Male Prostate

purpose. Located just below the bladder, the prostate encircles the urethra, the tube that passes urine from the bladder to outside the body. The prostate produces semen and secretes it into the urethra, providing the liquid medium that sperm cells need for nourishment as well as to exit the body.

Prostate enlargement problems occur when the cells in the inner core of the gland, surrounding the urethra, grow to form fibrous nodules, eventually squeezing in on the urethra and blocking the flow of urine. The cells appar­ently grow in response to hormones, especially testosterone, and the growth seen in older men may be related to alterations in hormone balance associ­ated with aging, experts say.

Nutritional intervention for BPH includes a healthy low-fat, high-fiber diet, weight loss if necessary, vitaminmineral supplements, and, in some cases, essential fatty acids such as flax seed oil. Some doctors also consider the herb saw palmetto an essential part of treatment.