if you are overweight or obese you might have a greater chance of developing a faster growing prostate cancer. So, it’s important to stay physically active.

UK guidelines recommend doing at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week. This could be things like walking, cycling or gardening. If you don’t exercise much, we have tips and advice to help you get started with exercising.

Eating well, exercising, and avoiding smoking could ensure your prostate stays healthy. If you’re worried about your prostate, or are experiencing urinary symptoms, see a doctor.

For further support and information about prostate cancer, visit charities such as Prostate Cancer UK or Cancer Research UK.