Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease that affects men with age and may also occur in young people at an early age. What are the causes of prostate enlargement in young men?
Knowing the causes of an enlarged prostate in young people helps in preventing the occurrence of this common disease with age, especially when there is a risk factor for this disease, such as the presence of an enlarged prostate in one of your family members and other risk factors that we will mention later. Determine an appropriate treatment plan for enlarged prostate in the event that you have been diagnosed with the disease. Although an enlarged prostate may not pose a real danger to your life, it causes disturbing symptoms that affect the quality of life and prompts you to seek treatment. What are the causes and symptoms of an enlarged prostate? How can you prevent and treat inflation?
Causes of enlarged prostate at an early age
Some may believe that the causes of an enlarged prostate gland in young men are purely hereditary factors that cannot be prevented. This belief is not entirely correct, as there are many causes of an enlarged prostate that do not involve genetics and that a young man can avoid to protect himself from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). when he gets older.
The size of the prostate gland increases naturally with age, and the main reason behind this has not yet been determined, but studies have indicated a possible relationship between prostate enlargement in young people and one of the following reasons:
Overweight and obesity
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the main causes of BPH. Obesity increases the risk of developing an enlarged prostate with age. On the other hand, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight may help you prevent this medical problem.
Diabetes and heart disease
Although diabetes is rare at an early age in young people, as well as heart disease, they are among the important causes of prostate enlargement. (youth) or from the second style, you can read more about Diabetes symptoms.
Family history of an enlarged prostate
The presence of a disease in one of the first-degree relatives, such as the father or brother Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may make you more likely to develop this medical condition at an early age. Research and studies have indicated that the genetic factor may be an important cause of an enlarged prostate, but how genetics affects is still not clearly understood.
hormonal changes
The relationship between high levels of the male hormone (testosterone) and benign prostatic hyperplasia is still a matter of controversy. Some studies have indicated that men who have high levels of the hormone are more likely to develop benign prostatic hyperplasia than their peers who have low levels, as hormonal replacement therapy is considered TRT is an important risk factor for benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Diet and caffeine
Doctors found that a diet rich in red meat and low in fruits and vegetables is one of the causes that raise the risk of an individual developing an enlarged prostate, because foods rich in protein increase the male hormone (testosterone), which stimulates the growth of prostate tissue.
The caffeine in coffee is also accused of increasing the risk of enlarged male prostate as a result of the stimulation mechanism of active testosterone (DHT) and increasing its amount in the blood.
Tobacco
Opinions differed about the effect of smoking and its relationship with benign prostatic hyperplasia Research Between the toxic tobacco in cigarettes and its effect on raising the DHT hormone in males, which in turn stimulates prostate enlargement, but on the other hand, other research considered smoking is not responsible at all for this condition and cannot be considered a cause of benign prostatic hyperplasia.
aging
The older a person is, the greater the rate of his infection with prostate enlargement, as the relationship between age and prostate enlargement is a proven and indisputable relationship, as more than half of men after they exceed the fifth decade of life are infected with this disease, and to find out the reason for this, follow the next paragraph with us.
Causes of enlarged prostate in older adults
The prostate gland grows naturally with a person’s age, as we distinguish mainly two stages of the acceleration of prostate growth, which is the stage of sexual puberty in which the male’s genitals mature, in which the prostate enlarges to become twice its previous size, and the second stage of accelerated growth of the gland extends from the age of 20 to 30 years .
The inflation process continues relatively slowly in the period ranging from 30 to 50 years, but with the male reaching the age of fifty, the growth curve of the prostate returns to accelerate again, and therefore more than half of men show symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia after the fifth decade of life.
Scientists believe that the causes of an enlarged prostate for the elderly are due to natural changes that occur in the level of hormones secreted by the testicles. With age, the amount of active testosterone (DHT) in the blood is affected, while estrogen remains at its previous normal levels. This hormonal change contributes to stimulating the growth and enlargement of prostate tissue.
Symptoms of an enlarged prostate in young men
The prostate is a gland the size of a golf ball, located directly below the bladder and surrounding the urethra. When enlarged, it puts pressure on the urethra, causing some urinary symptoms, including:
- An urgent need to urinate even though the bladder is not full with urine
- Frequent urination at night, which awakens the patient from his sleep and causes him inconvenience
- Difficulty starting to urinate and not being able to completely empty your bladder
- Weak urine stream
- Drops of urine at the end of the patient's urination
Other less common symptoms may appear in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, such as recurrent infection with a urinary tract infection Which is one of the causes of blood drops in the urine, and despite the possibility of all these symptoms occurring, an enlarged prostate usually does not cause a real danger to the life of the patient, but rather annoying symptoms that can be dealt with, but they can be treated in several ways, you can see how Benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment.
Complications of benign prostatic hyperplasia
In some cases of untreated prostate enlargement, complications may occur that make the course of the disease worse and may pose a real threat to the function of the urinary system. Among these complications are the following:
- Inability to urinate normally (some may need to have a urinary catheter installed)
- Recurrent urinary tract infections
- Urinary stones are formed due to the inability to completely empty the bladder of urine
- The patient's bladder may be damaged and lose its ability to contract and relax
- Chronic urinary retention can lead to damage to kidney function
Some men worry about the possibility of developing benign hyperplasia Benign prostate hyperplasia Toward prostate cancer However, this information, fortunately, is wrong and not actually proven. According to studies, there is no relationship between benign prostatic hyperplasia and cancer, as the risk of cancer remains equal between men with hypertrophy and healthy men.
Prevention of enlarged prostate from an early age
You may be wondering, can I prevent BPH or is it inevitable? In fact, some minor adjustments to your routine from an early age may reduce your risk of developing the disease as you get older. Here are some tips to prevent an enlarged prostate. :
- Exercising regularly while maintaining an appropriate weight
- Eat a healthy diet, not too much fat and red meat
- Avoid excessive drinking of coffee, as caffeine has negative effects on prostate health
- Quit smoking and avoid alcohol
In conclusion, your knowledge of the causes of benign prostatic hyperplasia when you are young may help you in prevention and reduce the risk of you getting this medical condition that is common when you are old, and remember that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of treatment, and if symptoms of an enlarged prostate appear to you, you do not have to worry because there are methods available There are many treatments for an enlarged prostate, and usually this problem does not cause serious complications in your life.
Sources: