Prostate Health

The prostate is part of a man's sex organs. It's about the size of a walnut and surrounds the tube called the urethra, located just below the bladder.

The urethra has two jobs: to carry urine from the bladder when you urinate and to carry semen during a sexual climax, or ejaculation. Semen is a combination of sperm plus fluid that the prostate adds.

When your prostate becomes enlarged it can cause an inability to urinate. There are a few conditions that can affect the ability to urinate and if you are experiencing a problem it is best to seek medical advice to determine the best treatment.

Prostate Conditions

For men under 50, the most common prostate problem is prostatitis.

Prostatitis means the prostate might be inflamed or irritated. If you have prostatitis, you may have a burning feeling when you urinate, or you may have to urinate more often. Or you may have a fever or just feel tired.

Some kinds of prostatitis are caused by bacteria. If you have bacterial prostatitis, your doctor can look through a microscope and find bacteria in a sample of your urine. Your doctor can then give you an antibiotic, a medicine that kills bacteria.

Most of the time, doctors don't find any bacteria in men with prostatitis. If you have urinary problems, the doctor will look for other possible causes, such as a kidney stone or cancer.

If no other causes are found, the doctor may decide you have a condition called nonbacterial prostatitis.

For men over 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement. This condition is also called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As men get older, their prostate keeps growing. As it grows, it squeezes the urethra. Since urine travels from the bladder through the urethra, the pressure from the enlarged prostate may affect bladder control.

Testing for Prostate Problems

Several tests help the doctor identify the problem and decide on the best treatment.

• Digital rectal exam - This exam is usually the first test done. Your doctor inserts a gloved finger into the rectum and feels the prostate, which sits directly in front of the rectum. This exam gives the doctor a general idea of the size and condition of the prostate.
• Blood test - Your doctor may want to test a sample of your blood to look for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). If your PSA is high, it may be a sign that you have prostate cancer. But this test isn't perfect. Many men with high PSA scores don't have prostate cancer.
• Imaging - Your doctor may want to get a picture of your prostate using either x-rays or a sonogram. An intravenous pyelogram (IVP) is an x ray of the urinary tract. For an IVP, dye will be injected into a vein. Later, when the dye passes out of your blood into your urine, it will show up on the x-ray. A rectal sonogram uses a probe, inserted into the rectum, to bounce sound waves off the prostate.
• Urine flow study - You may be asked to urinate into a special device that measures how quickly the urine is flowing. A reduced flow may mean you have BPH.
• Cystoscopy - Another way to see a problem from the inside is with a cystoscope, which is a thin tube with lenses like a microscope. The tube is inserted into the bladder through the urethra while the doctor looks through the cystoscope.

Once testing has been done you and your doctor can determine the best course of treatment for you.

Natural Supplements for Prostate Health - Avistate

With its specific blend of nutrients, Avistate ensures that nutritional needs are met for prostate gland support. Avistate is a non-invasive prostate support formula that has been designed to support current prostate health and lessen the many discomforting symptoms associated with prostate enlargement.

Research has shown that diet plays an integral role in the maintenance and promotion of prostate health. In fact, nutritional supplementation with amino acids and saw palmetto has been shown to diminish the harmful effects of 5-alpha-reductase on the prostate.

A few ingredients in Avistate are:

• Serenoa repens (Saw Palmetto): Saw palmetto is an effective treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Several clinical studies have shown significant improvement in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) like frequent urination, painful urination, hesitancy, urgency, and perineal heaviness. It also decreases nocturia, improves peak and mean urinary flow, and lowers residual urine volume in patients with BPH.
• Pygeum africanum (Pygeum bark): A review of current studies on pygeum for BPH suggests that this botanical medicine is also an effective and safe treatment, improving both urological symptoms and measurements of flow.
• Isoflavones (soy extract): Epidemiological studies show that diets higher in soy products are associated with reduced risk and progression of prostate cancer and prostatitis, or inflammation of the prostate gland. The isoflavone, genistien, appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of BPH and prostate cancer.
• Selenium: Serum levels of selenium appear to be lower in patients with conditions of the prostate.

For a complete list of ingredients Click Here.