In this podcast, we’re going to talk about one food that may help stop prostate enlargement in its tracks. The prostate gland wraps around a small tube underneath the bladder and is usually the size of a walnut. When a prostate is enlarged, it can interfere with urine flow and can sometimes turn cancerous.
An enlarged prostate is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia. Testosterone is said to cause prostate enlargement. With the help of an enzyme, testosterone is converted into DHT (dihydrotestosterone), a more potent form of testosterone. One of the best-selling drugs for prostate enlargement works by inhibiting this enzyme.
Testosterone and DHT decrease as we age, but the enzyme that makes DHT increases.
The top medication for an enlarged prostate decreases the enlargement of the prostate by 23%, but it also comes with the following potential side effects:
• Decreased libido
• Increased risk of prostate cancer
• Syndrome upon quitting the medicine (suicidal impulses, atrophy of the penis, development of breast tissue)
There is a natural inhibitor of this enzyme, called lycopene, that may decrease the risk of prostate enlargement by 21%. It may also reduce the risk of prostate cancer and decrease inflammation. It even has potent antioxidant effects.
Lycopene is a carotenoid found in watermelon, carrots, and grapefruit, but tomatoes are the best source.
Try growing your own tomatoes or getting them from the farmer’s market. You can also consume canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato paste because the lycopene in tomatoes becomes more bioavailable when heated. Make sure you choose tomato sauce without sugar!
Lycopene is a fat-soluble compound, so add olive oil when cooking with tomatoes to help extract it. Try adding tomatoes to your diet twice a week to help shrink an enlarged prostate.
Zinc and resveratrol are also helpful for enlarged prostate remedies. Milk is one of the worst things for an enlarged prostate!
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