Using the bathroom to relieve a full bladder is a simple, commonplace routine, and one that most take for granted. If you are a man in your 60s however, you may experience increased frequency and urgency to urinate followed by a frustrating battle to completely empty said bladder- and in a timely fashion! Sound familiar?
June is Men’s Health Awareness Month and as many as 30 million men suffer from prostate conditions. As the human body ages, multiple systems evolve as physical demands change and chemical makeup is altered. In men, one such evolution occurs in the prostate gland. In a man’s 20s, the healthy prostate is approximately the size of a walnut. Over time exponential growth occurs [1], with excessive enlargement leading to obstruction of the urethra and consequently, altered urinary function. These alterations may manifest as frequent urination, difficulty initiating and maintaining a stream, and struggling to fully empty the bladder. If you are experiencing these or other urinary symptoms, you are not alone. In 2009, it was reported that in a sample of 14,139 men in the USA, UK, and Sweden, 72% reported experiencing lower urinary tract symptoms “at least sometimes” [2].
This expansion of the prostate gland is thought to be a result of inflammation [3] as well as an imbalance in cell proliferation and cell death in prostatic tissue [4]. In vitro studies have observed that inflammation in prostate tissue includes the release of cytokines that may promote fibromuscular growth and cell proliferation in the prostate [5]. Dietary agents that modulate inflammation and regulate cellular events such as proliferation and apoptosis may be invaluable players in optimizing prostate health and urinary function.
Bio-Tech M&D’s Pros-Tech Ultra is a unique combination of dietary components newly formulated to provide optimum support for prostate, urinary, and reproductive health. Zinc, which has many well-established roles in reproductive, urinary, and prostate health, is included as bioavailable zinc methionine [6]. For optimization of urinary function and flow measure, beta-sitosterol, the active ingredient of saw palmetto, is present as a highly concentrated preparation of phytosterols [7]. Tocopherols have been replaced with their vitamin E analogues tocotrienols, which research indicates have more potent antioxidant activity and help regulate cellular apoptosis [8]. This formulation also includes vitamin D, which is an important regulator of prostatic cell growth but absent in most prostate supplements [9]. These ingredients, along with a proprietary complex of quercetin, cranberry, green tea, and curcumin, combat inflammation and oxidative stress within the prostate and regulate cell proliferation to support healthy prostate tissue.
There are many ways to age youthfully throughout the lifespan, and here at Bio-Tech we believe that supplementing a healthy diet and active lifestyle with science-based formulations such as Pro-Tech Ultra can help do just that. Here are some additional tips from the National Institute of Health to help if you suffer urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate:
- – Limit evening drinks, especially alcohol or caffeine
- – Don’t hold it! Use the bathroom often
- – Empty your bladder completely when you go
Danielle Ashley, Laboratory Specialist
References
1. Rhodes T, Girman C, Jacobsen S, Roberts R, Guess H, Lieber M. 1999. The Journal of Urology. 161:1174-1179.
2. Coyne K, Sexton C, Thompson C, Milsom I, Irwin D, Kopp Z, Chapple C, Kaplan S, Tubaro A, Aiyer L, Wein A. 2009. BJU International. 104:352-360.
3. Begley L, Kasina S, MacDonald A, Macoska J. 2008. Cytokine. 43(2):194-199.
4. Colombel M, Vacherot F, gil Diez S, Fontaine E, Buttyan R, Chopin D. 1998. British Journal of Urology. 82:380-385.
5. Robert G, Descazeaud A, Allory Y, Vacherot F, de la Taille A. 2009. European Urology Supplements. 8:879-886.
6. Kelleher S, McCormick N, Velasquez V, Lopez V. 2011. Advances in Nutrition. 2:101-111.
7. Berges R, Windeler J, Trampisch H, Senge T. 1995. The Lancet. 345:1529-1532.
8. Patel V, Rink, C, Khanna S, Sen K. 2011. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 49(10):732-738.
9. Vaughan C, Johnson T, Goode P, Redden D, Burgio K, Markland A. 2011. Urology. 78(6):1292-1297.
-Sponsored Content
