Is It Possible to Prevent Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia?

By: Max Ahn, MD

Every night across the country, millions of men in their 60s and older are awoken to perform a vexing ritual: the stand-up-and-wait.

If you have an enlarged prostate, then you probably have done the same. By the age of 60, nearly half of all men struggle with the daily (and nightly) symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or an enlarged prostate. One of the most common signs is the increased need to urinate, often at night, but having trouble starting the stream.

Could any of these men have prevented it? Could you?

It depends on how long you live, because BPH is a normal and natural part of a man’s life as he ages. After 80, an estimated 90% of men have an enlarged prostate.

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However, some men do develop BPH without noticeable symptoms, and research suggests certain practices could reduce the severity and side effect of BPH. To make the most of these practices, you should first recognize what your body is undergoing when your prostate tissue begins to enlarge, and the link between everyday lifestyle and BPH severity.

If You Have a Prostate, It’s Probably Going to Grow

The prostate starts out as a small gland, about the size of a walnut, nestled under the bladder and in front of the rectum. The urethra, which carries urine from the bladder, travels through its center. The prostate makes a fluid that travels through the urethra as well: the liquid that carries sperm for ejaculation.

The prostate goes through two significant but benign (non-cancerous) growth stages in a man’s life. The first stage occurs during puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. The second growth period begins when men reach their mid-20s, and it continues throughout their lives.

If the prostate tissue grows so much that it compresses the urethra, it can make urination difficult, potentially triggering a number of complications. This is not the case for everyone: Some men with very enlarged prostates might experience minor symptoms, while men with slightly enlarged prostates suffer more pronounced side effects.

Risk Factors and Symptoms of BPH

Scientists aren’t 100% certain why the prostate tissue begins growing in the second stage, although they believe factors related to aging, such as an increase in inflammation and age-related changes in hormone levels, play a role.

Other risk factors that contribute to BPH include a family history of prostate issues, obesity, and health conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

The symptoms, in addition to the frequent need to urinate day and night, include:

• Urgently needing to urinate
• Difficulty or a delay starting to urinate
• A stream that stops and starts
• Dribbling at the end of urination
• A weak or slow stream
• A sense that your bladder cannot completely empty.

Because the symptoms pf BPH can develop gradually, many men just believe that getting up to pee several times a night is a normal part of aging, and simply endure it. This could lead to worsening issues.

If left untreated, prolonged BPH can develop complications including urinary tract infections (UTIs), bladder stones, bladder damage, and kidney damage, all of which can stem from urine being retained in the bladder and potentially backing up.

However, some lifestyle modifications might slow prostate tissue growth, or ease symptoms.

How Lifestyle Choice Affect Prostate Growth

Knowing the risk factors and symptoms of BPH can serve as your first step toward adopting a prostate-friendly lifestyle. Consider these approaches for managing BPH severity.

Rethink your menu. Work a variety of vegetables and fruits into your daily diet, including those rich in vitamin C, which contains anti-inflammatory properties. Avoid factory-made foods high in salt and sugar; a 2026 research associates high consumption of ultra-processed foods with greater risk of BPH incidents. Finally, opt for lean proteins. Studies find that men who eat more red meat are at higher risk of BPH than those who eat less, while fish with omega-3 fatty acids (salmon and sardines) improve heart health.

Move a little more. Moderate-to-vigorous exercise and/or activities improve metabolism and circulation, balance hormones, and can reduce inflammation, all of which will benefit the prostate. You can start slowly with a brisk walk or bicycle ride most days of the week. Sports, dancing, and other recreational activities also count.

Limit or eliminate tobacco, alcohol, and caffeine. All three substances can worsen BPH symptoms, in part by irritating the urinary tract. Alcohol and caffeine are diuretics that increase the need to urinate, contributing to dehydration and concentrated urine that irritates and inflames the bladder and urinary tract. Alcohol can additionally lower testosterone levels.

Consider supplements. Studies into treating BPH with dietary supplements and herbal remedies have produced mixed results. These studies include analysis into lycopene, saw palmetto (from palm trees), beta sitosterol (from natural plants, fruits, and vegetables), and pygeum africanum extract (an African cherry tree bark). Talk to your physician about these supplements’ potential benefits.

Avoid or limit certain medications, if you can. Some drugs can worsen BPH symptoms by relaxing bladder muscles and/or causing urinary retention. These include antihistamines (for allergies), decongestants such as Sudafed, antidepressants (TCAs), and muscle relaxers. Consult your pharmacist or doctor about these potential complications and drug or dosage alternatives.

When to Seek Medical Intervention for BPH

Your doctor can diagnose BPH through a digital rectal exam, urine test, and/or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. If you do have an enlarged prostate and wish to seek treatment you have several minimally invasive options:

• Medication – Alpha-blockers, 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, and some erectile dysfunction drugs, such as Cialis, can relax the prostate or reduce prostate tissue. Your doctor can explain each approach.
• Prostate artery embolization – A minimally invasive approach in which an interventional radiologist injects tiny beads into the bloodstream and, using X-rays, lodges them in the arteries that feed blood to the enlarged tissue. The particles block blood flow so the tissue can’t grow.
• Water vapor therapy (Rezūm®) – This approach involves several short, in-office treatments to gradually shrink prostate tissue using water vapor.
• Prostatic tissue lift (UroLift) – Rather than cutting or shrinking tissue, this minimally invasive procedure lifts the prostate tissue away from the urethra using two small devices implanted on each side.

Among your surgical options:

• Laser prostatectomy– In this outpatient surgical procedure, the urologist vaporizes the enlarged tissue using a laser delivered through a narrow scope in the urethra.
• Aquablation – Here, excess prostate tissue is removed by powerful heat-free water jets fed by a slim device through the urethra, using robotic technology. Patients typically need to stay overnight.
• Laser enucleation (HOLEP) – The surgeon uses a laser to cut away enlarged tissue, which accesses the prostate through a tube fed into the urethra.
• Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) ­– For moderate to severe BPH, the doctor trims away excess tissue by inserting a slim, camera-equipped scope to the prostate through the urethra.

In some cases of BPH, the urologist might advise removing part or all of the prostate via small-incision robotic surgery.

The ideal approach to treating BPH depends on you but it begins with undergoing regular checkups that include a prostate exam. These exams, including discussions about changes in urination and other functions, can reduce the risk of BPH worsening. Don’t just stand and wait.

MidLantic Urology offers more resources for BPH education. Request an appointment at a convenient location here.