Are you listening to what your prostate is telling you? Prostate health is something men often overlook and along with routine checkups, the health of your prostate can be detected by a few simple signs. These signs are the side effects of an enlarged prostate so lets dig into the anatomy of the prostate first.
The prostate is about the size of a walnut and is part of your sex organs. It surrounds the urethra which is the tube that carries your urine from your bladder through your penis and out of your body.( The urethra also transports semen during ejaculation ) During puberty, your prostate grows only to remain the same size until you reach middle age then it will begin growing again. This is when men usually notice symptoms of an enlarged prostate and having an enlarged prostate is the most common prostate health problem among men so we will focus on that for this discussion. (Prostate cancer and prostatitis are the other two common forms of prostate health issues)
The symptoms of an enlarged prostate are:
- Frequent urge to urinate
- Weak urine stream
- Dribbling after urinating
- Needing o strain or push to get urine flowing.
With any of these symptoms present, and aside from routine checkups, it is best to get a checkup from your doctor.
Now for those who use steroids, your risks of having enlarged prostate related sides are greatly increased. High DHT levels put users at a higher risk for prostate related issues as well as elevated estrogen and prolactin levels. Along with an aromatase and prolactin inhibitor, many steroid users will use saw palametto, red clover, or nettle root to help reduce their risk of prostate related issues. All three of these supplements are as OTC supplements.
- Saw palmetto is an herbal medicine traditionally used for urinary issues. Saw palmetto is said to help reduce the size of enlarged prostates and relieves urinary problems.
- Nettle Root is also a herbal medicine that promotes good prostate health by reducing that restricted feeling while urinating since it said to contain natural anti-inflammatory properties.
- Red clover contains an antioxidant that fights cancerous growth. Red clover also inhibits DHT formation.
Taking these supplements do not replace regular check ups since your doctor will chart and monitor things like PSA levels or resort to other screen methods such as digital rectal scanning or ultrasound. Or he may just simply throw on the glove and perform it the old manual method of checking size and firmness. Either way, be aware of your prostate health since 50% of men over the age of 60 have signs of enlarged prostate and early detection is key to fighting prostate cancer.