Among the early signs of BPH are having to strain to start urination, dribbling, a frequent sensation of having to urinate, especially at night, along with a reduction in the force and caliber of urination. BPH can lead to urinary incontinence in some men. Other symptoms include lower back pain, discomfort during intercourse, painful ejaculation, impotence, and lowered sex drive. Prostatitis is an inflammation or infection of the prostate gland. It is most often due to bacteria or other infective agent in the urine, which can settle in the prostate when passing through the urethra.
Nutritional depletion can make it easier for infection to occur.
Excess caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods contribute to a lack of glandular nutrition which ultimately depletes the prostate and lowers immune function. As a person ages, DHT production increases, resulting in the proliferation of tissue in the prostate gland, which eventually leads to the obstruction of the urethra which passes through it. Chronic constipation may contribute to prostatic discomfort when there is already an enlarged gland, so proper nutrition and fluid intake is important to prostate health. Traditional medical approaches to this problem are drug treatments such as Proscar and surgeries like the transurethral resection of the prostate. Among men with prostate cancer, it is common to be castrated either surgically or chemically to radically reduce testosterone levels, in the belief that this will supress cancer growth.