What is BPH?
Posted by Dr. Bob Crisafi on Mon, Dec 28, 2009 @ 05:58 PM
BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) is the medical term ascribed to an "enlarged prostate". To understand what BPH is, you must first have a fundamental knowledge of the anatomy of the male urinary tract. As you can see from the illustration, the urethra, which is attached to the bladder, passes through the prostate gland (shown in red) and exits through the penis. When it's time to empty the bladder, smooth muscles in the bladder relax allowing the urine to flow out of the bladder and through the urethra, which results in urination.
BPH occurs when the prostate gland grows or enlarges, as it does during most of a man's adult life. When the glandular tissue surrounding the exterior of the prostate gland becomes resistant to outward expansion, the continued growth of the prostate tissue grows inward closing in on that part of the urethra that passes through the prostate. This results in the gradual squeezing of the urethra within the prostate causing restriction of the flow of urine from the bladder. Thinking of this in another way, visualize holding a flexible hose, with water running through it, between your thumb and index finger. If you squeezed the hose closed with your fingers, the flow of liquid would slow down or even stop depending on the pressure you exert with your fingers. That's what happens in BPH. The more inward tissue growth in the prostate gland, the more pressure exerted on the urethra and the more restriction of the flow of urine being released from the bladder. The degree of prostate enlargement can vary greatly among individuals, and this is the reason why some men suffer from more symptoms than others.
There are over 100 prostate products, both prescription and non-prescription on the market. Among the non-prescription, nutritional products used to promote the healthy function of the prostate and relieve the urinary symptoms of BPH is Prostex, a time tested product (sold for more than fifty years) and used by tens of thousands of men. Prostex is a proprietary blend of amino acids (Glycine, Alanine, and Glutamic Acid). In the 1950's a group of American doctors accidentally found that patients being treated for allergies, with the amino acid formula, were experiencing relief from BPH symptoms. It's called serendipity. Other controlled scientific studies followed, which showed that this therapy was indeed effective in relieving the common urinary symptoms of BPH, such as urgency, discomfort, night frequency, and delayed urine flow. I welcome your views on this article.
Dr. Bob