If you think your frequent trips to the bathroom are a natural part of aging, then you might be experiencing gradual prostate enlargement. The likelihood of developing an enlarged prostate significantly increases as a man ages and may pose various health challenges. An enlarged prostate gland compresses the urethra and the bladder, which can cause decreased urinary flow and volume, and increase the frequency of urination. An enlarged prostate can also lead to poor sleep patterns caused by frequent awakenings at night, affecting your overall quality of life.
This article explains benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the clinical name for prostate enlargement, as well as its causes, how diet and nutrition can help address it, and the best supplements for BPH. Use the links below to jump ahead to different topics on the page.
What is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)?
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) refers to benign prostate enlargement — a common urological condition in men that usually occurs after the age of 40. This highly prevalent age-related condition affects more than 94 million men worldwide, occurring in 50 percent of the male population between the ages of 50 and 60. After age 70, up to 80-90 percent of men develop BPH.
The prostate gland is a hormone-dependent part of the male reproductive system and is prone to internal and external disruptions. Its enlargement is characterized by various problems affecting normal urinary function , including:
- A strong and sudden urge to urinate
- Straining to urinate
- Slowed or delayed start of the urinary stream
- Inability to urinate
- Incomplete emptying of the bladder
- Dribbling at the end of urinating
- Incontinence or the lack of voluntary control over urination
When urine is not expelled entirely and collects in the bladder, it can increase the risk of infection. This, in turn, can make it more painful to urinate and lead to more frequent bathroom trips. Additionally, such urination discomfort adversely affects sleep at night and significantly impacts daily life.
Causes of Prostate Enlargement
On average, a man’s prostate gland is about the size of a walnut. As the gland gradually enlarges with age, it can grow to the size of a lemon or a ping-pong ball and can grow even further to the size of a tennis ball. Prostate enlargement can be caused by several factors, including changes in hormones, inflammation, growth factors, cell receptor signaling, physical activity, diet, and the prostate microbiome that leads to increased cellular proliferation.
Although the exact factors that cause BPH are still being explored, the following are the most likely reasons behind prostate enlargement.
- Hormonal action: Changing levels of male hormones, such as testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), tend to strongly affect the prostate gland during aging.
- Cellular proliferation: The prostate’s stromal and epithelial cells in the transitional zone proliferate due to inflammation and the action of sex hormones.
How Does an Enlarged Prostate Affect Your Sleep?
Several studies1,2 correlate poor sleep quality with a higher incidence of BPH among middle-aged and older men. The growth of stromal and prostate epithelial cells causes the prostate to physically compress the urethra. This leads to Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), including the symptoms of obstructive voiding (straining, weak stream, hesitation, and incomplete emptying) or irritable voiding (urgency, frequency, and incontinence).
Here is how an enlarged prostate affects your sleep and your overall health.
- Frequent voiding at night: Voiding is one of the main reasons for waking at night, and sleep disturbance mediates the effect of nocturia—waking up at night one or more times for voiding. Urological conditions can lead to sleep-related problems or vice versa. Sleep disorders can further influence the prostate condition by altering circadian regulation, nervous system input, and steroid hormone action.
- Disturbed sleep affecting overall health: Sleep is critical for completing vital physiological functions by promoting the growth of the central nervous system and restoring physical functions. Sleep restriction can cause a wide range of adverse immune, cognitive, hormonal, and metabolic conditions.
Can Diet and Nutrition Address BPH?
Recent findings3 indicate that dietary factors impact metabolic disorders that indirectly affect both BPH and LUTS. Diets high in starches and fats are likely to negatively affect prostate health. Although the role of total dietary protein in causing prostate enlargement is unclear, men who consume more red meat have been found to be at an increased risk of BPH. A plant-based diet that emphasizes whole fruits, cruciferous vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, and fish preferred over red meat is often recommended for a healthy prostate.
Beyond diet, several botanicals, phytochemicals, and vitamins have traditionally been used to address prostate enlargement.* Extensive research has been conducted on the role of dietary supplements, such as zinc, saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol, and lycopene, in relieving BPH symptoms.* There is an evolving perspective that specific phytochemicals and vitamins hold immense potential to address BPH symptoms.*
In addition to nutrition and dietary supplements, moderate to vigorous physical activity, limited caffeine and alcohol intake, and healthy weight management are critical to promoting prostate health.
Best Supplements for BPH
The following table highlights some of the best supplements for BPH and how they address prostate enlargement.*
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Why You Need An Advanced BPH Supplement Formulation
Saw palmetto supplements are one of the most commonly consumed and best dietary supplements for BPH. Some studies have found saw palmetto supplementation helps alleviate BPH and LUTS symptoms.*
Notably, the efficacy of commercially available saw palmetto supplements differs based on their fatty acid and phytosterol content. Also, added ingredients in supplement formulations can beneficially affect the total fatty acid and phytosterol content. An advanced BPH supplement formulation will contain such added ingredients and utilize nutrient delivery technology to enhance the bioavailability and absorption of active nutrients.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About BPH Supplements
The following are frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the best supplements for BPH.
Are BPH supplements safe?
Saw palmetto is considered safe as a BPH supplement when used as directed. The most common short-term side effects include headache, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. However, long-term adverse effects have been rare. It is always recommended to consult with your healthcare provider before including a BPH supplement in your diet.
Can you take a BPH supplement with prescription medications?
Some reports suggest that the presence of tannic acid in saw palmetto can interfere with iron absorption and blood-thinning drugs. It is always recommended to consult with your healthcare provider to understand the potential contraindications of a BPH supplement with prescription medications or other supplements.
How do I choose the best supplements for BPH?
The best supplements for BPH are characterized by the optimal bioavailability and absorption of the active ingredients in blended preparations of saw palmetto extracts combined with other synergistic botanical extracts.
ProstaSorb® is an innovative BPH supplement formulation from Tesseract Medical Research that contains three clinically tested extracts: saw palmetto, Pygeum africanum, and Cucurbita pepo. The unrivaled nutrient delivery nanotechnology developed by Tesseract Medical Research enhances the bioavailability and absorption of ProstaSorb’s active ingredients. The proprietary technology enables optimal absorption, which means a lower amount of active nutrients is needed to achieve the desired results. The micro-dosing of the active nutrients in a single capsule enables maximum efficacy in addressing the symptoms of prostate enlargement, making the formulation one of the best supplements for BPH.*
The power of Tesseract supplements lies in enhancing palatability, maximizing absorption and bioavailability, and micro-dosing multiple nutrients in a single, highly effective capsule. Shop products on our website and learn more about how they support prostate health and healthy aging.*
Citations:
1Araujo AB, et al. Sleep related problems and urological symptoms: Testing the hypothesis of bidirectionality in a longitudinal, population based study. The Journal of Urology vol. 191,1 (2014):100-106. doi:10.1016/j.juro.2013.07.011
2Chartier-Kastler E, et al. Prostatic hyperplasia is highly associated with nocturia and excessive sleepiness: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open. 2012;2(3):e000505. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000505
3Espinosa G. Nutrition and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Current Opinion in Urology vol. 23,1 (2013): 38-41. doi:10.1097/MOU.0b013e32835abd05
4Pais P. Potency of a novel saw palmetto ethanol extract, SPET-085, for inhibition of 5alpha-reductase II. Advances in Therapy vol. 27,8 (2010):555-563. doi:10.1007/s12325-010-0041-6
5Abe M, et al. Pharmacologically relevant receptor binding characteristics and 5alpha-reductase inhibitory activity of free Fatty acids contained in saw palmetto extract. Biol Pharm Bull. 2009;32(4):646-650. doi:10.1248/bpb.32.646
6Sauer AK, et al. Zinc deficiency in men over 50 and its implications in prostate disorders. Frontiers in Oncology vol. 10 1293. 6 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3389/fonc.2020.01293
7Wilt T, et al. Beta-sitosterols for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews vol. 1999,2 (2000): CD001043. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001043
8Colli E, et al. BXL628, a novel vitamin D3 analog arrests prostate growth in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia: a randomized clinical trial. European Urology vol. 49,1 (2006):82-86. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2005.08.014
9Yeo JK, et al. Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Testosterone, prostate, and lower urinary tract symptoms: A prospective, comparative study. The World Journal of Men’s Health vol. 41,4 (2023): 874-881. doi:10.5534/wjmh.220180
10Wilt T, et al. Pygeum africanum for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews vol. 1998,1 (2002): CD001044. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001044
11Theil G, et al. Extract from Cucurbita pepo improves BPH symptoms without affecting sexual function: a 24-month noninterventional study. World Journal of Urology vol. 40,7 (2022):1769-1775. doi:10.1007/s00345-022-04036-w
