The 3 Best and Worst Foods for Your Prostate

Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Prostate Health
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In many cases, the simple act of avoiding certain foods while adding others to your diet can have a significant impact on specific health conditions. From prostatitis to BPH, abiding by this food list can help improve reduce prostate inflammation and relieve urinary issues and discomfort.

To keep the prostate healthy, the following foods should be avoided:

  1. Alcohol

    Heavy alcohol consumption can easily induce a multitude of prostate health problems. Studies show that alcohol increases the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms. They include weak urinary stream, incomplete bladder emptying, and difficulty in starting urination. The diuretic properties of alcohol make this type of beverage even worse for patients with prostate issues.

  2. Caffeine

    Similar to alcohol, caffeine has diuretic properties and increases urine volume. Moreover, caffeine is an irritant of the urinary tract and causes additional symptoms that alcohol does not trigger. Thus, patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) should ideally avoid consuming beverages and foods with caffeine. Such beverages include coffee, certain types of tea, sports drinks, and more. They are known to cause an increase in urinary incontinence, urgency, and frequency.

    Studies also suggest that caffeine increases testosterone and DHT levels in the ventral and dorsolateral regions of the prostate, suggesting that caffeine may also contribute to benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.

  3. Spicy Foods

    Anyone with urinary problems should stay away from spicy foods. While caffeine is a diuretic and mild irritant of the urinary tract, chili and spicy foods are strong irritants. They can potentially worsen any symptoms you may have, especially urgency and urinary incontinence. Certain components of spicy foods can be beneficial for the prostate, especially capsaicin. However, the irritating negative effects of these foods more than outweigh the positives, making it better to avoid them to reduce hypersensitivity in your bladder.

Now, let's take a look at some of the foods that reduce prostate inflammation:

  1. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

    Fish like salmon, tuna, and flounder are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which can slow the progression of BPH, even in men who already have the condition. Fatty acids are essential because the body cannot produce them. You, therefore, must consume them in foods and supplements.

  2. The Mediterranean Diet

    A healthy choice for everyone full of antioxidants, the Mediterranean diet is especially beneficial for prostate health. Fresh vegetables, fish high in Omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil, fresh fruits, and whole grains are all heart healthy and prostate healthy.

  3. Broccoli

    This green cruciferous vegetable, reviled by children everywhere, possesses powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is jam-packed with nutrients. Cutting up the florets before you cook them releases their full nutritional value, especially if cooked with a bit of olive oil.

Paul

Paul

Paul has been interested in medical research since his first organic chemistry class in college. He was a high school biology teacher for 32 years until retiring to spend more time reading, hiking, and camping with his wife and two dogs.

Email Paul at [email protected].

References

  1. Russo GI, Broggi G, Cocci A, Capogrosso P, Falcone M, Sokolakis I, Gül M, Caltabiano R, Di Mauro M. Relationship between Dietary Patterns with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Erectile Dysfunction: A Collaborative Review. Nutrients. 2021 Nov 19;13(11):4148. doi: 10.3390/nu13114148. PMID: 34836403; PMCID: PMC8618879.
  2. Bradley CS, Erickson BA, Messersmith EE, Pelletier-Cameron A, Lai HH, Kreder KJ, Yang CC, Merion RM, Bavendam TG, Kirkali Z; Symptoms of Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction Research Network (LURN). Evidence of the Impact of Diet, Fluid Intake, Caffeine, Alcohol and Tobacco on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: A Systematic Review. J Urol. 2017 Nov;198(5):1010-1020. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2017.04.097. Epub 2017 May 4. PMID: 28479236; PMCID: PMC5654651.
  3. Ghadian A, Rezaei M. Combination therapy with omega-3 fatty acids plus tamsulocin and finasteride in the treatment of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Inflammopharmacology. 2017 Aug;25(4):451-458. doi: 10.1007/s10787-017-0343-2. Epub 2017 Apr 8. PMID: 28391389.