As men age, the prostate gland may enlarge in a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, studies show that dietary and lifestyle changes can slow prostate growth while also supporting overall health.
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According to Medical News Today, a healthy diet for people with an enlarged prostate should be rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. Certain foods—such as salmon, tomatoes, and berries—may be particularly beneficial.
Diet and Prostate Enlargement
The prostate is a small gland located in the pelvis and is an essential part of the male reproductive system. It converts testosterone into another hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT); high levels of DHT contribute to prostate cell enlargement.
Some foods and beverages are known to affect prostate health due to their influence on testosterone and other hormones. Research suggests that a diet rich in whole fruits and vegetables and healthy fats improves prostate health and slows its growth.
Recommended Foods
Following a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats—such as the Mediterranean diet—may benefit prostate health. Research indicates that adherence to this diet can slow prostate growth, improve overall health, and reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
The Mediterranean diet and similar eating patterns are naturally high in antioxidants and healthy fats, both of which help protect the prostate. Recommended foods include:
Salmon: Rich in healthy fats containing omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent and reduce inflammation. Other cold-water fish, such as sardines, are also high in these fats.
Tomatoes: High in lycopene, an antioxidant that may benefit prostate cells. Cooking tomatoes, such as in sauces or soups, helps release lycopene and makes it easier for the body to absorb.
Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are excellent sources of antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals—byproducts of bodily processes that can cause damage and disease over time.
Broccoli: Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, including bok choy, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage, contain a compound called sulforaphane, which is believed to target cancer cells and promote prostate health.
Nuts: Nuts are rich in zinc, a trace mineral found in high concentrations in the prostate and believed to help balance testosterone and DHT levels. Oysters and legumes are also rich in zinc.
Citrus fruits: Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit are high in vitamin C, which may help protect the prostate gland.
What Is the Best Drink for Prostate Health?
As with beneficial foods, antioxidant-rich juices containing vitamins and minerals can be part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Limited studies suggest that green tea may improve lower urinary tract health and may have a protective effect against prostate cancer. However, the evidence is not conclusive, and further research is needed.
Foods to Avoid or Limit
A prostate-friendly diet is not only about eating beneficial foods but also about avoiding those that may harm prostate health, including:
Red meat: High in saturated fats, which may increase inflammation. Reducing red meat intake as part of a balanced diet may positively affect prostate growth and muscle strength.
Caffeine: Acts as a diuretic, increasing urine production, frequency, and urgency.
Sodium: Excess salt intake may worsen urinary symptoms associated with BPH. A low-sodium diet—by avoiding added salt and processed foods—may help some men.
Managing Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Dietary changes can be effective in managing some BPH symptoms, but other simple lifestyle adjustments may also help. These include stress management, quitting smoking, avoiding fluids in the evening to reduce nighttime urination, fully emptying the bladder when urinating, practicing pelvic floor exercises, and avoiding medications that may worsen symptoms—such as antihistamines, diuretics, and decongestants—when possible. Bladder training exercises and limiting fluid intake to about two liters per day may also help.
If lifestyle changes are not effective, a doctor may recommend medication or surgery.
Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Common symptoms include frequent urination, urinary urgency, difficulty starting urination, weak urine flow or dribbling at the end of urination, interrupted flow, nighttime urination, urinary incontinence, pain after ejaculation, pain during urination, and urinary retention or inability to urinate.
These symptoms occur when the enlarged prostate blocks the urethra—the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body—making urination difficult or even impossible.
Treatment depends on symptom severity. In some cases, simple lifestyle changes are sufficient; in others, medications or surgical procedures can effectively reduce prostate size or relieve symptoms.
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